[LargeFormat] Plate Holders

[philip.lambert]

Thanks Les. I had a quarter-plate Thornton Pickard single lens reflex using
plates 3.25 by 4.25" and I thought that was a modest size of neg. Halfplate
(6.5 by 4.25) was serious stuff but expensive. The old TP had a 6 inch
Triotar f4.5. I think the lens board could slide up half an inch;  I had no
idea what for (I found out since). I think the shutter release first raised
the mirror and then fired the roller blind.  I sold it for fifteen pounds
which was a week's wages.    Downhill all the way to 16mm after that until
some retired professional showed me the error of my ways, sold me my first
Linhof.   I have stored your advice on being careful what to buy. Folmer and
Schwing I never saw yet but the other 2 turn up. There's a nice De Vere 5x4
with a 180mm Symmar for £800 being sold at Vulture Photos. That's about
$1100: monorails are usually cheap in the UK.  Old Tropical Sandersons are
really nice in mahogany (?) but they fetch collector-level prices and I
would not dare to use one for fear of devaluing the "investment".  I saw a
nice big Kodak Monorail going cheapish but it weighed a ton and there were
no cutfilm holders visible. Philip
----- Original Message -----
From: "Les Newcomer" <lnphoto@twmi.rr.com>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Plate Holders


> the 9x12 film holders I have are single sheet and won't come close to
> fitting a common camera.
>
> I've got a firend in England that got an interesting English Kodak View
> camera that looks like a better built 2D. I'm pretty sure  dimensions
where
> just off enough so that you couldn't use a common 5x7 holder and kodak
> didn't make a 5x7 back for it.  he also got the quarter plate back as well
> --- 4*x6*.
>
> Now whole plate is a useableformat. The holders are hard to find, glass
> plate holders with septums inside are the cheapest, true film holders run
> $30 each. I've managed to aquire a few Hoffmans.
>
> Be carefull of turn of the century view cameras not made by either Folmer
&
> Schwing, Century or Kodak.  These three used what is now the standard
> holder. Other manufacturers did different things and spare holders would
be
> impossible to get.
>