Swede wrote:
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
First question I think of is does it have a lens/shutter. Can't tell from the photos. It would use a leaf shutter with elements mounted to it and mounted to a lens board. Even if you could use it you probably have no idea what you're dealing with shooting 4x5 or 5x7 sheet film. A royal pain! :lol: Keep us up to date! :thumbup:
Swede wrote:
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
Thanks All, I finally did have a pretty good look ... (
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You focus by adjusting the bellows. This might have already been answered but I can't read every response. :thumbup:
Swede wrote:
Bozsik wrote:
Some of the older lenses had a T setting. You press the shutter release once - the shutter opens. Press it again - the shutter closes. If it doesn't have that - B setting and a cable release with a locking screw will do it. Some of the lenses also had a shutter hold button or lever on the outside ring of the shutter.
You focus it by moving the rear standard forward and back making the bellows shorter and longer. The back of the camera, when the film holder it out, should be ground glass on to which the image is projected. The image will be upside down and and backward. An advantage to the SLR camera. Hope that helps a bit. The image on the ground glass will not be really bright. Use a very opaque "dark cloth" to assist with the focusing.
Some of the older lenses had a T setting. You pres... (
show quote)
This is Probably easier, this is the focus screen and the lens plate
Swede
quote=Bozsik Some of the older lenses had a T set... (
show quote)
Lens appears to have a lot of fungus or seperation of the internal elements. I'd love to have the camera to add to my collection as a conversation piece. To use? Hell no! :lol:
I posted pics of my cameras and use them severel times a year. Love to play Ansil Adams. Love to do the darkroom work. With a 5X7 you can do the darkroom with out any real equipment. Tray develop them and make contact prints. You will find you can have lots of fun with the adjustments. You need to get a view camera book to learn how. As I pointed out before your film holder looks like it was for glass negatives. You can get one for film on ebay. Also you can focus by moving either the front or back standard. Most of the time you will use the front but sometimes it is hand to leave the front (lens) stationary and focus from the back. If you have ? you can email me private and I would be glad to help. - Dave
wilsondl2 wrote:
I posted pics of my cameras and use them severel times a year. Love to play Ansil Adams. Love to do the darkroom work. With a 5X7 you can do the darkroom with out any real equipment. Tray develop them and make contact prints. You will find you can have lots of fun with the adjustments. You need to get a view camera book to learn how. As I pointed out before your film holder looks like it was for glass negatives. You can get one for film on ebay. Also you can focus by moving either the front or back standard. Most of the time you will use the front but sometimes it is hand to leave the front (lens) stationary and focus from the back. If you have ? you can email me private and I would be glad to help. - Dave
I posted pics of my cameras and use them severel t... (
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It's Ansel not Ansil! :lol: Just being picky. :roll: :lol:
I have the 8X10 inch version of this camera--with the exact same front plate. Your bellows looks in a whole lot better shape than mine though. :) Judging by the shape of your film holder, I agree that yours looks like a 5X7. If your holders are indeed for glass plates, regular film holders should be easy enough to find and B&W film should still be available.
The lens that came with mine (an old Artar 19 inch) is shutter-less, but I do have a few other old lenses that look like yours, and they are the type that require the use of the old squeeze bulb air release in order to trip them. Good luck finding one. I had to make one using aquarium air tubing and a squeeze bulb from something else.
But if you only wanted to play with it and see what the image looks like on the ground glass, try setting the shutter in the bulb position and use a rubber band around the shutter lever to hold it down. (Just loop the other end of the rubber band around the bottom of what you've described as a rocket looking thing.)
DLG13 wrote:
I have the 8X10 inch version of this camera--with the exact same front plate. Your bellows looks in a whole lot better shape than mine though. :) Judging by the shape of your film holder, I agree that yours looks like a 5X7. If your holders are indeed for glass plates, regular film holders should be easy enough to find and B&W film should still be available.
The lens that came with mine (an old Artar 19 inch) is shutter-less, but I do have a few other old lenses that look like yours, and they are the type that require the use of the old squeeze bulb air release in order to trip them. Good luck finding one. I had to make one using aquarium air tubing and a squeeze bulb from something else.
But if you only wanted to play with it and see what the image looks like on the ground glass, try setting the shutter in the bulb position and use a rubber band around the shutter lever to hold it down. (Just loop the other end of the rubber band around the bottom of what you've described as a rocket looking thing.)
