Century View Camera

[Larry Huhn]

I am looking at a camera listed on eBay as a "Century" 8x10 view camera. It has a non-working Goerz 8.25 f2.9 double anastigmat series 3. Lens and the camera is in pretty rough shape. I am confident that I have the skills to restore the camera but not the lens. I also wonder about availability of replacement bellows. Any suggestions on lens repair (or replacement) and availability of bellows. Other advice welcome as well.

[John Kasaian]

Theres a place in the UK famous for replacement bellows (Camera Bellows, I think it is). Also Western Bellows may still be in business in the US. If you're patient there are instructions on line on how to make your own bellows IIRC. I'm sure there are instructions available in a back issue of View Camera Magazine.
I've never heard of a f2.9 Goerz Double Anastigmat though, but there are plenty of good 8x10 lenses out there and if you root around you'll find some reasonably priced ones. A 10" 12" or 14" would be a good "normal" lens for your 8x10.
What is wrong with the lens? If the shutter isn't working, all it may need is a cla. Carol Miller at Flutot's does great work!

[E. von Hoegh]

Theres a place in the UK famous for replacement bellows (Camera Bellows, I think it is). Also Western Bellows may still be in business in the US. If you're patient there are instructions on line on how to make your own bellows IIRC. I'm sure there are instructions available in a back issue of View Camera Magazine.
I've never heard of a f2.9 Goerz Double Anastigmat though, but there are plenty of good 8x10 lenses out there and if you root around you'll find some reasonably priced ones. A 10" 12" or 14" would be a good "normal" lens for your 8x10.
What is wrong with the lens? If the shutter isn't working, all it may need is a cla. Carol Miller at Flutot's does great work!

U.S. 2.9 ser. III... an f:6.8 Dagor.

[goamules]

Good catch, I wasn't thinking. A Dagor would be a fine lens on the camera, if you can get the shutter working. It might even be workable stopped down with slow film using just the lens cap for a shutter. I do that often.

[E. von Hoegh]

Good catch, I wasn't thinking. A Dagor would be a fine lens on the camera, if you can get the shutter working. It might even be workable stopped down with slow film using just the lens cap for a shutter. I do that often.

One of mine, a 240mm CPG Berlin is marked 4.6 on the barrel, it's the Stoltze scale. Series/Serie III is always a Dagor. An 8 1/4" will be fine for contact printing.

[Leonard Robertson]

This recent thread on Linhof bellows http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?100637-Advise-of-repairing-replacing-Bellows-on-a-Linhof-Tech-IV gives the web address for Custom Bellows UK and a link to "ecbuyonline2008", the eBay seller in Hong Kong who is a bellows supplier. If you search his other auctions, he lists a bellows for the Eastman 2D which is similar enough to a Century it may give you an idea on the price. I've never dealt with either of these suppliers. Custom Bellows seems to be highly recommended on the various forums.

Due to the cost of replacement bellows, an 8X10 camera in need of bellows should be worth much less than one with a light tight bellows, so be careful not to overpay. On the other hand, if you ever want to sell the camera, having a new bellows would be a strong selling point. Having a camera you don't need to worry about possible future light leaks is worth some piece of mind too.

Unless the glass in the Dagor is severely damaged, it may very well produce a wonderful image for contact printing. There are charts online giving the equivalent value of US stops to modern f-stops. There is a good chance the shutter can be saved with a clean and lube for $75 or so. As mentioned Carol Miller at Flutot's seems to be highly recommended. The 8 1/4" focal length on 8X10 will be a fairly wide angle lens and won't have a very large image circle, so it will limit the camera movements you can use. But it will be fine to get started. You can always add a 12" or 14" focal length later.

Len