How fit a 8x10 springback to old mahogany Reisekamera

[Steven Tribe]

There is no absolute standard for 18x24 holders but 3 major types that I know of.

- 2 full thin slots which fit into (somewhat ugly) brass strips on the back.
- Brass corner strips which fit into concealed corner slots.
- Wide center groves at corners on the film holder which fit into wood ridges in the back.

Type 1 holders are never the book type (mostly French cameras - or made for the French market).

Most of the other types are Book holders.

The design of all types is such that - within the type - it is quite realistic to modify the holders' width to fit the back.

[IanG]

Ian, does the springback on this camera looks familiar to you? It seems to be mostly metal or all-metal (apart from the ground glass, of course), but whether it was added to the frame as a DIY job puzzles me.

Looks like it's the original camera back to me. I had a De Vere monorail, Whole plate, Half plate, 5x4, with similar backs although a touch more utilitarian (plain).

Ian

[LF_rookie_to_be]

Looks like it's the original camera back to me. I had a De Vere monorail, Whole plate, Half plate, 5x4, with similar backs although a touch more utilitarian (plain).

Have you ever come across or heard of a dual-rail, non-folding, non-field 8x10" camera that accepts modern plastic 8x10" holders?

Thanks,
Marin

[IanG]

Have you ever come across or heard of a dual-rail, non-folding, non-field 8x10" camera that accepts modern plastic 8x10" holders?

Thanks,
Marin

I've replied in your Unknown 10x8 camera thread.

Ian

[Cheffalo]

Ian, I have two plate holders for this camera but they're in pretty bad shape. So I would need new ones and film inserts for them. I'd rather start with trying to fit the Sinar springback on and see where it leads.

[Steven Tribe]

Plate holders do not have to remain in bad shape (this is a DIY thread!)!

See attached for repair job on a 15x12" holder.

[IanG]

Like Steven I've repaired/restored plate holders that at first appearance seemed in extremely bad shape. In fact they are usually relative easy to restore. With book form holders a stiff piece of card may be enough instead of a meta film sheath.

Ian, I have two plate holders for this camera but they're in pretty bad shape. So I would need new ones and film inserts for them. I'd rather start with trying to fit the Sinar springback on and see where it leads.

My experience is that a 10"x8" back is slightly larger than an 18x24cm back (well it is with my cameras) so it's not a simple job to fit one without some modification. It would be relatively simple to make a new 10x8 back, if you could use the focus frame from another back (i.e. the Sinar) then that would help enormously.

I'm reluctant to hack good parts to make them fit, I'd get those holders fixed and keep everything as it is.

Ian

[Steven Tribe]

Yes, the design of book 18x24cm mahogany plate holders excludes conversation up to 8x10".

However, an elegant cpnversation would be to full plate size. I have a few plate holders for full plate which fit Reisekameras.

[Cheffalo]

So true, Steven. But there is the lack of time, the dream of using eight modern film cassettes instead of two glass plate holders at a time, etc, that makes me want to try it out. The 8x10 (18x24) springback I have here is actually a bit smaller than the original wooden cassette holder on the camera so I believe I will be able to construct a wooden adapter to attach the springback and snap it on the back of the camera. It will be sometime in the future but I promise I'll show you some results when it's done!

Thanks for all the valuable input, guys!