I have the 8X10 inch version of this camera--with ... (
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Or if it has a "T" time setting use that. The shutter will stay open until you release it by hitting the release again. A lot of those old shutters had that feature. We use to use rubber bands on the Yashica Mat 124G's to keep the reporters from switching from X to FP on the flash sync setting. Worked great. :thumbup:
As for focusing etc, if you look at wilsondl2's photos you will see knobs on the bottom of the camera in the front. Loosen those and move the front standard back and forth while looking at the ground glass screen in back. There is an extremely large community using large format cameras, anything from 4x5 to 20x26. As for being decorative items or doorstops, 4x5 and greater film has greater dynamic range than is available in current dslr's and are used by a great many professionals. The prints by Ansel Adams have yet to be equalled by dslrs.
I can't help you...but I got so excited when I saw your camera 'cause I just dug my dad's camera out of the bottom of the hope chest. It doesn't have wood..it's all black. The bellows are in perfect shape. I took pictures of it to show everyone here, but can't get pictures off my memory card right now to show to you. It's also an Eastman Kodak; No.1 (looks like possibly an A after the 1..not sure), Series 2, Pocket Kodak.
My dad was born in 1905, so I'm guessing this may be from 1915-1920. I believe I have pictures that were taken with this camera. I can't wait to show it to you! Good luck with yours!
Here is what I found:
Date Introduced: 1904 (as Century View No. 2); 1914 (as Eastman View Camera No. 2); Years Manufactured: c.1914-1925
Construction: front and rear focus via rack and pinion (two gear tracks on top of base rails); double swing; reversing by removable back; three-piece lensboard
Materials: mahogany wood body; cherry base; black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 5x7, 6½x8½, 8x10, 7x11
What is the size of the hole at the back of the camera. That should tell you which negative size your camera takes.
Good Luck,
Lynn
BHC
Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA
Actually i believe you have the "improved" 5 X 7 version; the original No. 2 was a different format - 6-1/2 X 8-1/2. Also what is the diameter of the hole in the lens board?
Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
pounder35 wrote:
Swede wrote:
Bozsik wrote:
Some of the older lenses had a T setting. You press the shutter release once - the shutter opens. Press it again - the shutter closes. If it doesn't have that - B setting and a cable release with a locking screw will do it. Some of the lenses also had a shutter hold button or lever on the outside ring of the shutter.
You focus it by moving the rear standard forward and back making the bellows shorter and longer. The back of the camera, when the film holder it out, should be ground glass on to which the image is projected. The image will be upside down and and backward. An advantage to the SLR camera. Hope that helps a bit. The image on the ground glass will not be really bright. Use a very opaque "dark cloth" to assist with the focusing.
Some of the older lenses had a T setting. You pres... (
show quote)
This is Probably easier, this is the focus screen and the lens plate
Swede
quote=Bozsik Some of the older lenses had a T set... (
show quote)
Lens appears to have a lot of fungus or seperation of the internal elements. I'd love to have the camera to add to my collection as a conversation piece. To use? Hell no! :lol:
quote=Swede quote=Bozsik Some of the older lense... (
show quote)
I clean the lens off, few small scratches but clear after that.
Thanks Pal
Swede
Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
Bill41 wrote:
Actually i believe you have the "improved" 5 X 7 version; the original No. 2 was a different format - 6-1/2 X 8-1/2. Also what is the diameter of the hole in the lens board?
Here are some more photos, these are for the negative or glass plate carrier. I think (ouch) that these are for plates. The top photo shows one of the carriers and it holds 2 plates, you expose one then flip it over for the second one (another guess). The bottom photo is of something that looks like a small binder and it is what Im guessing is the plate carrier, I think that because I think there might be some inside. There is a faint company logo inside that says The Primo Camera the patent date was July 19, 1890 also is what Im guessing is the production date of Oct 14 1902.
This is just getting to cool, Thanks everyone you have all been a great help- tell me more.
Oh the lens is an inch and a quarter, 5x7 for sure
Swede
Plate carrier??
Plate- negative storage??
Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
pounder35 wrote:
Swede wrote:
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
First question I think of is does it have a lens/shutter. Can't tell from the photos. It would use a leaf shutter with elements mounted to it and mounted to a lens board. Even if you could use it you probably have no idea what you're dealing with shooting 4x5 or 5x7 sheet film. A royal pain! :lol: Keep us up to date! :thumbup:
quote=Swede I got this at an estate sale of a goo... (
show quote)
It's a leaf shutter, 5x7 for sure. I think there is a couple unexposed plates with it. Check the next page I sent along a couple more photos of the carriers
Swede
Loc: Trail, BC Canada
Bill41 wrote:
Actually i believe you have the "improved" 5 X 7 version; the original No. 2 was a different format - 6-1/2 X 8-1/2. Also what is the diameter of the hole in the lens board?
I just measured the hole in the lens board it's an inch and quarter
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