Who's shooting whole plate?

[dsphotog]

I have a whole plate Century Universal camera, I'm thinking of restoring.
Are you shooting film, is film avail? or do wet plate?

[Richard K.]

I'm surprised no one has answered you so far...
UM, OK, I'm shooting WP (also a couple of other formats) and I use film. FP4+ and HP5+ film is readily available on the yearly Ilford run. Some dealers try to keep stock as well. Here in Canada, Rob Skeoch

http://www.bigcameraworkshops.com/de...bsiteID%3D1507

currently has stock. A truly lovely format and would be the last one I would give up.

[Richard Rankin]

I'm shooting film. View Camera Store did have a few boxes. You can also sign up with Fred Newman there and he will email you when it is time to place an order in the yearly Ilford Run. If you just need a few sheets to test it, I'm happy to send you a few sheets of FP4, which is the only film I have in wp.

Midwest Photo Exchange did have some HP5 but no FP4.

Or you could sell me the camera....

Cheers,
Richard

[rjmeyer314]

I shoot whole plate from time to time. I have a view camera of unknown make that I picked up at a flea market in Pittsburgh 30 years ago, and 6 film holders from the Pittsburgh Photo Exchange. The film I'm shooting now is Lucky Film from China. It was advertised on Ebay for a while, but I haven't seen it lately. The only place I know of selling it is the Canadian place mentioned by one the of other responders. I mounted a 5x7 film back on the camera, and use it more in that format. I also shoot half plate film. That's available from Mr. Cad in the UK.

[Oren Grad]

I've been shooting WP since 1998. I've gotten film from a variety of sources, but in recent years have been using HP5 Plus obtained through the annual Ilford special order.

[Jim Galli]

I actually shoot quite a lot. Film. I've solved the availability problem with long rolls of aerial recon B/W. Of course it is all out of date now and getting costlier than a few years back. You have to make 2 cuts in the dark before you load and I won't tell you that there isn't a price in dust to pay in all that extra handling no matter how clean the space.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

When I manage to buy film I do use WP, but my foresight is short and planning skills poor. Now and then I cut film down, but usually can't be bothered. I do use WP in alt processes much more frequently.

[Peter Gomena]

I've been using a WP camera for several months now. I bought my first batch of film from Rob Skeoch and had no trouble getting it mailed here from Canada. I bought another batch through Glazer's in Seattle. They had it drop-shipped directly from their distributor. I think I ordered from Rob in February or March, and from Glazer's in June or July and had no trouble getting it. FP4+ in both cases. I love the format. You are likely to find that locating film holders is the most difficult part of the restoration process.

Peter Gomena

[David Karp]

I use it too. Jim Galli sold me an Improved Seneca WP camera and some holders, and that was it for me. I really like the format. (Later, he sold me a 5x7 reducing back for it - I like that format too. Not sure what he has in store for me next! )

I use HP5+ and some FP4+ too. I got my first boxes from forum members, and since then have purchased WP film from the annual Ilford run when I need more.

[Hugo Zhang]

I use one with Tmax400 film.