Indian camera makers?

[cdholden]

I've got a Vageeswari whole plate back (not a whole camera) with 2 bookform holders, just like buzzardkid shows. I got this with the intent of adapting it to fit on a 2D, but I later thought it would save space if I just modified an old 8x10 film holder to do the job.
Does anyone here need a whole plate back with 2 plate holders?
Chris

[Steven Tribe]

OK, I'm going back a bit in this thread - but I would expect this V*******i camera, in spite of its old design features, to have either film sheaves or a standard system for sheet film. They are post WWII after all. Finding suitable Kodak film sheaves for conversion to your format of choice is not that difficult. Although these mahogany brass book holders may vary slightly in outer dimension size, the way they are built is identical. I have altered a couple to fit the right camera in an evening.

[Ernest Purdum]

Since the whole back comes off easily, Adopting a modern style back from some other camera (they show up on eBay fairly often) would be a much simpler job for a woodworker than making up filmholders, which are actually fairly difficult to make.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I remember the Rajah from about 1982- they were made of teak. But "inexpensive" meant "rickety". I bought a Tachihara instead. Let's hope the Vageeswari products are better value.... If you find anything out, post it here, as I'm sure other people will be interested.

I purchased a Raja for one of my students to use. There's nothing rickety about them but they aren't as smooth or nicely finished as a Deardorff. I've personally used Deardorff's for nearly forty years and have owned a number of other folding cameras. My wife bought a very nice Shen Hao as a gift to me a few years ago and I can honestly say I would much rather have a Shen Hao than a Raja / Prinzdorff. I think the Shen-Hao, Tachihara and Ikeda are exceptional values and much more refined cameras.

A little side note, I purchased the Raja for roughly $350 which was an OK deal but nothing fantastic and advertised it on the forum for a little more with no takers. It was in very nice condition and I placed it on the auction site and got $800 (?????!)for it. OK camera but $350 is about the tops I would pay. I turned around and bought a Deardorff special from another professional who was retiring and I had known and worked with for forty five years. I paid a fair price for it at $750.

The moral to the story, if you have your heart set on a Deardorff style camera look for a Deardorff unless you can find a Raja for under $350 or better a Shen-Hao or similar at a good price.

[buzzardkid]

I've got a Vageeswari whole plate back (not a whole camera) with 2 bookform holders, just like buzzardkid shows. I got this with the intent of adapting it to fit on a 2D, but I later thought it would save space if I just modified an old 8x10 film holder to do the job.
Does anyone here need a whole plate back with 2 plate holders?
Chris

Sending PM, Chris!

[buzzardkid]

I'm getting more and more interested in the 'Kodak sheath approach'.

Anyone that can share info on the type of sheath, possibly a part number / order number, and supply a picture? What well-known cameras were these sheaths used on in the past?

Thank you all for participating in this thread, it enables me to have a decent knowledge to get started, once the camera arrives at my doorstep!

[Ernest Purdum]

Sheaths are easy for a sheetmetal shop to make if you can borrow a sample for use as a pattern.

After film, as opposed to plates, became popular, sheaths were used in any camera that took plateholders. They remained longest in use in Japan. There, if you bought a field camera in the 1970's, you were apt to get three "book-form double dark slide" plateholders and were expected to buy a box of sheaths for use with it. If you have any contacts in Japan, that might be the best place to find them, but your size might be a problem. Are you sure your holders are 5" X 7" and not the 1/2-plate size until recently more popular in Asia?

[buzzardkid]

Hi all!

I got my Vageeswari Plate camera today and am very excited about it.

But, the film size is throwing me off.

I measured inside edges of the book plate holder and they are 11.2 x 16.5 cms, or 4.4 x 6.4 inches. So, almost half plate but not quite.

Is this a well-known size at all? Or possibly some Japanese size?

Cheers,
Johan

[buzzardkid]

Right, I took another swing at measuring and apparently put the ruler along the wrong bit of the bookform holder, it is half plate after all.

Now, if I only could locate some more holders, I'd like to have five, possibly more...

Will get a shot of the correct one online soon in the WTB / WTT section.

[Steven Tribe]

1/2 plate book holders in delicious mahogany are very available on that auction site. Just at the moment, as well!