rotating camera for landscape

[Peter Lushing]

I bought an 8x10 Burke & James (studio?) camera and a large tripod which may not have been made with this kind of camera in mind. If the camera is attached to the tripod via the screw hole, the film is in portrait position. How do I rotate the camera 90 degrees and affix it for landscape position? If this has an obvious answer I won't feel insulted.

[Kevin Crisp]

Peter: If this is the standard B&J 8X10 I'm thinking of, you leave the camera the way you have it on the tripod and you remove just the back with the ground glass and rotate it 90 degrees and put it back on. Have the opening for the film holder at the top and away you go. There may be a special model which is a "studio" version of the B&J, which I can't claim to have personally handled, but I suspect the back comes off that one too since so many portraits are verticals and use of reducing backs was very common. People don't really jump on you for asking simple questions on this forum. Other things, yes, sometimes.

[Gem Singer]

Hi Peter,

Look for sliding locks on the top right and left corners of the back. These locks hold the entire back (groundglass) onto the camera. Sliding the locks will un-fasten the back and allow it to be removed. Once removed, it can be rotated from the vertical to the horizontal position. Be certain the back is replaced completely into the camera in it's new orientation. Slide the locks back into their locking position. Done!

[Peter Lushing]

Thanks a lot! I will try it when I have some time in a few days. What bothered me about my problem was that I couldn't believe there was no simple solution, but obviously I could not conceive of one. You have to admire inventors....

[Gem Singer]

Dan,

The portrait position is vertical, as opposed to the horizontal (landscape) position.

[Paddy Quinn]

"Why would one want to limit portraits to a horizontal image? Many of our greatest portraits were made in a horizontal format. Why not call it what it is, a horizontal or vertical print? Calling it the other way sounds like another 'dumbing down' of things to match computer foolishness."

They've been called landscape and portrait format for many many years - from long before your computerphobia started

I think it's more likely the Pyro inhaling that's causing all the foolishness

[Peter Lushing]

I just had a chance to try rotating the back and it took all of about 18 seconds. Thanks a lot again, but it is disconcerting to see people start arguing over nothing (or even over something) as per a few replies above.

[robert_4927]

Peter, You'll find 99% of the time in here everyone is more than willing to help. And then there is always the few who love conflict even at the expense of newcomers. I've been shooting for 30 years and I have always heard vertical and horizontal refered to as portrait and lanscape. Those are the proper terms. Good luck with the new camera and have fun. Don't be afraid to ask questions in here, there is wealth of experience in this forum and they have helped me tremendously as I moved to ULF.