Show off your Large Format camera!

[TheDeardorffGuy]

Wow....a few you say

Well.....yea its a few.......Actually its a third of the collection and a whole lot of them were traded for. These are some cameras that were owned or used by famous photographers. Years ago I became the factory historian of Deardorff. One of my self imposed dutys was to unravel the history according Members of the family and fact.
Theres a line in the play and movie spoke by Ben Franklin to John Adams "Don't worry John, The history books will clean it up". After the factory closed in 1988 thats what I did. I simply called the photographer who I was told a story about. Asked why, I said I wanted to learn the true story and I collected Deardorffs and the history and they often said "would you like mine?" Could I say no? Most of the stories will be published on my site but not till the last of the story tellers are deceased for 5 years. I have a long wait to go.

[Sean Galbraith]

I caught this naughty Shen-Hao trespassing in a coal mine in Germany. Bad camera!

[Joe Forks]

Will an 18" Cooke fit on a Folmer and Schwing 12x20 w/ 6 3/8" lens board? The answer is yes, barely, and there's enough bellows to focus down to about 6' - 7' Focused at that distance it looks like coverage galore on the ground glass.... I think, hope, these two end up spending a lot of time together.

[Michael Roberts]

1899 Rochester Optical Company King 11x14

front rise/fall, front tilt, rear tilt and swing

one of the last 19th century US made English-style folding cameras

[kurtdriver]

Just you're basic monorail, a Cambo SC-45, with a Symmar -S 210 F5.6 lens, but not very heavy. It sure does get stares carrying it up the street. This was the first time I had it out, giving it a good run through, trying to figure it out.

[johnielvis]

1899 Rochester Optical Company King 11x14

front rise/fall, front tilt, rear tilt and swing

one of the last 19th century US made English-style folding cameras

My my my...that is beautiful---how much extension does it get--does that have separate rear/front bed focus or does only the inner bed move---either way---it folds up nice and skinny---wanna maybe sell that thing---it is beautiful to look at (having been hefting other clumsy 11x14 bohemeths for too long)...that thing would be a pleasure to walk with I'm thinking---of course that 's what I thought with all my others too.

[Michael Roberts]

Thanks John! I think it's beautiful, too. All mahagony, with a honey colored, glossy finish and plated brass. Weighs 10lbs and change. It has front and rear focus, but only the inner bed moves (just like my Ikeda Anba 4x5, oddly enough). So the rear focus works for lenses around 16 inches and shorter and the front focus works for longer lenses. 30 inches of extension.

That's a Turner-Reich 15-24-36 on the front.

[johnielvis]

Thanks John! I think it's beautiful, too. All mahagony, with a honey colored, glossy finish and plated brass. Weighs 10lbs and change. It has front and rear focus, but only the inner bed moves (just like my Ikeda Anba 4x5, oddly enough). So the rear focus works for lenses around 16 inches and shorter and the front focus works for longer lenses. 30 inches of extension.

That's a Turner-Reich 15-24-36 on the front.

AHHHH..10 pounds---man is that nice---I didn't think it was so light as that as well--it LOOKS light. You cannot appreciate such a thing till you've used the competition. With these larger cameras, I'm finding, that one "do everything" camera does not exist--one design cannot handle all focal lengths--takes much different design for long as for short lenses.

[SamReeves]

Just you're basic monorail, a Cambo SC-45, with a Symmar -S 210 F5.6 lens, but not very heavy. It sure does get stares carrying it up the street. This was the first time I had it out, giving it a good run through, trying to figure it out.

C'mon you got steady hands. Hold that up!

[Daniel Stone]

New(to me) fluid head with new(to me) Calumet C1 on top. Great combo, rock-steady, and much easier to use than my prior 3-way Gitzo head...



-Dan