Premo, Poco ?

[Jim C.]

Recently acquired another camera, I was hoping it was a full plate but it's a 5x7.
I'm having a devil of a time trying to ID this camera, the nameplate seems to
have been attached some other way rather than the usual tiny brads and is lost to time.
Scouring Cameraeccentric and Peircevauble sites especially the latter, it seems to to me that
it's either a Premo, or possibly a Poco.
The only thing that's flummoxing me is that the rear tilt lock is not center or at the
bottom as the catalogs illustrate but it's towards the top and only on one side.

Anyone own the same camera that can tentatively ID mine ?
How was the name plate attached ?

[Tin Can]

More pictures please.

[Steven Tribe]

Poco Cycle.
I have the 8x10" version.
No name on mine as the bellows/front standard were long gone. I have adopted a standard Graflex front standard which fits the rail.
You (and I) have the long focus model. Yours is the 2 stage extension with metal - mine is the single mahogany framework extension.
I have never found a good catalogue (there are excellent Premo/ROC available)from the other Rochester organisation which seems to have changed names and models every year - so my labelling as a Poco is based on rather poor advert sketches.
Almost all these had a name plate on the base of the front standard - look for 2 screws holes there!

[Jim C.]

Steven, Thanks for the ID, Peircevauble has some really awesome ROC catalogs including the Premo/Poco ones.
Nothing in the catalogs matched because of the unique rear tilt placement knob.
I went thru them all and was about to trawl thru Google books to if there were any ads in the old photography publications.
Odd thing about the name plate is that the front standard has no holes at all, it's pristine.
It must have been attached some other way. Another oddity is that the GG is reversed, the matte side facing out,
this is the same way the GG was installed on my Century Grand.

Randy - here's some of the camera porn you wanted

[Jon Shiu]

I think some people reversed the ground glass in an effort compensate for the focus registration being out of place on film vs plate holders. Of course, this is a very imprecise way of calibrating the focus plane.

Jon

Steven, Thanks for the ID, Peircevauble has some really awesome ROC catalogs including the Premo/Poco ones.
Nothing in the catalogs matched because of the unique rear tilt placement knob.
I went thru them all and was about to trawl thru Google books to if there were any ads in the old photography publications.
Odd thing about the name plate is that the front standard has no holes at all, it's pristine.
It must have been attached some other way. Another oddity is that the GG is reversed, the matte side facing out,
this is the same way the GG was installed on my Century Grand.

Randy - here's some of the camera porn you wanted

[Tin Can]

Thanks for the images and data points. I have 2 very nice Premo kits, 4x5 and 5x7.

My 4x5 is missing the name plate also and does have the 2 holes.

These cameras are usable jewels, so well made and mine look barely touched. The 5x7 was sold as a 9 of 10 but the seller packed it in hard Styrofoam and it suffered impact shipping damage. The only time out of 100's of long distance transactions where I did ask for a damage reduction. I never bicker or dicker, but it was packed poorly. I was sad the gem was damaged after a 100 years.

I will look for an 8x10 to match.

Have fun!

[Tin Can]

Perhaps Steven knows, my 4x5 looks untouched, the GG is matte to the rear and the kit came with original plate holder, including plates and a Premo film pack holder.

I think I have read some cameras came with the GG matte to the rear.

My 5x7 lost the OE GG in shipping along with other damage.

I think some people reversed the ground glass in an effort compensate for the focus registration being out of place on film vs plate holders. Of course, this is a very imprecise way of calibrating the focus plane.

Jon

[Jim C.]

Randy, it's a shame that your Premo 5x7 was damaged in shipping, but we're taliking about Poco's in this thread
Some of these cameras can be as confusing as Graflex's.

[Tin Can]

Sorry, I don't know the difference, they look very much alike.

Randy, it's a shame that your Premo 5x7 was damaged in shipping, but we're taliking about Poco's in this thread
Some of these cameras can be as confusing as Graflex's.