4x5 Box Cameras - Any Usable?

[Glenn Thoreson]

Here's a picture of my Butler Bros. camera. Next to it is a tin Voyager 6X9 box camera for scale.



Here's a test shot using a modern 4X5 holder of questionable origin:



This shows a few things you don't want to do. Namely, don't try to hand hold it in the wind. Especially if you shake and wobble around like I do these days. Secondly, even if you have the proper holders, don't let the sun shine in the thing. Keep the door closed and change holders in the shade. Lots of shade. The negative is actually a little sharper than this scan. Mostly due to the fact that I don't know how to work the scanner very well. I hope this gives you some ideas, one way or the other.

[Benno Jones]

I won an R.OC. Cyclone Sr. 4x5 box camera on the auction site for a minimal price over the weekend. It only comes with one original holder, but I'll see what I can do with it.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Please post a picture of it when you get it. That may be what Tim's camera is, too. My old McKeown's lists yours but no picture.

[Benno Jones]

There's a pic on boxcameras.com. but only from the front. I'll take some other views when I get it.

[Benno Jones]

I got the Cyclone yesterday and it appears to be in very nice shape. The shutter (simple T/I shutter with a single aperture) works well and the lens is clear. The original plate holder that came with it is in beautiful shape, but unusable to me unless I decide to start coating my own plates. A modern film holder is taller and a shade thinner than the plate holder, but it looks like if I slide a piece of cardboard in behind the film holder it fits snugly. I'll get some pics of the camera up in the next day or so and I should be able to give it a try as a shooter next week.

[Benno Jones]

Spaced on taking pictures of the camera, I'm afraid, but will do so soon. I took it along with me on a trip to Central Washington 2 weekends ago and experimented with sticking in my Quickload holder with a piece of cardboard behind to tighten it up a bit. Finally developed the film on Tuesday. Got some fogging around the sides, but the centers came out decently exposed (I was using Acros and developed in Pyrocat-HD for 25 minutes - F&R tank with normal agitation - I'll scan a neg soon and post it). I guess the next step is either figure out the light leaks or find film inserts for the orignal plate holder it came with.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Cool! I'd like to see what you got with it. I think the secret to these things is what I've mentioned before. Use the original holders so you can keep the door shut. Pull slides and change holders in the shade or dim light and keep the door shut. I've made my own film sheaths using the innards out of junk wooden Graflex Graphic film holders. Knock the flap end off and there are two aluminum "sheaths" in there that are exactly the right size. They fall right out. I don't know for sure if there are differences in design on those old Graflex Graphic holders. The ones I had in my junk box work perfect. A piece of card stock glued to the back of these "sheaths" would help approximate the thickness of a glass plate. I don't think it's critical. The real purpose made sheaths that are so hard to find have ridges on the back to make up the thickness. With a meniscus lens, I doubt it makes much difference. It just makes it focus a tiny bit closer.

[Benno Jones]

Here's a scan. It's a bit too contrasty and raw, but gives you an idea of what kind of light leak I had.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Similar to my test shot. Hence the advice about keeping the door shut. I now have four holders for mine. Time to se what happens. The picture looks pretty good except for the leaks. Not bad at all.