Newbie Questions about Field Camera

[Leaf]

Hi,

I recently came into possession of a very old wooden field camera. I know nothing about large format cameras so I'm looking for some advice. The make is 'The International'. It has ground glass at the back which swings away on brass hinges. The size of the piece of ground glass itself is approx 12cm x 16cm.
I was wondering what type of film holders I need to buy that would work with this camera?

On the front there is a lens board with a brass screw mount that measures approx 53mm(ish), but I think it has an odd pitch. Are there particular lenses that marry with this thread mount?

I am a total beginner so any advice is appreciated. Cheers.

[Oslolens]

Sorry your start in LF is whitout plate or filmholders and with an odd way of connecting lenses. Generally there is no standard filmholders for these camera, but you might be lucky on ebay the 6. or 7. buy. This is why I stayed away. As for lens, I would mount a lens behind the screw mount, anything in your house with a focal length of at least 100mm, binoculars front lens, big reading glass or smaller. For taking pictures, add a small aperture in front, f11 to f45 and use a hat to take picture (see "hat shutter" on youtube). A pinhole will also do the trick. Then you are only missing a paper, glass or filmholder. The easiest way might be to make something out of cardboard, a box for darkroom paper, or a envelope, these are ment to be dark. Or someone here might have an extra back, do not be afraid to ask ;)

Sent fra min SM-G975F via Tapatalk

[Steven Tribe]

The most likely “International” is J.Lancaster & Son, Birmingham made camera which was produced in large numbers.

See here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lancaster+international+camera&client=safari&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=saGkht4Ou1NxeM%253A%252CTDNo6pKGvf8KoM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQ_oNlSt9iYrDFErckdT8HAtGMSow&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFqLma6-LoAhW-BhAIHaIkBM8Q9QEwAnoECAkQFQ&safari_group=9#imgrc=saGkht4Ou1NxeM:

The description of how the GG frame is attached sounds like the Lancaster Patent System.
The size is 1/2 plate. 1/2 plate holders are not standard in design and the Lancaster ones for the “patent” back are different from the earlier ones.

But they still quite common and quite easily identifiable with the silver shield trademark!

The flange has a standard 2 inch thread and lots of 1/2plate UK lens will screw in without difficulty!

[Leaf]

Hi Steven,

You've been very helpful, thank you! It does look to be a J. Lancaster camera.
So with what your saying about the film back is that I need to specifically buy a Lancaster model back such as this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274193917096

Any other make of 1/2 plate back may not mount correctly to the camera?
Or might the distance to the film plane be incorrect with a third party film back?

Also I was unsure if the holder in that ebay link could take film, or if it is exclusively for glass plates?

[Steven Tribe]

It is not just the film plane which might (will) be different. Physical dimensions do vary for different makers.

I believe there is also a slight difference in size between the early non-patent and the later patent vesions of the International model plate holders.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Recently I've put my little collection of bookformholders in a little database - which is now in a thread on Photrio forum (set up by Ian Grant). It shows al the dimensions of the plateholders (I've still to upload some, but most are shown).
At #44 dimensions are given of a half plate Lancaster holder - might be of help:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wooden-book-form-plate-holders.171222/page-2#post-2230789

here you can find the assignment of the dimensions to the different letters A til I (sort of legend):
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wooden-book-form-plate-holders.171222/

[Leaf]

Cheers guys,

Thanks for all the info.
I purchased a film holder off ebay which I believe will be the right one.

In terms of finding an appropriate 1/2 plate lens, did these traditionally have a shutter?
Or were they all exposed by opening and closing the lens cap?

Is there anywhere I could find more info on these lenses?

[Two23]

Cheers guys,

Thanks for all the info.
I purchased a film holder off ebay which I believe will be the right one.

In terms of finding an appropriate 1/2 plate lens, did these traditionally have a shutter?
Or were they all exposed by opening and closing the lens cap?

Is there anywhere I could find more info on these lenses?


If you are using film, it becomes a bit tricky to use a lens that doesn't have a shutter. It can be done--you just have to buy ND filters and know how to take exposure readings on a meter and calculate from there. If you're a beginner I strongly recommend you buy a lens with a shutter. The newest shutters are Copal, but you will also find shutters such as Compound, Compur, Betax, and Ilex that will work.


Kent in SD

[Steven Tribe]

Cheers guys,

Thanks for all the info.
I purchased a film holder off ebay which I believe will be the right one.

In terms of finding an appropriate 1/2 plate lens, did these traditionally have a shutter?
Or were they all exposed by opening and closing the lens cap?

Is there anywhere I could find more info on these lenses?

A good move.
EVen if it doesn’t quite fit, it will provide some basic data about what to look for. My guess is that it has 50/50 chance of fitting perfectly!
Lancaster were very productive in making early patent shutters, fitting onto the front of lenses (which, unlike most camera makers) they made in-house.
The UK earlyphotography website is a mine of info about early shutters.
Lancaster shutters included “rubber band” and “see/saw” models. The early shutters two23 mentions were made a generation after your camera to fit lenses (Cells) that were designed at the same time. You can’t really expect these to work reliably, and servicing (apart from the compound) and repair unlikely to be succcesful.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

C
In terms of finding an appropriate 1/2 plate lens (...)
Is there anywhere I could find more info on these lenses?

You have the choice of working with a lens directly put on the camera, were you can put a shutter in front of the lens or
you take a lens which is already mounted in a shutter.

Finding the old lenses that directly sit on the camera for half plate is quite easy since many old lenses had not a focal length mentioned on the lensbarrel, but only the plate format. So all the lenses with the marking 4¾ × 6½ are usable with your half plate camera. If you look for more modern lenses in a shutter, you could start with a 'standard' focal length of about 180 mm or 7,5 inch - a nice compur shutter would do (best to buy a lens/shutter combo).

If you want to keep the camera as original as possible, you could try to find a matching Lancaster lens (many are for sale) e.g. the Half Plate Rectigraph:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/3pebbles/5164243074/