Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
I got this at an estate sale of a good friend, paid $50 for it because I thought it was pretty neat and I was going to see if I could get it to work. Well that was over a year ago and I still dont know anything about it. All I know is what it says on the small metal plate on its front.
Any help would be appreciated, and is it worth anything, Id never sell it but for insurance stuff. Also what size of negative does it take and can you still get the negatives.
Thanks
Swede
Bobber
Loc: Fredericksburg, Texas
Its a view camera with swings and tilts. Mainly for architectural work. Straightens out converging perspective lines. Something you do with Photoshop Transform functions now.
Great find if it works, Great conversation piece if not.
Bobber wrote:
Its a view camera with swings and tilts. Mainly for architectural work. Straightens out converging perspective lines. Something you do with Photoshop Transform functions now.
and don't forget to throw the black sheet over your head too. :lol:
Measure the opening in the film holder. Looks like 5X7 or could be 4X5. I think the film holder you have holds galss plates. Deoes it have a lens? If it does put it on blub and open it then look threw the back (a focusing hood over your head makes it so you can see better. This will be fun to play with. To take a picture you focus then set your camera the same way you on M on your Dslr. Then you put the film holder in with film in it -pull out the dark slide - hit the shutter - put the dark slide back in the camera and you have a negative. You can develope the film and make contact prints with kitchen stuff to use for trays etc. Email me and I can tell you how. - Dave
It's a view camera, originally sold during the early 1900's.
It needs a lens board at the right-hand end to hold the lens. Originally, a glass plate coated with a photo sensitive emulsion was held at the left-hand end. The plate holder included a thin metal sheet which protected the emulsion from light and was made to slide out of the way when the photographer was ready to expose the film.
First the photographer composed his image on a frosted-glass plate which was held in the place where the film would be later. The photographer would cover his head with a black cloth while composing and focusing the image on the frosted plate. Then he would replace the glass plate with the plate which held the film plate.
I have an old Seneca camera which was also make in Rochester at the same time. On mine, a lever moves the glass focusing plate rearward, allowing one to slip the plate holder into the space, putting the glass plate at the same focal length as was the glass focusing plate. One mistake I've seen on some movies is the photographer having his head under the black cloth when taking the photo. In reality, the only time one was under the cloth was when you were focusing it. When you took the photo, you could not see anything because the plate holder was in the way.
The plate holder you have looks exactly like the one my camera uses, meaning they must have been universal. Mine has a frame with sliding wooden blocks that allowed one to shoot two 3.5" X 5" or four 2.5" X 3.5" images.
One of the most common problems with these old view cameras is worn bellows (holes).
Great view camera...I used for many years. NOW only good as a door stop.
Bozsik
Loc: Orangevale, California
Does it have a lens in front? Doesn't look like it. If it has the lens board, you can get a lens to fit it...probably. Expensive to shoot, fun to play with, heavy to tote, and it looks as though the back is the only one that swings. You can alter the focusing plan in only one direction, but the converging parallels can be adjusted both horiz. and vert.
Sometimes antique shops might give you an idea what it is worth.
Calls for a trip to Vegas to visit PAWN STARS... :)
Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
Thanks All, I finally did have a pretty good look at the Camera. There are no holes in the bellows the lens plate and lens are there, so is what I think is the focus plate, no hood came with it but a towel worked just fine. I figured out the fstop and shutter speed, BUT what I can't figure out is how you focus it. I think the lens is suppose to slide back and forth on its track, but how do you keep the shutter open to focus it.
I'll get it eventually, with all your help, much appreciated
5x7 negatives
Swede
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