Hello from East Lancashire UK

[PennineT]

Hi, I have been into photography for 40 years off and on, but never LF.

I am now on the verge of taking the plunge with a MPP MKVll with Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar 150mm/f5.6 / Schneider-Kreuznach Angulon 90mm/f6.8. My main interest for the camera would be landscape and some portraiture.

I have seen a couple of outfits like the one on eBay at present (eBay no: 221192431018) MPP MK Vll, 2 lenses, case, several film holders and other accessories. The last one I saw sold for £500 approx. Is this the right price? your thoughts appreciated.

Tony

[IanG]

Depends on the lenses really.

MPPs are now very over priced for what they are. That Angulon is worth about £80-£100 but some aren't too sharp, the Symmar a little more but as it's pre Multi coating £120 maybe.

As a complete outfit it might be a good buy, the case, dark-slides and roll film-back add value, over £100 so £500 would be OK, I was watching this myself just in case it stayed low :D

Welcome to the Forum BTW.

Ian

[PennineT]

thanks for the reply Ian. I dare say there are a lot of watches with itchy trigger fingers getting into the sniper prone position!:o

[IanG]

I dare say there are a lot of watches with itchy trigger fingers getting into the sniper prone position!:o

If I had no LF gear I'd be seriously interested, sometimes I watch to see what things fetch :D

Ian

[PennineT]

Well I 'won' it! £320:o paid via Paypal. I will see if the seller sends it to me and will let you know what it is like. The only thing that is bothering me is that the seller has only one feed back but he has been a member of the bay since 2008...we will see.

Tony

[IanG]

That was a good fair price Tony, you've done well there.

Ian

[PennineT]

As a follow on to my purchase;
I have made my first 2 Large format exposures with the MPP, both came out OK. I had more trouble loading the developing tank than using the camera. Even a scan with an Epson v700 reveals the rich tones. The shots were taken on HP5 in freezing conditions, which rather unusually for the UK, have persisted for several weeks. Anyway I am thoroughly enjoying the learning and looking forward to using the gear some more. Attached is the better of the 2 exposures, I have also attached a negative image of the same exposure as I like it!
Tony

[Pete Watkins]

Welcome Tony,
I've heard that those old MPP film holders are not the same registration as other film holders. I think that I was told that by the time the MK VII and MK VIII models were made this was corrected so I believe that you should be OK with standard film holders by other manufacturers. The MPP users club have a very good website.
Pete.

[Steven Tribe]

Only just seen this thread!

- You did indeed "win" this nice set. When/if you move up to larger sizes etc. this will an equally good set for someone else!
- You shouldn't have worried about the lister. The way he listed the parts and the answers to questions indicated he knew what he was talking about.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome to the forum, Tony.

[IanG]

Welcome Tony,
I've heard that those old MPP film holders are not the same registration as other film holders. I think that I was told that by the time the MK VII and MK VIII models were made this was corrected so I believe that you should be OK with standard film holders by other manufacturers. The MPP users club have a very good website.
Pete.

It's the very early holders that are the problem in later cameras. I must have about 30 MPP DDS film holdersand also some DDS plate holders and they are virtually identical to Graflex DDS.

The MPP Owners club is OK but basic, they have nothing on the links between MPP & Graflex where MPP's MicroPress is a Speed Graphic in disguise - a casing made by Celestion the speaker manufacturer, made to get around the severe UK Import restrictions after WWII. Seems to be a closely guarded secret but I took a MicroPress apart & checked :D

Ian

[PennineT]

Hi Pete, thanks for the warm welcome. The model that I have is a MK Vll this and the MK Vlll have international backs (http://http://www.mppusers.com/registers.htm) as you say the MPP website is a great resource
Tony

[PennineT]

Hello Ian,

does that mean that MPP were breaking import rules at that time? ...all very cloak an dagger.

The MK Vll does seem to be well made, not too sure about the front standard rigidity as I don't think it can be locked in place, but as long as I keep this in mind when tripping the shutter with the cable release all seems OK in my very limited field trials.

I have just got my hands on a Super Angulon 65mm f8 that I will try mounting on a MPP coned board. I realise there will be little if any movements but will enjoy experimenting with the lens for landscapes.

When I picked up a lens board for the 65mm from a very kind guy who lived close to me he gave me a Wray anastigmat wide angle 89 mm F6 .3 that had been mounted to the board. He told me that it was jammed. I have taken it apart cleaned the glass and shutter and it is now working fine. I don't really need the lens having the 90mm Angulon so have popped it on eBay to see if I get any offers (http://http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221212387112?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649) If it does not sell I will try a few shots with it. If it does sell I might put the money to a telephoto for the MPP.
Tony

[PennineT]

Hi Andrew, that is a great set of architectural 'carbon transfer' prints you have there.
please point me in the right direction to learn more about this process.
thanks, Tony

[Andrew O'Neill]

Cheers, Tony.
Here is Sandy King's article on the process: http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/carbon-carbro/the-carbon-transfer-process

My youtube video on the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmpTgDlsr3o

Sandy King has an excellent carbon group on yahoo http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/CarbronTransfer/

B&S forum: http://bostick-sullivan.invisionzone.com/index.php?/forum/68-carbon/

Any questions, just poke me an email.


andrew

[IanG]

Hello Ian,

does that mean that MPP were breaking import rules at that time? ...all very cloak an dagger.

The MK Vll does seem to be well made, not too sure about the front standard rigidity as I don't think it can be locked in place, but as long as I keep this in mind when tripping the shutter with the cable release all seems OK in my very limited field trials.

I have just got my hands on a Super Angulon 65mm f8 that I will try mounting on a MPP coned board. I realise there will be little if any movements but will enjoy experimenting with the lens for landscapes.

When I picked up a lens board for the 65mm from a very kind guy who lived close to me he gave me a Wray anastigmat wide angle 89 mm F6 .3 that had been mounted to the board. He told me that it was jammed. I have taken it apart cleaned the glass and shutter and it is now working fine. I don't really need the lens having the 90mm Angulon so have popped it on eBay to see if I get any offers (http://http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221212387112?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649) If it does not sell I will try a few shots with it. If it does sell I might put the money to a telephoto for the MPP.
Tony

Hi Tony

Yes it appears that MPP and Graflex found a way to get around the Import restrictions as parts were classified differently to finished items, and they kept this very quiet. Both companies also sold Illoca cameras rebranded as their own.

Can't help on locking the front standard on the MPP but it should be stable, I know people who've used them for years.

The 65mm f8 SA is a great little lens, if it's in the Compur #00 shutter that's a bit fiddly, needs to be set to B and a locking cable release used for focussing. Corners will have light fall off but a very useable lens I've made some great images with mine.

The 90mm Angulon is usually much better than the 89mm WA Wray which never had a good reputation, I was warned not to buy a Wary many years ago, in fact I sold my first Angulon to someone who had one.

Ian

[brucep]

Welcome to the group, and I'm sure nobody will hold it against you that you live the wrong side of the pennines:rolleyes:

Bruce

[PennineT]

Hi Bruce,
the best thing to come out of Yorkshire ..... is the road to Lancashire :)
Palatine rules!
Tony

[PennineT]

Hi Jan, just a little bit of eBay paranoia. The equipment is infact in superb condition.
Tony