I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven inch - Field View camera at a local antique mall, after a friend told me about it, for fifty dollars.
After looking it over, I made the quick decision to buy it, remove the paint, and rebuild to restore to a working condition. Already having a lens with a pneumatic operated shutter (In case this lens, shown, will not work). I knew that it would not only be workable, but also practical for the design.
While I awaited the arrival of the Bellows from an overseas Bellows Maker - I made used that time to build a carrying box for the camera.
(Thus = This became my “Winter Project” for 2018.)
Here are a few photos of the progress of the endeavor.
=0=
Before
(Some Assembly Required)
After Stripping and Applied Stain and Varnishing
Bellows Attachment.
Finished.
WOW, that is a LOT of work - but yes, a good winter project ! starting to look nice !
imagemeister wrote:
WOW, that is a LOT of work - but yes, a good winter project ! starting to look nice !
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Not really "work" - However it can get rather tedious at times :-)
This is my fifth "Rebuild" of a View Camera.
(That last photo is of the completed project)
Now I have to find something else to do. -- ((Oh Look ..... There is a Completely FULL Bottle of Single Malt Scotch in the cabinet over there.))
LOL!!!
olemikey
Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida
James R wrote:
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven inch - Field View camera at a local antique mall, after a friend told me about it, for fifty dollars.
After looking it over, I made the quick decision to buy it, remove the paint, and rebuild to restore to a working condition. Already having a lens with a pneumatic operated shutter (In case this lens, shown, will not work). I knew that it would not only be workable, but also practical for the design.
While I awaited the arrival of the Bellows from an overseas Bellows Maker - I made used that time to build a carrying box for the camera.
(Thus = This became my “Winter Project” for 2018.)
Here are a few photos of the progress of the endeavor.
=0=
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven... (
show quote)
Looks to me to be a labor of love....and a great project.... enjoy !!
I admire what you’ve achieved with your time and talent. Enjoy the camera and the scotch and thanks for sharing.
rlaugh
Loc: Michigan & Florida
Amazing...excellent job!!
James R wrote:
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven inch - Field View camera at a local antique mall, after a friend told me about it, for fifty dollars.
After looking it over, I made the quick decision to buy it, remove the paint, and rebuild to restore to a working condition. Already having a lens with a pneumatic operated shutter (In case this lens, shown, will not work). I knew that it would not only be workable, but also practical for the design.
While I awaited the arrival of the Bellows from an overseas Bellows Maker - I made used that time to build a carrying box for the camera.
(Thus = This became my “Winter Project” for 2018.)
Here are a few photos of the progress of the endeavor.
=0=
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven... (
show quote)
James, Great job. Now use it to create some awesome images and post them here.
PixelStan77 wrote:
James, Great job. Now use it to create some awesome images and post them here.
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Thank you - And YES!
This IS a working camera. I do intend to make use of this before I sell it.
Currently, I do NOT use film, in this - or any of the Large Format cameras I have. I am using up over 3000 sheets of Photographic Print Paper as the recording medium. The ISO is Low (Very Low = like in the "basement of the house of ISO".) Depending on the paper used, it can be from 3 to that of 10; I have to experiment with each paper I use. Then the Paper Negative, recorded, is Chemical Developed - Fixed, and Dried. Next I scan, and Invert to a Positive - do a little editing - and Print (or display) the results.
It is snowing here in STL, MO today = However = Tomorrow I shall give the 5X7 B&J a test run of 12 exposures. (Being that the ISO is so low, the exposures can be from 1/2 Second to that of 8 Seconds (depending on the light available == Longer indoors).
I have made a few Contact-Prints - However - for most of the print-out process, I scan and print digitally.
I am getting some really good Orthochromatic Prints from this process. ( this was the "standard" from 1898 to about 1930 when Kodak came out with Panchromatic Film. )
By The Way = This Paper Negative Process goes back to William Henry Fox Talbot of the U.K. in the late 1830's -- 180 years of the photographic process.
=0=
Yes, I'm very familiar with the process - but ole Bill Fox T would have a fit if he only knew about digital image inversion!
You using Ilford print paper?
Chris
ChrisRL wrote:
Yes, I'm very familiar with the process - but ole Bill Fox T would have a fit if he only knew about digital image inversion!
You using Ilford print paper?
Chris
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Yes - Ilford for one. And I had an old still unused supply of all sorts of B&W paper from 1965 up to 2010 that is - of course - out of date. Seemingly this does not matter as I am getting really good results. (I have not experimented with color prints as yet.)
I keep careful notes as to my progress. Without the keeping of good records - I would be just empirically "fooling around" with the chemistry. That would not be very scientific of me, would it?
Also, I am experimenting with different developers, and dilutions and mixes of different developers. (Keep my mind from going NUTZ).
So - This and the digital process keeps me very busy.
=0=
Hmmm... the old Cibachrome i paper seems to spring unaided to mind... :-)
That's fantastic, James. You did a great job restoring that one. Excellent work.
--Bob
James R wrote:
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven inch - Field View camera at a local antique mall, after a friend told me about it, for fifty dollars.
After looking it over, I made the quick decision to buy it, remove the paint, and rebuild to restore to a working condition. Already having a lens with a pneumatic operated shutter (In case this lens, shown, will not work). I knew that it would not only be workable, but also practical for the design.
While I awaited the arrival of the Bellows from an overseas Bellows Maker - I made used that time to build a carrying box for the camera.
(Thus = This became my “Winter Project” for 2018.)
Here are a few photos of the progress of the endeavor.
=0=
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven... (
show quote)
James R wrote:
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven inch - Field View camera at a local antique mall, after a friend told me about it, for fifty dollars.
After looking it over, I made the quick decision to buy it, remove the paint, and rebuild to restore to a working condition. Already having a lens with a pneumatic operated shutter (In case this lens, shown, will not work). I knew that it would not only be workable, but also practical for the design.
While I awaited the arrival of the Bellows from an overseas Bellows Maker - I made used that time to build a carrying box for the camera.
(Thus = This became my “Winter Project” for 2018.)
Here are a few photos of the progress of the endeavor.
=0=
I found a Burke and James “Watson” - Five by Seven... (
show quote)
Wow! Congratulations on the find and your skill! :-)
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