Show off your ULF camera

[John Layton]

Andrew...I'm quite confident that my ULF camera will have yours beat by a mile in the "she ain't pretty" category! Will post pix very soon!

[Andrew O'Neill]

Andrew...I'm quite confident that my ULF camera will have yours beat by a mile in the "she ain't pretty" category! Will post pix very soon!

I look forward to seeing her! I have a strong stomach...

[cuypers1807]

Chamonix 11x14 on a restored ANSCO studio stand from the 30s.
Lens is a 15" Cooke Portrait Series II f/4.5. (knuckler)

[John Layton]

OK - here it is…and don’t say I didn’t warn you! And just so you know, I built the first, unaltered version of this camera almost forty years ago, with the weight-cutting update (and current incarnation) coming about ten years ago, as an act of age-related desperation.

Photo #1: 11X14 folded, with rear “accessory box” attachment which holds three film holders, lens, and spot meter. Note the holes in the camera…which I’d routed out to bring its weight (without accessory box) from 28lbs. to 24lbs. A nifty feature: rear mounted focus shaft with chain drive to front shaft makes control easier to reach:


Photo #2: Rear accessory box inside detail:

Note: while this accessory box made for a nice, protective shell for both its contents and for the back of the camera, also allowing it to ride safely and securely bungeed to a pack frame...the entire setup was pretty much over-the-top heavy, especially considering I needed to carry my big heavy Bogen tripod as well.

Photo #3: Camera unfolded. Once upon a time there existed a decent lens board attachment plate…but I ultimately salvaged this for another project, after which point I’d just bring lots of black tape with which to affix the lens:


Photo #4: Wanting to devise some means of cutting the camera’s weight further, I constructed a crude slide-focus rail (laminated for dimensional stability and strength! ):


Photo #5: Guts of camera (back, bellows, front standard) mounted to focus rail, resulting in a weight loss of 12lbs…thus resulting in a 12lb. total weight of the “post diet” camera:


While cutting the camera’s weight by half (also allowing the use of a lighter CF tripod) was certainly a relief, the result is a bit crude (front slide-focus/swing/tilt/rise/fall, no back movements other than slide-focus) and a bit less stable than in its former incarnation.

[John Layton]

Oh there’s more! And now…for the super-nifty film holder clamping mechanism! (shown mounted on the heavier "complete" camera assembly, now part of the rail-mounted version)

Consisting of a hinged pickup bail and ground glass frame which can slide laterally to help with closed clearance, with centrally located spring which holds the frame against the inner plate for focussing:


Unclipping the central spring allows for the ground glass frame to move out of the way. Also, unclipping that spring completely removes all spring tension, making it very easy to then insert a film holder:


Finally, after a holder is inserted, two other springs (located top and bottom) then come into play to secure the assembly while the photo is taken:

...Ta Dah!

[Tin Can]

John

Good job!

Really!

But I wish EVERYBODY used GAFF Tape and specified it

The old 'Photo Black Tape' ruined a lot of gear

[pound]

i also think John's camera looks great! I like that the front rails knobs are also wooden

[John Layton]

About those knobs...aside from the picky process of gouging out (using a small chisel) recesses into which the threaded nuts are fitted and glued, I think the knobs themselves may have actually been cheap, "toy wheels" available at most hardware stores and hobby shops.

And I must thank Mr. Can for giving me a much-needed nudge to dig this camera out of a disorganized pile of stuff and dusting it off...because now I think I might actually use it again soon! Heck...maybe I'll even do a few upgrades!

[Jeff T]

Hello, I just bought this camera without the film holder from someone who had it as a decoration. The ground glass is about 15.5"x15.5" but masked at 11"x13" and the bellows maximum expansion is about 30". Does anyone recognize this camera? Anyone here has a film holder to go with this camera? I will probably to turn this into a 14x17 format camera.

[Michael Kadillak]

Hello, I just bought this camera without the film holder from someone who had it as a decoration. The ground glass is about 15.5"x15.5" but masked at 11"x13" and the bellows maximum expansion is about 30". Does anyone recognize this camera? Anyone here has a film holder to go with this camera? I will probably to turn this into a 14x17 format camera.

Fine looking piece of history. If you have the willingness and or the time I would think this one could come back to its original life with little difficulty. My first though when it comes to any complimentary work needed to get this to your desired 14x17 format (holders, GG back even with a bail arm or holders) I would check in with Richard Ritter. He made me an 11x14 back for my V11 (before I found an original) and his work with fantastic and price very reasonable. Enjoy your new acquisition!