dallmeyer Soho Reflex with old plates

<p>Hi <br />My step dad has handed me an old Dallmeyer Soho Reflex like this one...<br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C437.html" target="_blank">http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C437.html</a><br />It is in great condition and comes with an unopened pack of Ilford Panchromatic plates! <br />Will these plates be useless now? I really want to try and get some pictures with this camera. Surely I can just insert photographic paper in the back and use it like a pinhole camera?<br />It also comes with a roller and frame for the negatives, which I haven't a clue how to use. <br />Any advice, tips would be much appreciated.<br />Thanks<br />Ollie</p>

<p>Fantastic. Yes, try some photopaper (real paper not resin) and you will get Calotype (paper) negatives which can be contact printed (you could oil the paper to make it more transparent). Then, if everything works, well, I was going to suggest trying the plates, but on second thought, it would be a shame to open up a package that had survived so long.</p>

<p>Anyhow congrats, and show us any results you get.</p>

<p>The plates would be a hit-or-miss operation, for sure. The plates are probably about ISO 10 by now at best. Develop them rather hard, maybe 8 minutes in HC-110 Diultion B. You probably would need to do this in total darkness in trays, since finding the right "rack" tank would be hard. Be careful not to cut your fingers along the way, the edges are rough.<br>

To make it practical, you want to find or make film sheaths. These are sheets of thin metal, typically aluminum, with folded-over sides to hold a sheet of film, and folded-down ends that get clamped into the plate holders like a glass plate. Kodak used to make them in all sheet film sizes.<br>

More "interim" is to get thin glass cut to the correct plate size, and stick sheet film to the front with jam, from the supermarket. You could use printing paper instead of film, but realize it's about ISO 1.</p>

 

<p>I have had good luck shooting old glass plates and developing in diafine. You develop all film for (I think, see the directions on the box)) 3 minutes in each of the 2 baths.</p>

 

<p>You didn't say how old the plates were. I think Ilford made glass plate negatives up about 1970. They may be just fine. I have seen results from some other people using the old plates and they seem to still work well. I haven't used any old plates, but on my own plates that I have made, they seem to increase in grain size and speed with age, rather than slow down. But those are my own concoction and I'm sure the Ilford plates are more stable. I also have very good luck with glossy RC paper. Here is a negative of a Snapper using a 9x12 plate camera and RC paper. I shot this a ISO 2.5 and it is a bit overexposed but made a good contact print..</p><div></div>

<p>Here is the contact print</p><div></div>

<p>I'm surprised Cliff, I thought the RC paper wouldn't work as well. I suppose the emulsion side was in direct contact with the to-be positive emulsion? Or not?</p>

<p>I'm not certain how old the plates are but they look really old. Older than 1970. Going by the design and the old british currency price tag, I'd guess about 1950. It's true that it would be a shame to open them when they've lasted this long. I might leave them if I can get some good prints just using paper. <br>

I must admit, I consider myself a beginner in relation to you guys and i'm not familiar with all these various types of papers and chemicals such as the HC 110 Dilution but I will not be put off! <br>

Can anybody tell me what I do with the wooden/glass frame and roller? <br>

Many thanks</p>

<p> </p>

Yes the RC works very well, and yes the emulsions go together in the contact printer. As a matter of fact the RC paper negatives work very well in the enlarger too. They are fairly thin single weight and transmit light fine, as is, without oiling, waxing, or peeling emulsion like you always hear about. Just use them like an ordinary negative and adjust your exposure times accordingly.

I don't know for sure what you have, a picture would help. I think what you are describing is a contact print frame for POP paper or salt prints. The roller was when the paper negative and the printout paper were both wet you would roll them together on a piece of glass, then place them in the print frame for exposure. To use them, you would need to get some of the AZO replacement paper that is being made in limited quantities (very expensive), or make paper yourself. The more you get into this, the more complicated, and fun it gets.

You don't have to use paper. Like John said above, just get or make film sheaths for the holders and shoot modern film. You can even shoot E6 slide film in it if you wanted to.