I HAVE A IIIC AND RECENTLY RAN ACROSS A MINT BOOWU THAT WAS GEARED FOR SCREW MOUNTS. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INSTRUCTIONS WITH IT. I STARTED TO USE THE THING YESTERDAY AND THEN REALIZED IF THE LENS ISN'T COUPLED TO THE BODY IT ISN'T GOING TO FOCUS. (I'M GUESSING THE DOUBLE IMAGE FOCUS ISN'T GOING TO WORK FOR UNDER A FOOT CLOSE-UP COPYING ANYWAY.) IS THERE A MAGIC PRE-SET FOR LENS AND DIAL OR DO I NEED SOMETHING ELSE FOR FOCUSING? (I'M GUESSING YES.)

I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS ON THE USE OF THE BOOWU.

MANY THANKS,

MIKE

-- MIKE CREETY (PELICAN@PADDINGTON.ORG), May 08, 2001

Answers

Mike, here's the straight scoop from the 1961 Leica Manual:

"The Boowu can be used with all 50mm screw-mounting lenses at reproduction ratios of 1:4, 1:6, and 1:9. There are 3 intermediate objective rings and 4 extendable metal legs to cover fixed areas of 4 1/8 by 5 3/4, 5 3/4 by 8 1/4, or 8 1/4 by 11 5/8 inches. The 3 fixed, stop positions are marked on the metal legs.

"In operation the Boowu can be held in the hand, and subject brought within the outer area between the leg tips for proper focus. The lens should be set at the infinity mark with the lens pulled out and locked in iots mount, and the diaphragm closed to at least f/8 or smaller to get as much depth of field as possible."

In other words, you don't focus at all. The unit prefocuses the lens to the distance of the leg tips.

Hope that helps!

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), May 08, 2001.

As long as the BOOWU has its original legs the above instruction will work fine. There were several different Leitz devices that took different lengths of similar looking telescopic legs. It is not unknown for mix ups to occur so try it out first,

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), May 09, 2001.