Hi,

This is my first post here. Up to this point, large format photography was somewhere in the subconscious part of my brain that knows that things like this exist, but really didn't think about them. Then a few days ago on a buying trip (my business is buying and selling things) I ran into two items that were so amazing that I just HAD to have them.

1) A folmer & Schwing 12X20 banquet camera. No film holders or dark slide, but this is a massive camera. Great glass. Light tight bellows. Amazing.

2) This was the one that just amazed me. It's a 14" X 14" (why it's called that, I'm not sure because I can't find any dimensions that are exact Copying/Enlarging/Reducing camera. Fully extended, the camera is about 6 feet long. This giant has two sets of bellows and "rides" on a track. It has several giant film backs, no lens unfortunately. I've never seen anything like it before. I read that NASA has a couple, as did the older aircraft carriers. Way cool.

I'd be grateful for anything you can tell me about these, especially the Deardorff. Does anyone here use it? Are the giant film backs usable on any cameras other than the 14X14?

Thanks!