steve_williams3

Thanks for the clarification Bob. For me the cable release attachment angle is a non-issue in the configuration I am using. And shooting landscapes I can certainly let the shutter stop shaking before making an exposure.

I will hold on to lens and shutter and not ship it back.

thanks,

steve

Bob,

I am curious about your remarks concerning internal vibration. Are you suggesting that this vibration will adversely affect image sharpness as it would be percieved in a print? As I use the lens I don't detect any short of motion that I would consider affecting the image, certainly nothing like the mirror "thump" of a Pentax 6x7.

The fastest shutter speed of 1/125 is not a problem for me. I can't remember the last time I shot anything with a view camera over that speed. Long exposures are more the norm for me.

thanks,

steve

I recently purchased a used Fujinon 125 W f5.6 lens from KEH. I had

one of these before and really liked the lens. The thing came with a

Copal 0 shutter that is commonly used with copy cameras like the

Polaroid MP-3. It is self cocking and when the preview level opens

the lens it always is wide open no matter where you set the

aperture. The only way to preview depth of field is to open the

shutter on the "B" setting----then you can use the aperture control.

The minimum aperture is 45 and the shutter speeds range from 1/125 to

B. All seems to function well.

My question is: Are the self cocking shutters reliable? I can still

return this thing and find one with a conventional shutter. I have

used it, the lens is sharp and everything functions fine. And I

think I can adjust to the "B" thing.

thanks,

steve

I have tried all the typical cures----surrendering the fussy 4x5 for an 8x10, then selling it and picking up a Holga which gave way to a Leica. Sort of like an alcoholic switching from beer to wine...

Then I tried the geographic cure, traveling from place to place waiting for inspiration to hit me. Again, a lot like the alcoholic thinking life will be better in a new town...

What has worked for me, and someone has mentioned it already, is to work. Remove my brain from the process and just enter the ritural of taking the camera and making exposures. It doesn't matter what I shoot, how I shoot, what equipment I use, or whether the images are any good. But it does matter that I am in the world engaged in making photographs, for when inspiration does arrive, I can only see it if I am working.

Every major project I have been involved in has originated in this way. Serendipitious, unplanned, unseen, and most rewarding.

steve

My new Ebony RW45 arrived yesterday along with a new Congo 120mm 6.3 lens. It is a work of art. Solid, functional, lightweight, pretty.

I shot 8 sheets of film late yesterday with the Congo lens to check on its sharpness. I didn't do any lens chart work, just photographed the kinds of things I do in the kind of light I work in. The results on the light table looked shart and contrasty. I will make prints this evening before I decide to keep it or not.

steve

First, I want to thank everyone for their help, advice, and guidance. Those who suggested strongly that I look at the Ebony camera again succeeded in having me visit the Ebony website and call Badger Graphics.

I had never seen the folding Ebony RW45 before. And as indicated by many, it looked sweet. To make a short story of this, your wisdom led me to Badger Graphics, I took out my credit card and ordered an Ebony RW45, a Congo 120mm lens, Schneider 210, 6 film holders and 100 sheets of TriX. Now I have to figure out what tripod to get that won't complain when I stick it in the middle of a creek, in the ocean, or a manure pit....

thanks again for your help.

steve

Tim,

I have a friend who has an Ebony camera and I have looked at it closely and just don't connect with it. My large format work has always been ritualistic first, almost like a meditative act where the process was far more important than the resulting negative. I made hundreds of negatives over an 8 year period of time without ever doing more than processing the film.

The Zone VI and Wisner "feel" right. I just am not sure about the Ultralight....

steve

I owned a Zone VI 4x5 (vintage 1984), traded it for an 8x10 Deardorff, sold it to

pay my kid's tuition one semester and have been shooting with my Leica M6

for the past three years.

I have some extra money and want to get another 4x5 wooden view camera. I

have found some nice used Zone VI cameras similar to the one I had. But I

have also been looking at the Wisner Traditional and the Ultralight Zone VI.

I am familiar with all the "flaws" of the Zone VI---wobbly front end, challenge

with 90mm lens. The wobble was never a problem and futzing with the fornt

standard to accomodate the 90 wasn't a hassle either for me.

this time I am going to only use two lenses though---a 125 Fujinon and a 210.

Can anyone comment on the "feel" and sturdiness of the Ultralight? And how

does the Wisner compare to the standard "Wisnerlike" Zone VI?

