Rochester Universal - American Beauty
I am very pleased with this 1890s Rochester Optical Company Universal I just got. Though large field and studio cameras with sturdy, kitchen table leg standards are what most wetplaters look for, there is something about the refined size and quality of the dryplate era. This one is in wholeplate size, 6 1/2 X 8 1/2, which I'm sure will be a challenge compared to the 5x7 and 8x10 I usually shoot with film. It came complete with 2 dryplate holders in a nice canvas hard case.
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After handling and owning several English cameras, I've come to notice they often nicer than the average American camera from the 1860-1880 period. Their wood is spectacular, their brass is inletted, The screws are all aligned. A typical American tailboard camera from the wetplate era has a frontier primitive look. But starting in the late 1880s, Rochester, Century, and a few others began to create some pretty nice competition. The mahogany on a high end Rochester or Century is top quality, as is it's finish. This Universal is an American take on the English style camera. It folds up very small, just a couple inches thick. It has a lot of bellows, rear tilt and front rise, and a 4" lensboard. It feels secure and substantial, with all that mahogany and heavy brass.
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The condition is fantastic, you really have to hold it to appreciate the beautiful polish on that exotic wood. I'm going to try to shoot it this weekend.
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
And some more for wood and brass lovers. Notice how the screws are aligned, not commonly done in America. They made many sizes from quarterplate all the way up to 17X20. It was their most expensive camera when they came out. This wholeplate size folds up about as large as a laptop case, and was priced at $43. http://piercevaubel.com/cam/roc/univ2.htm and http://piercevaubel.com/cam/catalogs...lp502.htm#page 4-5 for more.
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Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
That really is lovely.
Can I have it? (hopeful smiley)
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Nice, Garrett!!
What are the 2 bolts/nuts atop the front standard for?
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Beautiful woodwork!
Guess I'm going to have to go through all my cameras and align the screws... :rolleyes:
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Sorry E. Von, I haven't had it long enough yet. But I've got a nice Seneca Improved 8x10 I'd sell now!
Lachlan, the front standard tightens down onto the rail with those knobs. The front rise is handled manually, locked in place with that little brass button to the left of the lensboard. It's really a cool camera.
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mark Sawyer
Beautiful woodwork!
Guess I'm going to have to go through all my cameras and align the screws... :rolleyes:
Nah, the traditional way over here was to use nails, then paint a screw slot on the head. Aligned of course.
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Nice camera, Garrett! I've got the 11x14 version that is in near pristine condition. They are beautifully made and wonderfully functional. I've never been a fan of the big, beastly studio cameras. The only downside is the relatively small lensboard size. But I am having the front standard modified slightly to hold flat aluminum 6x6 boards that I use on my 8x10 Kodak Master.
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Thanks Kerik, I agree. My Kodak 2Ds are just functional, but not that nice looking compared to what they looked like when Century made them as the No. 2. With this Universal, my plan is to use period wider lenses, like a nice 6.5 inch Dagor, and a 5x7 Tessar that I know covers a lot more. No giant petzvals for this, but the 9" Struss should fit. My bigger problem is it came with plate holders, not film holders. I'm thinking of how to make a metal film insert out of Trophy plate....
Re: Rochester Universal - American Beauty
Quote:
Originally Posted by
goamules
Sorry E. Von, I haven't had it long enough yet. But I've got a nice Seneca Improved 8x10 I'd sell now!
Lachlan, the front standard tightens down onto the rail with those knobs. The front rise is handled manually, locked in place with that little brass button to the left of the lensboard. It's really a cool camera.
Thanks, I have a V8 so don't need the Seneca. Whole plate is the smallest film to contact print, IMO, and one of those Rochesters with a nice 8 1/4" Dagor would be a great hiking camera.
Did the swing work as I thought?