Bulldog kit

[Krisna Das]

Hi

newb

am fascinated by alternative printing processes but have never created negatives large enough to experiment with contact printing on anything but a 'thumbnail' scale. the discovery of the Bulldog LF / 5x4 kit might change that - but is 5x4 suitable for gum brichomate work: i generally associate this with 8x10?

http://www.camerabellows.com/Bulldog.html

also, this kit comes without lens - and i wonder what the lens situation is here, with regard to availability and compatibilities?

i have seen some s/h 5x4 on the bay, but the lenses look pretty 'used' to me?

thanks

KD

[Kuzano]

Bender makes kits in 4X5 and 8X10. I built a Bender 4X5 and it was quite usable. Monorail with more movements than it appears the Bulldog supports.

[Krisna Das]

Bender makes kits in 4X5 and 8X10. I built a Bender 4X5 and it was quite usable. Monorail with more movements than it appears the Bulldog supports.

thanks Kuzano

looks like Bender are out of it for a while though?

http://www.benderphoto.com/index.htm

[Brian Vuillemenot]

I've never used one of these kit cameras, but I've read reviews that they are somewhat tricky and time consuming to put together, the finished product is not very precise, and they don't function or hold up very well under normal use. For about the same price as one of these kits, you can get a slightly used entry level field camera, such as a Shen-Hao, Tachihara, or Wista. I would recommend picking up one of these rather than buying a camera kit.

Yes, 4X5 is useable for gum bichromate or any other contact process. Your print will just not be as large as with an 8X10.

[Krisna Das]

Thanks Brian,

i think 4x5 is for me - that should be just large enough for a decent contact print, at any rate, large enough for me to decide whether i want to upgrade to 10x8

yes, i'm having second thoughts about the kits - by the time you have sourced a lens you might be paying double anyway?

KD

[Rafael Garcia]

If you will be making your own emulsions, why not go 5x7? The old half-plate cameras will do both 4x5 and 5x7 if you build the backs for them, and 5x7 is a lot better size for contact printing!


This is my Japanese-made English Half-Plate camera, an Asanuma King 1, which I do 4x5 and 5x7 work with. There were some makers of similar cameras in India. Mine cost me around $140.00 US plus the lenses. I did eventually have the bellows replaced, although the original bellows were still good.

Edited so the photo would show up

[Krisna Das]

If you will be making your own emulsions, why not go 5x7? The old half-plate cameras will do both 4x5 and 5x7 if you build the backs for them, and 5x7 is a lot better size for contact printing!

... my Japanese-made English Half-Plate camera, an Asanuma King 1, which I do 4x5 and 5x7 work with. There were some makers of similar cameras in India. Mine cost me around $140.00 US plus the lenses.

golly!

what a work of art!

that's one for the wish list

when you say 'half plate' do you mean 8x10 / 2?

KD

[Frank Petronio]

It's $325 from lomo.com and 157 pounds from camerabellows.com. I looked at those Bulldog kits. They seem ridiculously overpriced for what they are, when you can easily buy an excellent older 4x5 with a good lens and shutter for less money from a seller on this forum's for sale section.

It's like the Lomo trend where they sell uninformed hipsters $20 Russian snapshot cameras for absurd 5x prices.

[Rafael Garcia]

Full plate, half plate and quarter plate were old English sizes. Half plate is close to 5x7 in size, with a slightly shorter length. The format still persists among some enthusiasts, but I know very little about it. I have the original half plate back, which ised custom bookform holders, but I have never used it, using instead the home-made 5x7 back more often.


The original half-plate back

[Krisna Das]

Full plate, half plate and quarter plate were old English sizes. Half plate is close to 5x7 in size, with a slightly shorter length. The format still persists among some enthusiasts, but I know very little about it. I have the original half plate back, which ised custom bookform holders, but I have never used it, using instead the home-made 5x7 back more often.


The original half-plate back

these are such incredible looking things! - quite apart from the endlessly creative prints which can be made from them

KD