8x10 Phillips Compact II: pics

[martin_4668]

Dear friends

I think it would be of interest for us all if this site was given a picture profile under camera tech stuff. Must of us dont know how an old calumet, wisner, philips (well now we know) looks like. When googling for images, I rarely finds pictures that is of any use to determain what it is, andd what it does.
The tech section is by the way not very informative. I know its a review site, and requires more but take a look : http://largeformatphotography.info/8x10.html.
this is not much considering the enourmous amount of knowledge we all posses together.....

[portilla]

I had a Canham and Lotus 8x10. I can say that hands down the Phillips is the best and the lightest too. I have tried the Ebony which is very nice, but not worth the weight or extra cost. I hear that Phillips will make a one off mahgonay unpainted compact II soon.

[tim atherton]

going by his ad in View Camera it looks like Dick is starting to wind down production.

11x14 an 7x17's finished. End of the Compact II runs this year. Some 8x10 Explorers and 4x5's (and servicing cameras) to continue

[johnwnyc]

I don't subscribe to View Camera. Just curious, what do you mean by "is starting to wind down production"? Will Dick continue to produce the Compact II next year?

[tim atherton]

I guess it's okay to repeat the gist of the ad? (I'm sure steve or someone will rap [wrap?] my knuckles if not...)

"The year 2006 will see continued downsizing of our business to a manageable level. 11x14 and 7x17 runs finished last year. All Compact II production will end during this year.... Building 8x10 Explorers and some 4x5's will continue, as well as servicing cameras..."

All due to advancing years and wanting to actually spend time photographing!

You can say hi to Dick at the LF Conference - though he won't have a stand.

(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

[Phong]

"The year 2006 will see continued downsizing of our business to a manageable level. 11x14 and 7x17 runs finished last year. All Compact II production will end during this year.... Building 8x10 Explorers and some 4x5's will continue, as well as servicing cameras..."
All due to advancing years and wanting to actually spend time photographing!
(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

That is too bad. When I last talked with Dick (shortly after he came back from Antarctica) he mentioned that there was a good chance that he will take orders for the Compact II next year. In any case, I well understand and respect his decision, and wish him the best of luck, and well-deserved time for himself and his photography.

- Phong

[johnwnyc]

How serviceable is the Compact II in general? I'd imagine that it'd be a bummer to wait two years to finally get your hands on one, only to encounter a problem with it, and then get queued for another year to get it fixed. (I'm not making a judgement on the camera, in fact I know very little about them except that they are very highly lauded.)

[Ted Harris]

I talked with Dick last Saturday and he noted that he will be building 40 cameras this year. Lots of travel planned including a return to Antarctica in December.

[John Powers]

You can say hi to Dick at the LF Conference - though he won't have a stand.
(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

Over the kitchen table Dick told us he had been a dentist, but he really didn't like it. About the same time he was enjoying a Deardorff, but felt it was too heavy. He thought about that for a while. Over one night he figured out the detachable front standard and then made a rigid camera, 2/3s the weight of the Deardorff.

Regarding concerns about Dick's service, he took my 1990s Advantage series, tightened up about ten things, repaired a few of my blunders, added a bail like the current models have and returned it in a week and a half. That includes three days shipping time. The price was more than reasonable and the workmanship was perfect. I'm so worried about his service that I just bought a used 7x17 Phillips to augment the 8x10.

Glad I could send a compliment to a real gentleman.


John Powers

[tim atherton]

How serviceable is the Compact II in general? I'd imagine that it'd be a bummer to wait two years to finally get your hands on one, only to encounter a problem with it, and then get queued for another year to get it fixed. (I'm not making a judgement on the camera, in fact I know very little about them except that they are very highly lauded.)

well - there isn't a huge amount to go wrong unless you actually break it. And I think service/repair times are pretty reasonable.