Wet Plate Cameras and Lenses

[Andrew Plume]

How about some of us posting some shots of their cameras and lenses to this new section?

andrew

[Fourtoes]

You can take a look at my blog if you like......my recent addiction to wetplate.

http://fourtoes.co.uk/iblog/

[Andrew Plume]

Hi Tony

oh no..............what a fantastic web site - it's not just the content, it's the way that you've set up the pages, it's so refereshing, a brilliant site indeed

didn't you buy a lens from me off evilbay some months ago.............................? - yep I'm pretty sure it was you - a B&L 8/4" f4.5 unshuttered guy

best regards

andrew

a brilliant site y'know

[Fourtoes]

Hi Andrew,

Yep sounds like it might be me. And thanks about the kind words re. my blog.

[Andrew Plume]

thx indeed Tony

I didn't want to publish your address, since that seemed too direct/a touch indiscrete................................

and the web site/blog is just spot on, so keep it coming please

best regards

andrew

[Lucy Telford]

Hi Andrew,

Yep sounds like it might be me. And thanks about the kind words re. my blog.

Hi, I like your blog. Re the varnish - weirdly the same thing happened to us at a recent Carl Radford workshop. We used the olde worlde trad varnish and the images literally slid off the tin. I am not sure if Carl ever got to the reason why this happened as I don't think it was something he had come across before. I have ordered some trad varnish from John Brewer but I think I might get some modern varnish too, just in case...

[Fourtoes]

I've just bought a small bottle of Liquitex gloss varnish to see how that goes.....I'll let you know.
Everyone seems to have different ideas/problems/tips when it comes to varnish.

But lets get this post back on track....cameras and lenses.

[Andrew Plume]

yes

good stuff Lucy and Tony

regards

andrew

[John Brewer]

I am not sure if Carl ever got to the reason why this happened as I don't think it was something he had come across before. I have ordered some trad varnish from John Brewer but I think I might get some modern varnish too, just in case...

This is a common problem caused by the collodion starting to break down as it ages and the ethanol in the varnish dissolving the collodion. You shouldn't have any issues with my varnish as I've changed the recipe slightly.

John.

[Charles Twist]

Hello Tony,
What made you give up on the Ernemann?
Regards,
Charles

[Fourtoes]

Hi Charles,

Moved up to Whole plate, so can still shoot 5x7 with an insert if needed.
I still have my 1/4 plate camera.

T

[Andrew Plume]

and for anyone interested:

take a look at the 'Hello from Holland' post over in the new members section where Alex Timmermans rightly is showing a couple of his cameras and lenses

.............and here is a link to photos of early Wet Plate Photographers, who were based on the other side of the Big Pond:

http://www.antiquecameras.net/photograp ... 01900.html

and some adverts for the gear that was being sold during that period:

http://www.antiquecameras.net/18481875a ... ments.html

both links courtesy of the incredibly useful website maintained by Dan Colucci

andrew