Is Deardorff back?

I have heard ( from only ONE person ) in a very casual conversation

that Merle Deardorff is back in Illinois - ready to make cameras

again, and they will NOT be called Deardorff. Has anyone else heard

this?

John,

 

From what I know... Deardorff IS back! And, yes, it will STILL be called Deardorff. :)

 

Nice to see a bit of tradition enter back into the fray!

 

Cheers

call jim at midwest... they are back and he has BRAND NEW dorfs available.

Yes, there are new Deardorffs being made in Illinois and they're called Deardorffs. I don't have the Deardorff family tree in front of me but FWIW (very little)and for what it matters (even less), I thought it was Jack Deardorff who is making them.

 

Isn't it odd but encouraging that while every other aspect of traditional film based photography is tanking large format seems to be doing well with the addition of Deardorff, Layton, Shen Hao, and probably others that don't come to mind. I hope this bodes well for the future of sheet film. Of course Wisner is gone and that's too bad but I think that was more a matter of his business practices than a reflection on the market for the cameras.

 

Speaking of Wisner, if anyone is interested he's putting on a weekend large format workshop at the Art Center in St. Petersburg, FL later this year. Fee is $350. I don't plan to attend but if anyone is interested send me an email and I'll provide details.

Merle was an old man when I met him 25 years ago at the factory on Illinois St in Chicago. I`m sure you mean Jack.

 

Jack bragged that when he went to where the tree grows to pick harvested lumber, he could tell which side of the tree the wood was from and how high off the ground. Must be why the cameras last close to forever.

 

I wish them well. Too bad I had to get a Zone 6. A 4x5 `Dorf would be great.

Brian, Ron,

 

You're correct... it IS Jack and not Merle that's making the new Dorffs. :)

 

Yes, it does speak well for LF that more competition is entering the marketplace... and,

hopefully, the film makers will realize that it's not a dying fad. :)

 

Cheers

Yep,

Jack Deardorff is in Valparaiso Indiana and the company/camera is called DPPI for Deardorff Photographic Products International. He gave a presentation at a meeting of the Chicago Photographic Collectors Society earlier this year and talked about the demise of the company, the history of the company and the improvements he feels he iis making to the new cameras. Many of the parts for his new cameras are vintage, new Deardorff parts. I have a 40+/- page brochure I got in the mail before the meeting and have thought about scanning it but would need his permission to publish it on the web. Midwest is his dealer..EC

Are the cameras really made in Valparaiso, Indiana? That's where Ken Hough is located. Is he connected with the new Deardorffs? I thought the new Deardorff ground glass I got said some place in Illinois.

Yes, it in Valparaiso, Indiana. Ken Hough was involved in making the

cameras, but I think he had a falling out with Jack.

 

There was a real nice artlcle in the June 3, 2005 Chicago Reader newspaper

that talks about the history, what happened to the company and Jack and

Kens relationship. Unfortunatly, I pitched it after reading it. Might be online if

anyone is interested. Search www.chicagoreader.com.

"Speaking of Wisner, if anyone is interested he's putting on a weekend large format workshop at the Art Center in St. Petersburg, FL later this year. Fee is $350."

 

Will he show how to keep the knobs, back & parts from falling off the cameras in the field? Or how to keep the camera from falling off the tripod when the tripod screw & mount come out of the camera?(in normal use) Or how to gaffer tape the ground glass in and the back on so they don't fall off? Maybe that would be worth $350.00 ???

Jack's number is (219) 464-9748. It sometimes takes a bit to get a hold of him, but once you do he's just delightful to talk to, extremely helpful and very honest. I mention the latter because of other experiences posted about Deardorff repairs.

 

He told me that when the Japanese firm purchased the company in 1988, they only bought the very latest designs thus leaving the others for manufacture - which he is doing. I forget if he said, but there might be some slight improvements to those designs, you'd have to ask him. All the sizes up to 11x14 are available. They're a bit pricey, but considering that you are getting an original, NEW, Deardorff . . .

 

He also does repairs and/or restorations, refinishes with the original lacquer formulas and stains. He'll also sell the finishing materials and tell you the original multi-step processes so you can do it yourself. Parts prices are extremely reasonable.

Maybe Wisner will have a seminar on how to organize production and basic bookeeping.

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not.

Hello All,

 

Jack and I talk occasionally (it has been about a year) since we are about the oldest living people in and from the view camera business in the US, especially since Jim Galvin died a couple of years ago.

 

He is building them again and I hope he continues.

 

Jack and I met together with his dad, John, who was the Manufacturer of Manufacturing. John's brother, Merle, president of L.F. Deardorff, was a genius, although a strange one. WE were all members of the Mid States Industrial Photographers, Assn. In 1964, I was with Calumet and the Deardorffs were my friends, they didn't care if we were competitive in the VC busines, we all had tremendous respect for one another. John passed away much too young and Jack took over his responsibilities. Merle later retired to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, Deardorff was sold to a company which later decided not to manufacture the camera.

 

A few years ago, Jack decided to go back into the business of making the best and most recognized flat bed view cameras in the world. This remeinds me to call him this week.

 

Lynn

Darn Lynn,

 

You are still around also? You still teaching?

 

Bob