8x10 Phillips Compact II: pics

[Marco Annaratone]

Greetings!

Pictures of the 8x10 Phillips Compact II are hard to find (I actually could not find a single one, only some pics of the horizontal-only Explorer). So, let me try to fill the gap: you can see some pictures of a vintage 2005 model. It weighs a bit more than 4kg, and less than 9lb.




http://largeformatphotography.info/cameras/phillips/ (http://largeformatphotography.info/cameras/phillips/)

[Frank Petronio]

Lovely. Or as lovely as camera photos can be. Lovely enough to make me forget about how nice Leicas are. And maybe even lovely enough to make me seriously consider shooting 8x10 again.

How about some more photos of the hard to find exotics? I'd love to see more photos of Phillips other cameras - I really like his design solutions - I saw a 4x5 Phillips and thought it was the nicest 4x5 I ever saw too (even over Arca and Linhof).

On second thought, maybe not. Phillips seems to be backlogged and I don't want more people ahead of me in line...

[Andrey Donchev]

Thank you Marco! I was one of those who were searching very extensively for pictures of Mr. Phillips's cameras! I rehosted them here. (http://adonchev.dir.bg/phillips_pictures.htm)

[Ben Diss]

Thanks for posting these pics. I'm looking for an 8x10 and I wondered about this camera.

How does one focus with this camera? I see the knob coming out the rear at the bottom center. It looks like this moves the front? Is that right?

For anyone who has laid hands on this camera, how would you compare its ease of setup and rigidity to Deardorff, Wisner or Canham wood cameras?

Thanks.

-Ben

[Howard Berg]

Ben,

You are correct about the focussing knob. I got my Compact II in June and thus it is the current version. My prior field 8x10 was one of those Dorf copies, a Rajah, and that is the only one I can compare the Compact with. My first use of the Compact was on a week long shoot in Kauai and this involved lots of hiking. I really appreciated the lightness of the camera, as I was able to put it, three lens, four holders, light meter, and tripod together for about 40 pounds total (camera is 8.5 lbs.). The camera gave me no grief and was easy to set up provided I check to make sure the white markers were aligned for zeroing out the front standard alignment (not a problem even in low light situations). It has excellent rigidity. The 10-20 mph tradewinds were most always present and yet most of the 80 photos were sharp. It sets up uniquely. The front standard screws into one of several holes, chosen depending on lens focal length or anticipated bellows extension. The front standard is zero set by the use of a small tab that extends over the standard's frame. The rear standard can be moved over large distance quickly by releasing two knobs. The lens board is locked into place via a pivoting metal frame piece. Bellows extension is about 22 inches, easily accommodating my Fuji 450 C , and (on the other end) my Fuji 120 wide angle was also accommodated. There is a small strap attached to the front standard and it has velcro so that it can be attached to velcro located at different places on the bellows, to prevent bellows sag. The rear focussing knob is quite innovative and locks down with a slight movement of the attached lever. After using that Rajah for ten years, it was great to graduate to the Compact II.

--Howard

[Sal Santamaura]

Bellows extension is 26 1/4 inches, not 22.

[QT Luong]

The images were initially posted on Yahoo, and several readers had problems to view them. I have rehosted them on this server, edited the original posting, and removed the comments about not been able to view the images. Thanks to Marco for emailing the images.

[tim atherton]

"How does one focus with this camera? I see the knob coming out the rear at the bottom center. It looks like this moves the front? Is that right?

For anyone who has laid hands on this camera, how would you compare its ease of setup and rigidity to Deardorff, Wisner or Canham wood cameras? "

the Phillips review on this site answers most of the qurestions
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html

Although the review is of the Explorer not the Compact II, it is essentially the same camera pared down. Focussing system is the same and well described (although the way the knob is attached has been improved on the new model).

Rigidity - I find mine one of the more rigid cameras I've used. Once it's locked down it's far more rigid than any of the Deardoff's I have tried (including the couple I owned) - haven't comparded it to the other two, but it's close to being as rigid as my old Sinar F1 4x5

[Ben Diss]

Is the Compact II still limited to horizontal only? I can't quite tell from the pics.

