Universal Camera has an amazing history. It’s full of genius and blunder. Money and bankruptcy. You could look it up.
The Buccaneer is a brick of a camera. Machined out of a chunk of aluminum and filled with gears and spindles. It features an extinction meter that’s useful for solar photography and a squinty coupled rangefinder window.
The f3.5 TRICOR lens is coated and the Chronomatic shutter reaches speeds of 1/300 of a second.
The levers at eight and two o’clock focus the TRICOR. They also cause the photographer to put his fingers in front of the rangefinder window.
Cameras were once assembled with screwdrivers and rivet guns. Masking tape was used on my Buccaneer. I don’t know whether it’s OEM masking tape or after market customizing.
The fit and finish is obvious.
Many of my classic cameras appear to have been used sparingly, if at all. Not so with this classic.
Someone loved the hell out of it. The pressure plate is well worn. I call it “pressure plate petina.”
I suspected that my Buccaneer would be past its prime. The back was loose and the film advance felt a little sloppy. There comes a time when you have to admit your best days are gone.
How much does the corn cost ?
Buck an ear !