Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

My large format camera
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:27 pm    Post subject: My large format camera Reply with quote

This camera came from a local auction held last week. It was so cheap I just had to buy it. It's a mix & match of all kinds of brands but it's complete. I have been reading a lot about large format camera's this weekend, because I didn't know the slightest thing about them!
I would love to start using this camera but I'll first need to find out if there is still a lab around here that can develop 4*5 film. It came with a holder for conventional roll film but I don't see the point in using that in a camera like this. Smile


#1


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really nice set!

Congrats


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:04 pm    Post subject: Re: My large format camera Reply with quote

!Karen wrote:
first need to find out if there is still a lab around here that can develop 4*5 film


why not develop yourself?

I never developed sheet film but I suppose you skip the trouble of tanks and winding Smile


PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does the roll holder attach to the camera? I ask because the camera looks very old fashioned, might even be old, and the roll holder is for a relatively modern camera with a Graflok (also called international) back.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have no idea how to attach the roll film back
Apparently I need to remove the ground glass first but IDK how.
I will look into it this weekend


PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

!Karen wrote:
I have no idea how to attach the roll film back
Apparently I need to remove the ground glass first but IDK how.
I will look into it this weekend


I've never shot large format, but it seems to me that the ground glass must be pushed back when a regular film holder is inserted -- because you would want the film to occupy the same exact plane as the ground glass. As for mounting the roll-film back, yeah I think you're right about having to remove the ground glass. It's probably held in place by a couple of brackets that can be easily moved for its removal. Otherwise, it would be a giant PITA to use the roll-film back because it will still need to be used for focusing on the subject.


PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2016 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK so I gave it another shot today. Here are some photo's because I can't figure it out. Total noob!

back of the camera with ground glass unit attached

#1



ground glass unit removed, the shade thingie could be removed as well

#2


a couple of photo's of the unit that holds the ground glass and where you would insert the film cassettes.

#3


#4


The ground glass itself is secured with screws.

#5


the roll film holder seems to be the right size to fit in the slot, but I can't imagine I would have to undo a bunch of screws to remove the ground glass each time. Maybe danfromm is right.. IDK


#6


#7



Confused


PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2016 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for posting the images. Your camera is quite non-standard. In particular, its back, to which the focusing panel attaches, seems, um, idiosyncratic, perhaps unique.

I take it that when you insert a sheet film holder it goes between the ground glass and the lens, probably pushes the ground glass away from the lens. Is this correct?

Whatever the back is, it is not a Graflok (also called international) back. Your Horseman roll film holder will attach only to a Graflok (also called international) back.

I don't think the camera is a mashup. View cameras accept lenses on boards. The boards are sometimes camera-specific, lenses in general are not camera-specific. Someone made the thing with malice aforethought. It is very strange.

If you want to use a view camera, give up on your poisoned gift (sorry to be so negative, but that's how I see it) and get a proper conventional one. Likely relatively modern fully modular inexpensive candidates include Cambo SC-2 and derivatives and many Sinar models.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan


PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2016 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

danfromm wrote:
I take it that when you insert a sheet film holder it goes between the ground glass and the lens, probably pushes the ground glass away from the lens. Is this correct?
this is correct. The ground glas can be pulled back by a spring to insert a film sheet holder.

I have watched countless YouTube video's, and read a lot of articles, but there is not much information to be found about the manufacturer 'Dia'.
It's a mystery :-p

I have no plans to buy another LF camera. I just got this one because it was so cheap. It would have been fun to use it some time but looks like it's not going to happen (i can't develop film myself unfortunately)


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you look around you can find a calumet 120 roll film holder that will slide in under the ground glass like a film holder.


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is interesting! Thanks for the tip. Cool


PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 12:56 pm    Post subject: Re: My large format camera Reply with quote

kansalliskala wrote:
!Karen wrote:
first need to find out if there is still a lab around here that can develop 4*5 film


why not develop yourself?

I never developed sheet film but I suppose you skip the trouble of tanks and winding Smile


If you've not got a darkroom doing without the tanks is a pain. However I've read tips suggesting a 4X5 neg can be processed in a Paterson tank by rolling it into a Taco shape & securing with a elastic band. Results looked good to me but I've yet to try it.

Another thing I've yet to try is fitting my DSLR to the image plain of the LF camera. Sliding adapters are available for a few hundred pounds, allowing multiple DSLR images covering the image to be stitched. A DIY adapter might be practical using a bag bellows & supporting the DSLR from the LF camera via it's tripod mount


PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 120 film back is from Graflex, after focusing on the mate glass, take Graflock from the camera and replace it with film back, withdraw the protective plate and shoot. If your camera has rangefinder, coupled with the lens, you can shoot without the mate glass.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

!Karen wrote:
OK so I gave it another shot today. Here are some photo's because I can't figure it out. Total noob!

back of the camera with ground glass unit attached

#7



Confused


I don't think I was able to see these pictures last time. (attachments often get blocked browsing at work).

Did you get to grips with the back??

Dark slides holding 5x4 film should insert under the glass. But the roll film back you have won't these have to replace the glass being much bulkier. Dark slides tend to be in standard sizes so it's quite possible the roll film back was designed for a different camera where the focusing glass was easier to remove


PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2019 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

looks like you got Linhoff cassettes, I just attached one to my "recycle camera"



PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2019 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could use enlarging paper. I picked up a packet and a little patterson safelight for a few pounds. Put the paper in the camera and wxpose it at about 6 ISO, develop it under the safelight. Scan and reverse the image.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Company Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman Launch Contracts Have Been Dropped by the US Air Force - Orbital Today. Now they will no longer work with the military establishment. At least not under the most recent US Air Force contracts.