[tim atherton]

Ben

The Explorer is the pared down version of the Compact II. To save weight and bulk, Explorer has a horizontal back only (so it only needs to be 8x10+ not 10x10+ = lighter and narrower bellows) as well, the bellows are shorter.

The Compact II has a vertical/horizontal back and most of the other attributes of a regular 8x10. The other main compromise for weight/rigidity is slightly shorter than normal bellows 26" or so rather than say 30-36+ inches. (other than that, all the weight savings come from innovative design. It is a fully functioning 8x10 with slightly short bellows than some (and imo functions far better than most!).

Longest lens I've used on mine is the Fuji 450mm - no problem with that at all. Shortest was a 110mm I borrowed once

[martin_4668]

Dear friends

I think it would be of interest for us all if this site was given a picture profile under camera tech stuff. Must of us dont know how an old calumet, wisner, philips (well now we know) looks like. When googling for images, I rarely finds pictures that is of any use to determain what it is, andd what it does.
The tech section is by the way not very informative. I know its a review site, and requires more but take a look : http://largeformatphotography.info/8x10.html.
this is not much considering the enourmous amount of knowledge we all posses together.....

[portilla]

I had a Canham and Lotus 8x10. I can say that hands down the Phillips is the best and the lightest too. I have tried the Ebony which is very nice, but not worth the weight or extra cost. I hear that Phillips will make a one off mahgonay unpainted compact II soon.

[tim atherton]

going by his ad in View Camera it looks like Dick is starting to wind down production.

11x14 an 7x17's finished. End of the Compact II runs this year. Some 8x10 Explorers and 4x5's (and servicing cameras) to continue

[johnwnyc]

I don't subscribe to View Camera. Just curious, what do you mean by "is starting to wind down production"? Will Dick continue to produce the Compact II next year?

[tim atherton]

I guess it's okay to repeat the gist of the ad? (I'm sure steve or someone will rap [wrap?] my knuckles if not...)

"The year 2006 will see continued downsizing of our business to a manageable level. 11x14 and 7x17 runs finished last year. All Compact II production will end during this year.... Building 8x10 Explorers and some 4x5's will continue, as well as servicing cameras..."

All due to advancing years and wanting to actually spend time photographing!

You can say hi to Dick at the LF Conference - though he won't have a stand.

(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

[Phong]

"The year 2006 will see continued downsizing of our business to a manageable level. 11x14 and 7x17 runs finished last year. All Compact II production will end during this year.... Building 8x10 Explorers and some 4x5's will continue, as well as servicing cameras..."
All due to advancing years and wanting to actually spend time photographing!
(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

That is too bad. When I last talked with Dick (shortly after he came back from Antarctica) he mentioned that there was a good chance that he will take orders for the Compact II next year. In any case, I well understand and respect his decision, and wish him the best of luck, and well-deserved time for himself and his photography.

- Phong

[johnwnyc]

How serviceable is the Compact II in general? I'd imagine that it'd be a bummer to wait two years to finally get your hands on one, only to encounter a problem with it, and then get queued for another year to get it fixed. (I'm not making a judgement on the camera, in fact I know very little about them except that they are very highly lauded.)

[Ted Harris]

I talked with Dick last Saturday and he noted that he will be building 40 cameras this year. Lots of travel planned including a return to Antarctica in December.

[John Powers]

You can say hi to Dick at the LF Conference - though he won't have a stand.
(wasn't Dick a dentist?)

Over the kitchen table Dick told us he had been a dentist, but he really didn't like it. About the same time he was enjoying a Deardorff, but felt it was too heavy. He thought about that for a while. Over one night he figured out the detachable front standard and then made a rigid camera, 2/3s the weight of the Deardorff.

