Mothballs and Lavender

[sandeha]

That's the smell of my new camera. It reminds me of some great grandma's bedroom cupboards - lace and old leather. A scent I haven't come across since I was a kid.

It's a whole plate brass and mahogany double draw folder, with front rise and fall, front tilt both ways, rear tilt both ways and rear swing. Made by Gerard & Co of South St, London. Landscape or portrait, it can take lenses from 100mm to 600mm. The springback and DDS are UK Kodak.



It's in for a complete refurb.

Anybody have a reference to Gerard's and the camera's possible age?

[Rob 5419]

Don't know much about Gerard & Co - sorry.

Like Aldis, Watkin and a hoard of other photographic manufacturers, most dropped into oblivion as the whole plate era went underground - with the notorious exceptions (Thornton Pickard; Sanderson and Gandolfi).

The design of your triple extension whole plate suggests it is as recent as the 1900's, although the front lens panel design suggests it was a more 'budget' whole plate camera, than the more ingenious Sanderson front panel tilting design which dramatically improved stability on front tilts. The missing back would suggest you're in trouble or in the process of doing something with it?

Looks like your rear modifications would place the camera well into the 1960's for contemporary use and as a plate camera that has had a happy lifetime of use.

Bellows are playing that game of "sag!" as Oren would say

[sandeha]

Hello Rob. Thanks for your input. At some point the original back was replaced with a later wooden Kodak springback of the same fit. No problem on that account, fortunately.



Perhaps this was added at the same time that other repairs were done. The front standard base has a repair in the lower corner and the lens panel mounting has been replaced with a rather crude design with cheap metalwork. The bellows were also turned. The main body and metal work is very well designed and constructed.

It'll take a month or two, but I have DDS and lenses for it.

[Rob 5419]

Hi there,

neat though that you're almost there. Almost ......!

Now where's that shutter?

Are you going to recreate a set of bellows for this? I love the idea of restoring, although this looks like it's going to be hard work.

Like you, my Charten needs a serious chroming agent to remove the oxidised metal without weakening the metal parts further. Shutters are problematic for whole plate lenses ...everything seems to be a paltry 2 inch maximum aperture.

[sandeha]

Almost, Rob? The camera is now almost in all its constituent parts spread out on a makeshift table.

The bellows are flattening under bricks at present. I'll be making a fresh set. It's not too difficult dealing with large bellows.

Shutters? I wish. The lenses I currently have for this one are both process lenses in barrel. All shots will be counted ... 1 or 2 secs.

I haven't seen a Charten, but nearly all the metalwork here is solid brass. I'll cut fresh brass strips to replace the previous refurb bits of aluminium on the front standard.

I'm using a chemical lacquer remover (Nitromors) and wire wool to get rid of the old lacquer and corrosion, and that works a treat. Later, some fresh spray lacquer. Currently debating whether to use a varnish-like woodstain, or maybe Danish or Tung oil, on the mahogany.

[Rob 5419]

Almost, Rob? The camera is now almost in all its constituent parts spread out on a makeshift table.

Almost

Nitromors is good stuff. I haven't found a way to safely work with tarnished brass without thinning it. I'm not sure the brass parts of the Charten I have are solid brass (surely they must be?). Hoping I could just paint some reducer on it to restore it.

I'm really at a loss with some of those beautiful vintage victorian rectilinear type lenses - the ones with a 70mm size rear which won't go in anything but an overgrown Packard, which destroys the aesthetics (uh oh) of the whole plate front standard.

Even 2 seconds on Ilford FP4+....is going to be a full on challenge at full aperture to benefit from some of these beautiful petzval type lenses wide-open. Where's that 100x Neutral Density filter?

[sandeha]

You're right. On 5x7 with these lenses I've used Wephota NP15 ISO 25 from Retrophotographic, but currently they only seem to have ISO 100 for WP.

[Rob 5419]

Sandeha -

do you mean, Retrophotographic wlll carry NP15 in whole plate size?

I have never found an importer for the ISO25 in whole plate size. As you know, www.mrcad.co.uk carries half-plate size of Adox 25 but they have not sold whole plate size for over a year.

I'd love a slow emulsion in whole plate format. At the moment it looks more ilke a personal task of cutting the film. About as exciting as scrubbing the lacquer off, only more finicky ;(

[sandeha]

No, Rob, just wishful thinking on my part.

I will write to them and explain how the entire film market is leaning inexorably towards low ISO Whole Plate and advise that they should not miss the boat on this.

[Rob 5419]

Yeah - wishful thinking on my part too

You know that Lotus are selling LF film at discounted rates:

http://www.lotusviewcamera.at/used/film.html

If you don't mind halving a 7x17" film and trimming 1/2 inch off, the film is pretty good value.

Not sure why I keep thinking that Adox CMS20 might become available in whole plate format. Call it a premonition....

[sandeha]

The restoration has progressed quite well so far, so here's a little update ...

http://www.sandehalynch.com/restoration.htm

[sandeha]

A further update.

I have to say that even with limited movements, a traditional whole plate camera is a big lump of fun. Looking at that big view screen and focusing hardly needing a loup, it's relatively easy to compose. I am, though, going to have to improve my hit rate ... this was #3 out of four sheets I loaded. Scan of contact print.



Houghton Triple Victo (circa 1900) with Caltar II-E 210mm 6.8 lens. Wephota NP22, ISO 100. F64, /4. Slight rear tilt and swing. Dev'd in Rodinal.



The big surprise was being able to use the Caltar and that it covers with half an inch to spare at f22. That's from the data spec for the lens which is said to cover up to 5x7 ... I guess no one at Rodenstock thought whole plate would be of interest. This is one versatile little triplet.

Negs are pretty huge and tricky to handle !! Here's a detail; neg scanned at the same res I use for 6x6.

[sandeha]

A final update 'cos the camera's now finished. I got some mahogany lensboards from Scott Perry and made up the bellows over the past couple of days.

Following on from the the original 'repaired' bellows, and then a bag bellows, I made one set that turned out awry. This one fits a treat though, and folds up just fine.



Just hope I never have to make a set of bellows again. No fun.

[sandeha]

Just hope I never have to make a set of bellows again. No fun.

Oh, the irony. I haven't shot a great deal of LF in the past couple years, mostly 120 and 135. On the other hand I have been making bellows, and now fairly often for LF customers. A few samples here if you're interested ...

http://www.sandehalynch.com/isolette.htm

And having a new 4x5 I'm just waiting for the weather to improve.

[Joanna Carter]

Just hope I never have to make a set of bellows again. No fun.

Oh, the irony. I haven't shot a great deal of LF in the past couple years, mostly 120 and 135. On the other hand I have been making bellows, and now fairly often for LF customers. A few samples here if you're interested ...

http://www.sandehalynch.com/isolette.htm

Well, if that web page is anything to go by, you seem to do a good job and, since you are advertising with prices there, would you like to add a post to the Maintenance and DIY forum, in the Garden Shed section, letting people know of your services?