I have touched a Wisner Traditional once in a store for a few minutes and I

was in love with it as an object of art., much the same as I felt when I first got

the Zone VI. Don't want to obsess too much with this decision, so any light

you can shed would be appreciated.

I do not want to consider any other view camera. Just these three.

Thanks. steve

First I want to thank all who provided input for a lens for my new acquired (old) 5x7.

<p>

I purchased a barrel lens with no flange for use with a Packard shutter. The lens is an 18cm f6.8 Dagor. It's old, has some imperfections and some cleaning marks on the real element. It should be fine for making contact prints. It cost all of $39.00.

<p>

My question is how to mount this lens without a flange? I was planning on making a custom board with an extra piece of wook glued to the front. I will drill a hole to the size of the barrel and then glue the lens in the board using silicone or something. Has anyone tried this or is there a better way to do this? Looks are not important anymore with the new 100 dollar Ansco.....

<p>

thanks,

<p>

steve

I just purchased an old 5x7 Ansco. I used to have a 4x5 ZoneVI camera and loved using a 125mm Fujinon with it. Does anyone know what lens might come closest to that on a 5x7? Money is an issue so I am looking for something inexpensive, in a barrel would be fine because I have a packard shutter. I am only going to make contact prints.

<p>

thanks,

<p>

steve

I want to get a JOBO processor to process 8x10 film and 120 film. Can anyone give me an asessment of the CPA-2's ability to control temperature. Most of the fall, spring, and winter the darkroom is cool, but in the summer it can run to around 75 degrees. Will the CPA-2 keep the bath at 68 dgrees or do I need to step up to the more expensive CPP-2?

<p>

thanks,

<p>

steve

The knob on the front of the 8x10 Deardorff that keeps the lensboard from sliding up and down does not work. When I remove the bushing I see that a washer is missing. Can someone tell me how I go about finding a replacement and fixing this?

<p>

I just got the camera and am waiting for a new bellows. Now this.

<p>

thanks.

<p>

steve

Can anyone tell me anything about this lens for use on 8x10?

It has 10 7/8, 16 3/16, 23 1/4, in a Compound shutter.

<p>

All I shoot is TriX and make contact prints. I am looking to use it in the field for landscapes and portraits.

<p>

Any wisdom would be appreciated.

<p>

steve

I have located several Deardorff 8x10 cameras. One was made

in the 1950's, one in the late 1970's, and one in 1989.

The only difference I can see is the wood color and the stainless

steel hardware on the newer one.

<p>

Is there something else that I should be looking at? They are

all about the same price.

<p>

Thanks for your help, advice, and expertise....

I am considering a Kodak 190mm F6.3 Wide Field Ektar

for use on 8x10. I know that at f 22 it has an image

circle of about 320mm. Can anyone tell me how much

movement this would allow me?

Well, the Berlebach arrived today and I must admit I am impressed by

the quality of the 4032 tripod. The built in ball head is much lower

in profile than I imagined and with the Bogen 3047 head attached to it

it makes a real pretty combination. It seems solid and I foresee no

problems with it when I put the Zone VI 4x5 field camera on it.

<p>

Now I have to see if I can part with the Zone VI tripod....

Again thanks for the input and advice.

The homemade monorail cameras I have seen don't compress enough to

allow you to focus at infinity or where the bellows is extremely

compressed. Try focusing on something very close where the bellows

would be more extended. If it works then you know the problem. You

might be able to cure it with a recessed lens board for your 90mm or

you can use a lens of longer focal length.

<p>

If that doesn't work and nothing appears sharp anywhere on the

groundglass, then you are probably like me and need new glasses *grin*

<p>

Good luck.

I have a ZoneVI lightweight tripod and I love it EXCEPT when I need to

shoot indoors on my hardwood floor. Those sharp mountain climbing

legs I adore so much outside create a real problem. I could not find

or come up with any solution that was satisfactory so I ordered

a Berlebach 4032 and another Bogen 3047 pan tilt head. Afterwards I

come to realize that I will have to mount the head on the ball head.

My concern is that I walk around a lot with camera and tripod on my

shoulder. The Zone VI is rock solid and I don't worry about a thing.

Is the Berlebach going to do OK like this with the camera and Bogen

head bouncing around at the end of that ball head? Any enlightenment

would be appreciated. Thanks.