Regarding concerns about Dick's service, he took my 1990s Advantage series, tightened up about ten things, repaired a few of my blunders, added a bail like the current models have and returned it in a week and a half. That includes three days shipping time. The price was more than reasonable and the workmanship was perfect. I'm so worried about his service that I just bought a used 7x17 Phillips to augment the 8x10.

Glad I could send a compliment to a real gentleman.


John Powers

[tim atherton]

How serviceable is the Compact II in general? I'd imagine that it'd be a bummer to wait two years to finally get your hands on one, only to encounter a problem with it, and then get queued for another year to get it fixed. (I'm not making a judgement on the camera, in fact I know very little about them except that they are very highly lauded.)

well - there isn't a huge amount to go wrong unless you actually break it. And I think service/repair times are pretty reasonable.

[John Powers]

well - there isn't a huge amount to go wrong unless you actually break it. And I think service/repair times are pretty reasonable.

Unfortunately some of us are talented and can break anything. Thankfully, Dick is there to fix it.

John Powers

[Frank Petronio]

John, please post some pictures of that lovely 7x17 for us to check out. We don't care about your pictures so much ;-) just the camera!

(actually seeing both would be the nuts)

[John Powers]

John, please post some pictures of that lovely 7x17 for us to check out. We don't care about your pictures so much ;-) just the camera!

(actually seeing both would be the nuts)

Frank,

Sorry, I'm still a subscriber to APUG. I don't have one of the digi wonders yet. You'll just have to come over to OH and play in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I'll be the old guy pushing the baby jogger with the big Ries stuck in the footboard and the 7x17 bungeed in on top. I think the format will be very nice for the long horizontal old stone locks and the river's edge along the tow path. I'm trying to train my Chocolate Labrador to pull the jogger instead of me.

A side note, I was pushing this rig with the Phillips 8x10 in Acadia National Park last summer. A young mother with a jogger and a screamer was coming from the other direction. She approached and chuckled. I smiled and said, "oh is that what the jogger is for." She said she thought she liked my version better because it didn't cry.
I didn't mention how much film I could buy because mine wasn't going to go to college.

John

[marcus1968]

Hello people,

Interesting this thread.
But can anybody give me the outside-dimensions of the Phillips Compact II, when it's folded?

Greetings from Holland,

Marco

[tim atherton]

Folded:

12.75" x 13.5" x 4.7" (google will convert that to cm...)

That takes into account the couple of knobs on the side that stick out a bit further than the main body, and the handle and level on the top edge. If you discount those (i.e. in a pack they can be "squished" around by the padding) the main body is slight less

[tim atherton]

I should add, when it's closed, it doens't close completley flat - one end is narrower than the other, so depth is 4.7" at one and and probably just under 4.5" at the other

[Ted Harris]

My recollection of several conversations with Dick at the VC Conference and at a workshop the week before is that he is going to continue production of the 8x10 with the fixed "landscape" back only so that you will have to turn the camera if you want "portrait' orientation. Anyone who is interested and wants to get on a list for his cameras should give him a call. He is much more a telephone than an email person.

[Capocheny]

Over the kitchen table Dick told us he had been a dentist, but he really didn't like it. About the same time he was enjoying a Deardorff, but felt it was too heavy. He thought about that for a while. Over one night he figured out the detachable front standard and then made a rigid camera, 2/3s the weight of the Deardorff.
John Powers

What a sweet looking camera... and 2/3rds the weight of a Dorff!

Hmmmm..... :)

Cheers

[marcus1968]

Thanks Tim. :)


My recollection of several conversations with Dick at the VC Conference and at a workshop the week before is that he is going to continue production of the 8x10 with the fixed "landscape" back only so that you will have to turn the camera if you want "portrait' orientation.

Continuing with only the Phillips 8x10 Explorer (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html)?

[Oren Grad]

Continuing with only the Phillips 8x10 Explorer (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html)?

Yes. When I last spoke with him a couple of months ago, his plan after this year's batch of 8x10 Compact II's is completed was to continue building some 8x10 Explorers and some 4x5s.