The new Deardorff a letter to Barry Cochan

[mougin]

I have received Wednesday the camera with 5 days of delai and not two days. I remind you that I have paid for an express sending 2 days and you have sent it by economy and then you have saved money. You promised me to refund me via Paypal for the différence but no refund. As usual you do not keep your promise.

To summarize

6 months of delay
mails without answers

I have ordered 3 lesnsboard, 1 with Copal3 and 2 with copal 1. You hane send me 3 undrilled lensboards. Perhaps do you thinsk that I am a menuisier.


Finaly the camera is arrived Wednesdays with 4 days delay. It is very nice and it is like a true Deardorff. But when open it that is not the same and pratically unusable. The focusing mouvement befor



On the other hand opened time we discover that it is almost impossible to put on her(it). The focusing movement is so hard that it hurt the fingers. The same thing for the back movment.

You will be advise to you inspire from the Ebony cameras and from their mechanical sweetness.

Really you would have try the camera before before to send it.

Thus I have spent a day to dismount the camera and to make your work of adjustment. With some sandpaper, I have rectified the before and back wood frames and adapt them so that hit slides normally with sweetness. Yet the camera is yet good working.

The back back 4x5 is very hard and it is difficult to introduce a filmholder in! The 5x7 back is good. It remains that bellows seems to me made of curious one plastic, Chinese I suppose. They are not vry nice however they are very stiff.


All this makes that your work and that your business connections are very rough, not at all in the tradition of the made in American which was the one of Deardorff.

Will you please refund me the fedex différence price.

That to make undrilled lensboard.

Very happy that this lons story is ended.

And good luck for your business.

Regards

mougin

[mandoman7]

I cannot understand buying a new Deardorff when there are so many fine used ones around.

[mougin]

I cannot understand buying a new Deardorff when there are so many fine used ones around.

I cannot understand why i have buyed a new Deardorff. It is not however a mistake of youth

[Bill Burk]

Hi mougin,


Your disappointing experience is in contrast to this user's satisfied experience...

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...Production-V11

I am not related to the seller. But for the good of all I hope in the long-term you are eventually happy with your purchase, and that your disappointing experience turns out to have been unusual.

[mougin]

Hi mougin,


Your disappointing experience is in contrast to this user's satisfied experience...

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...Production-V11

I am not related to the seller. But for the good of all I hope in the long-term you are eventually happy with your purchase, and that your disappointing experience turns out to have been unusual.

Thank you, the camera after disassembling and correction, (6 h work) is yet smoothly working. It is yet mine and I hope take many pictures with it. You can see my palladiums in www.platine-palladium.com and www.platine-palladium.fr.

My seller is not very serious. I am french, (bad english) and that is the first time that I am disappointed by a purchase made in the United States.

[Steve Hamley]

I might add that wooden field cameras that were adjusted and fitted where they were made may often need adjustment to be usable in a different climate. All of the new Ebony cameras (a 4x5 and 5x7) I bought needed some adjustment for the Tennessee Valley, a generally warm and humid environment. Both tightened up within a couple of days of arrival.

This is something you have to deal with using many wooden field cameras. It isn't a defect, it's the way wood responds to differing climates. Ebony says pretty much the same thing on their website (FAQ):

"3) I've noticed that in cool, dry conditions my camera movements don't feel as tight as usual. And in hot humid conditions the focusing knobs start to get stiff. Is there anything I can do about this?

The wooden parts of Ebony cameras are much less likely to expand or contract than the wooden parts of other cameras, partly because of the type of wood used, and the way it is selected and treated, and partly because of the way the cameras are constructed - the types of joints used, the large amount of metal reinforcement, etc. Nevertheless in cool, dry conditions the wooden parts will shrink slightly, and in warm, humid conditions, they will expand slightly. The former situation will cause the the camera rails to loosen slightly and feel less rigid, while the latter will cause the focusing knobs to feel very tight, and in some cases to seize up altogether." Emphasis mine

"However, the remedy to this problem is simple and is actually built into the camera design. Every wooden Ebony camera has two rectangular metal plates above the rails on each side of the camera bed. In these plates are a number of phillips screws (between 4 and 7, depending on the camera model.) If the front rails seem a bit "floppy", just tighten the front four phillips screws (two on each side) a few degrees. Everything should then feel a lot more solid. Conversely, if the front focus knob feels too tight, simply loosen these same four screws a few degrees. The same applies to the back rails and the back focus knobs, loosening or tightening the back four screws as appropriate."

Above quote from the Ebony website FAQs.

Cheers, Steve

[jack_hui]

I still haven't received mine ...... 8 months delay ......

[neil poulsen]

A few months ago, I purchased a Deardorff that was made in about 1948. (As per Mr. Ken Hough.) I was astonished; this camera is in practically new condition. I noticed that the focusing is quite stiff. I figure that it will smooth out in time.

I'm curious. What did you do the solve the problem(s) that you encountered?

[stradibarrius]

The thing that jumps out at me is the lack of response from Deardorff. I know what it is like to produce a product for my customers where they have to wait to receive the product. It is extremely important that the company respond to their customers and give them updates.

The worst thing for a company is to gain a bad reputation amongst it customers and perspective customers for being a company that is not responsive. It would be in the best interest for Deardorff and for us, if they realize that they must provide the customers with information and WE feel they are a good company to work with.

[Serge S]

A few months ago, I purchased a Deardorff that was made in about 1948. (As per Mr. Ken Hough.) I was astonished; this camera is in practically new condition. I noticed that the focusing is quite stiff. I figure that it will smooth out in time.

I'm curious. What did you do the solve the problem(s) that you encountered?

Hi Neil,

You can lube the rails. Mine was stiff as well and is smooth working now... with a little attention. Check the archives here and also I Ken's website.

Serge