imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I have OWNED an RB Graflex, know of 118 film and Polaroid pack films - even used them ......LOL

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I guess I am posting for your entertainment !

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

It's a FIELD CAMERA. It's a bit like a view camer but does not have all the typical view camera movements for perspective control and increasing Depth of field via the Scheimpflug Principle. The mod in the OP image may have a few of those adjustments.

Back in the day, 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 was a standard sheet film size. Even Graflex made several "miniature" press camers and large format SLRs in that format.

There were a few companies manufacturing those wooden bodies, perhaps B&J, Deardorf field cameras (high-end), and Wista, however, the one in the image is not one of those as per its construction. There were kits sold whereby one con assemble the own field camera and some were entirely homemade. This one may have been constructed from a kit or a striped-down model where the brand or logo fell off overthe the years.

The shutters are a pneumaticly timed model that was invented in the late 1890s and this type was manufactured into the 1940s. I think Wollensac was the inventor and the original producer. The Aldis lens was made in the UK. The 3/4 form was popular because if the les was desig to cover 4x5 there wouldd be plenty of coverage left over the rising front without the problem of vignetting.

Wild guess- it may be from the 1920s.

Thankfully, sys my lovely wife, I am not a camer collector. She already thinks I am a hoarder. I have run across these camers here and there but I am no expert in design and value.

You can get some 4x5 film and trim it down. You may be surprised at the quality of some of that old glass. Some of them have a soft ethereal look!

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Sorry I misassessed you on that, based soley on what you had posted ... but now I cannot imagine why you posted what you posted !?!

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And a big thank you for that, to you and so many others !

Seabastes

When I was a young photographer in 1960 working my way through college I was a staff photographer on the Eureka, California Newspapers where we used 4X5 Speed Graphics. Being the junior staffer I inherited an old Busch Pressman that took 3-1/4 by 4-1/4 film in press film holders.and also took a roll film back using 120 film.

It was the only one I ever saw. If I remember correctly I had to cut 4X5 film down to fit the Pressman holders.

Seabastes

Google Busch Pressman cameras.

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Perznally dont need to cuz I used one. In that time I would have been huuuuuugely envious of your desirably smaller version fitted with a rollfilm back !!

pappleg

There is no such thing as "rear focus" on a field camera. The rear standard holding the groundglass and film holder is fixed in place with exception of tilt functions. The front standard is used to focus on the groundglass by moving forward or rearward depending upon the lens in use. On a 4 X 5 camera a 121mm lens is known as a 5" lens since the distance between the front and rear standards will achieve infinity focus when 5" apart. Focussing closer than infinity requires extending the front standard further than 5" and up to the limit of the attached bellows. Only with a monorail type view camera can both front and rear standards be moved. Contrary to many posts on this topic view cameras, both monorail and field cameras have been made and are available and are still being used with film and digital backs. In Sedona, Arizona less than five years ago I saw a photographer who uses a 5" X 7" view camera and made an image on film by opening the shutter after dark after having composed and focussed at infinity during daylight. He waited for an impending thunderstorm in the distance and captured two lightning strikes that illuminated the red mountain landscape perfectly. He crated a giclee print at 12X enlargement that measured 60" X 84". By comparison a 35mm image would be 12" X 18"- there is an old saying from the film era: there is no substitute for square inches of film!

Pat

rassa5

Thanks everybody for your words of wisdom. I now know more about the camera,but I don't think I will be using it again. It would be a nice prop for a movie though.
I now have Nikon Z7 which takes excellent photos.

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You could do what my friend does. Get the image you want on the screen of your field camera, then copy that with your Z7. But, reeeeeally now, WHY ? Cuz you can !