Phillips-Advantage-Camera

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

Does any of you Phillip´s fans know about this camera listed on E-bay ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Very-fine-8X10-PHILLIPS-ADVANTAGE-Camera_W0QQitemZ7570023255QQcategoryZ15248QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Kevin Kemner]

Here is a comprehensive review of the camera.

www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html)

The one thing that stands out to me is that the seller has no feedback. If I were going to purchase the camera I would look to use one of the safer payment methods such as using an escrow or credit card with buyer protection. Not saying the seller is not honest, but it pays to be cautious.

[tim atherton]

That's a review of the Explorer which is not the Advantage (and rather different from it)

Wasn't the Advantage one of his first 8x10's? that started off wood coloured with brushed aluminium? and the focusing knobs on the side (rather than the one knob at the rear as with the current models)?

Is this an intermediate black version before the Compacts (presumably there was a Compact I?) Or am I missing a model somewhere?

[Michael Mutmansky]

By the looks of it, it is one of the last of the Advantage cameras, when he had shifted to completely black frame cameras. Some earlier cameras had some visible cherry wood on the frame. It should be contemporary to the Compact camera (not the Compact II).

Dick at one time made all three at the same time (Advantage, Compact, Explorer). I think the Advantage disappeared fairly quickly and the Compatct became his primary offering.

This one appears to have a relatively modern bail on the back, so I suspect it is close to the modern offerings, but I must say that he has advanced the camera design a bit every time he makes a batch, so there are probbaly some fundamental differences between this and the current offerings.

I would not condiser an Advantage camera unless you need the longer bellows. The added weight and bulk take away from the most basic features that make the Compact II so nice. It will additionally be a bit more difficult to handle wide angle lenses with the camera (shorter than 210mm). The Compact II is somewhat hobbled by the bellowes in this respect, and the Advantage version may be very difficult to use, so if you are a very wide angle shooter, this camera may be especially hard to use.

---Michael

[Roger Hein]

The original 'Compact' had a single (front) extension of 22" and weighed just over 7lbs. The back was fixed and had only tilt. I believe it was originally made of 'wood' vs the composite fibreglass 'core' he currently uses. A later model came out in 'all black' - perhaps when he changed over to the new materials? Not sure if the 'Advantage' came after or was introduced at the same time but this model had the 'all black' look of the current Phillips cameras. It is easily recognizable by the pair of wide metal 'skirts' (w/cut out holes) that run the length on both sides of the base. Bellows was longer on this model - about 30" but also weight too - about 9lbs.

[Victor Samou Wong]

Something else you can do is ask whether he would accept in-person pickup. It's something that I use as an imperfect general litmus test of a seller. You might not be able to pick it up in person, however, if the person is willing to entertain meeting, it's usually a sign that he or she is honest.

Cheers
-vic