camera Seneca

[Mats]

Hello

I would like to know if it's possible to use a modern film hloder with a Seneca camera 8x10" (Improved Seneca view) ?

Are the lensboard compatible with Sinar lensboard ?
Somebody use one ? If yes, possible to give me disavantages of this camera ?

Thank you

[Donald Brewster]

Yes, you can use modern film holders. No, it is not compatible with Sinar holders. A good camera. Lightweight. Not the most solid of cameras, but a good performer IMHO. http://www.fiberq.com/cam/seneca/sennew.htm (http://www.fiberq.com/cam/seneca/sennew.htm)

[Mats]

Thank you.
The main thing is the compatibility with the modern film holder.
For the lensboard, I'll build one by myself.

[David G. Gagnon]

Mats,

The thing you will want to check is the placement of the ground glass. It may be an older camera
built to take plate holders. Your modern holders will fit, but the ground glass will be in a different plane than the film is when the modern holder is inserted. There are threads on this forum and photo.net, as well as one of the photo mags (I believe it was Photo Techniques ), that can explain in detail how to check the measurements of both. . . Maybe someone can chime in about exactly where the article is located.

Measuring them is not too difficult and if you need to add shims under the ground glass, that's not too difficult. If you need to remove some of the wood from underneath the glass, of course that can be a little trickier. I sorry, but I can't recall which one you'll need to do to convert it.

Hey, you may get lucky and not need to do anything to it!

DG

[Mark Sawyer]

Haven't seen the thread, but it's easy to check: get a ruler and measure from the inside ground glass surface to a reference point on the front standard, (usually the lensboard retainer or outside edge of an empty pre-drilled lensboard.) Then stick in a holder, pull the darkslide, and measure again. Should be the same. If you want to be really picky, put an old piece of film in the holder.

Oh, and you want to keep the ruler straight and level, so using an adjustible square w/ a slider or your own system of holding it identically each time is critical.

[Mats]

Thanks for your answers.
Actually, the film holders look like a modern one but I only saw a picture. They don't look thiner.
It's the latest Seneca models they produced so it should be ok ( even it's old anyway !).
The model is this one but in better condition :
http://www.fiberq.com/cam/seneca/sennew.htm (http://www.fiberq.com/cam/seneca/sennew.htm)

[Philippe Gauthier]

I have an original model Seneca 8x10 (not the improved one, but almost identical) and modern holders do well for me. Have fun with your Improved Seneca and enjoy.

[Mats]

Hello philippe,

Thank you. I bought it yesterday so now I'm looking forward to use it !
What the principal problem you have with this camera...something particular ?