Ebony Wood

[Nigels]

We all love Ebony cameras here, don't we. Well, some of us do anyway.
This is nothing to do with cameras but is Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars talking about the worlds sources for Ebony wood.
Just thought it might be of interest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anCGvfsBoFY

[Alan Clark]

Very interesting. Though not essential, ebony is a very useful wood for the fingerboards of guitars and other stringed instruments. But it does seem an odd choice of wood for cameras....


Alan

[joolsb]

We all love Ebony cameras here, don't we. Well, some of us do anyway.
This is nothing to do with cameras but is Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars talking about the worlds sources for Ebony wood.
Just thought it might be of interest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anCGvfsBoFY

An interesting and enjoyable video. The guy has a great way of laying out the facts that is clear and compelling. I didn't know that there was such waste in the ebony business but at least now I know why my Ebony isn't pure black. And it's a good thing that it isn't.

[Thingy]

Very interesting. Though not essential, ebony is a very useful wood for the fingerboards of guitars and other stringed instruments. But it does seem an odd choice of wood for cameras....

Alan

It's a very good wood for cameras, at least the heart wood is - being less susceptible to expanding/contracting in certain weather conditions (OK I'm thinking of Wista's rosewood folding 5x4 here). The problem with it (apart from the expense) is the difficulty of working with it without it splitting.

On the Ebony cameras front, I do like the fact that I only need to take one camera (monorails tend to be too bulky/heavy) for both architectural and close-up photography, with the bellows draw allowing me to use both my 58mm lens (on a flat board), my 120mm macro lens (with a bellows draw length of up to 365mm), and a 300mm long lens, all of which is very handy on trips abroad.

[Alan Clark]

Thingy, you say ebony is less susceptible to expanding/contracting in certain weather conditions. Less susceptible than what? you don't say, other than implying rosewood. In my experience the reverse is true, having found rosewood to be slightly more stable in varying humidity than ebony. The point here is that there are other woods that are even more stable than ebony.
I am also rather puzzled by your comment that ebony is dfficult to work without it splitting. It is actually not at all prone to splitting, unless splits or shakes are already in the wood before you begin working it.
As for using ebony to make cameras, all I can say is that the older I get the heavier my cameras get when I have to carry them any distance. The last thing I would want is for them to be made out of one of the heaviest woods on the planet!
True, ebony looks great, but so do plenty of other woods that are a lot lighter in weight. True, ebony is quite stable, but there are other woods that are more stable, and much lighter.

Alan

[Thingy]

Thingy, you say ebony is less susceptible to expanding/contracting in certain weather conditions. Less susceptible than what? you don't say, other than implying rosewood. In my experience the reverse is true, having found rosewood to be slightly more stable in varying humidity than ebony. The point here is that there are other woods that are even more stable than ebony.
I am also rather puzzled by your comment that ebony is dfficult to work without it splitting. It is actually not at all prone to splitting, unless splits or shakes are already in the wood before you begin working it.
As for using ebony to make cameras, all I can say is that the older I get the heavier my cameras get when I have to carry them any distance. The last thing I would want is for them to be made out of one of the heaviest woods on the planet!
True, ebony looks great, but so do plenty of other woods that are a lot lighter in weight. True, ebony is quite stable, but there are other woods that are more stable, and much lighter.

Alan

A yellow coloured wooden 10x8 camera owned by a late friend of my dad. He made his own glass plates!!! It may have been oak, or ash, or sycamore... it was also home made with simple wooden ratchets that got stuck in hot, humid weather. My knees seem to respond in the same way I used to have a Victorian yellow wooden card holder that did the same.

[Peter B]

I recall several years ago phoning a dealer in Wolverhampton (maybe Warner?) and enquiring about buying a wooden field camera. The helpful(?) assistant advised me that in his opinion all wooden camers should be put in a field and set fire to in a big bonfire due to the expansion/contraction problems, and I should get myself a nice metal one that did what it was told! No sale.

[Thingy]

I recall several years ago phoning a dealer in Wolverhampton (maybe Warner?) and enquiring about buying a wooden field camera. The helpful(?) assistant advised me that in his opinion all wooden camers should be put in a field and set fire to in a big bonfire due to the expansion/contraction problems, and I should get myself a nice metal one that did what it was told! No sale.

Ah, my first 5x4 camera (MPP) was a metal one.... I did seriously consider buying a metal Wista several years ago then left it after seeing the prices of Schneider lenses... then a few years later stroked my first Ebony... Love at first feel!