5x7 camera for portraits

[Mark Sawyer]

What are your thoughts about these options for what would be a specialized platform for a Verito 14 ½ or 16 ½ that need never venture outside for landscapes. Movements would be needed for the usual portrait corrective purposes, but it’s not necessary to blow the bank on Scheimpflug.

You'll definitely want some movements, but you're right, nothing excessive. The Rembrandt 5x7 is a great little tailboard portrait camera, but may not have the extension you need for a 145.5" to 16.5" lens at portrait distance. (BTW, the Verito came in 14.5" and 18", not 16.5".) I'd go with the Century 8x10 studio camera or something similar, although almost any 8x10 or 5x7 with enough bellows draw would be sufficient. Keep in mind a big studio camera should have a studio stand, and now we're talking furniture-size equipment. But there's something special about using an old studio camera...

[Dan Dozer]

Um....ok. So how do you get both eyes in focus with an F3.6 16" petzval with the model not looking straight at the camera? Answer: movements.

Thank you - I'm glad someone else mentioned this also. I use movements quite frequently with portraits.

[Armin Seeholzer]

A Burke & James the battle ship grey one would do it in 5x7 or 8x10, has enough bellows extension and also all kind of camera movements like a normal studio camera!

Cheers Armin

[Mark MacKenzie]

His studio space is 15 foot max. You gonna get a big studio camera in there to take portraits? Seems too tight for me....

[Luddite Frank]

One word about ANSCO bellows cameras: check the bellows ! Sometime after WW II ( maybe before), Ansco started using a plastic-coated bellows that does NOT age well. The plastic becomes VERY brittle, and starts to crack at the corners, then split at the folds.

I recently purchased a "nice" Ansco Universal 5x7 View camera, and found the bellows as described above.

So far I have a quote of $250 to have a new bellows made from Gor-tite.

Just something to keep in mind.

[BradS]

There's a very nice 5x7 portrait camera offered for sale in the classified section here. http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ead.php?112281

[fairmn]

Thank you for your thoughtful responses. Like Mark Mackenzie, I am concerned about the small space available. So no lens larger than the 14.5” Verito, and I can remove a bookcase against a wall and expand to 16.5’ x 13’. Working with an RB67 with 180mm and 150mm lens, I have plenty of space. The lights are close in because of the rapid light drop-off from the fresnels and slower 125 film.

Long ago I borrowed on interlibrary loan the long out of print Professional Portrait Lightings, Charles Abel, 1947, and photocopied the lighting diagrams. Lots of conventional sample portraits from commercial photographers in Milwaukee, St. Louis, West Virginia and downstate Illinois, and a surprisingly common use of fluorescent light. About 2/3 of the cameras used are Centurys (with film backs ranging from 4x5 to 11x14). Studio cameras of all brands have c. 80-85 percent share. Most frequent is a 5x7 back on a Century for head and shoulders and 11-12 feet working space from the front of the lens to the backdrop: 7 feet from camera to subject, 4-5 feet from subject to backdrop. For a photographer in Kaukauna, WI, total studio space is listed at 16’ x 18.’ Full-length bridal gown photos need 20-plus feet.

Fred Archer on Portraiture, 2nd ed. , 1954, is more of an educational text. Semi-centennial stands are nowhere to be found, no soft focus allowed. 5x7 cameras are perched on almost spindly wooden tripods. No listed dimensions, but everything is close in because of the shortage of light.

If can squeeze in the 8x10 Century on a stand, I would do it. Pickup sounds like a perfect excuse for a 3-4 day roadtrip within 1500 miles of Portland OR. But will it really fit?

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Considering the size of your space, and desire for a "solid, smooth-functioning dependable camera", I would look for a monorail. Not as cool or period as the other suggestions, but so much more practical and usable. Lensboards are easy to get and cheap and movements are plentiful. If you get a Sinar you can also eventually buy a Sinar shutter. I have gone through lots of flatbeds and dedicated studio cameras. Aside from appearance and lensboard size, they just don't stand up to a good monorail, especially in a small space.

If you don't mind the weight, Bluemoon has a Linhof 5x7 Kardan-Color right now that might be worth looking at.