Scoville Albion Camera, sized 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 camera

[Raymond Bleesz]

Is there a forum member who is using this particular camera? with its original lens, a Bausch & Lomb Victor, and using a Scovill tripod??

I ask because I am using a functional camera, & lens and would like to share notes.

Thank you

Raymond in Colorado

[Lerxt]

Raymond,
Looks like you've been waiting a long time for no answer.

I picked up Scoville Albion from ebay a few months back. It has a 4x5 reducing back installed, and the inside layer of the non-original bellows is separated and sagging. I'm looking into getting a new bellows made to replace it.
I can't really say that I'm actively using the camera as of yet. It came with no lens. I have a CZ Jena which I'm going to try to mount, but thanks to your post I'll now shop around for a B&L Victor, as well as a Scovill Tripod.

I am curious about the size that you state. The entire back frame of mine measures 8 1/2" on the outside edges. I could see getting a half-plate exposure with it (4 3/4" x 6 1/2") but certianly nothing much larger. Do you get full-plate exposures from yours? If so, that would indicate that Scoville made the Albions in different sizes. I haven't been able to unearth very much documentation on them.

[Oren Grad]

The Albion cameras were indeed made in several different formats. You can find some information about them here - scroll down for links to pages on three different variations of the camera:

http://www.piercevaubel.com/cam/am.opt.&scovill.alphabetical.htm

[Greg]

not the same camera but maybe some interesting info in this thread for you..
https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?126242-Whole-Plate-format-observations-Please-join-in-with-yours&highlight=plate+experiences
Greg

[Raymond Bleesz]

Greg et al---Re: Scoviil Albion 6.5 x 8.5 Field camera------------Another Scovill-----first note the spelling on my unit----"Scovill Manufacturing Co, New York"

I have jury rigged up a tripod base plate with an Swiss quick release plate---this "makes do for the time being. It does at weight to the camera and necessitates the removal of the original B & L lens in order to fold up the camera. But even thought I have had the BL cleaned & looked into, I do not use this lens as it does not produce a "good negative" with all the work involved.

Re: Scovill Albion tripod---I do not have one but of recent, I saw one on EBay for over $300----I'm not going there at this stage of my life and photo life. What I got is what I got.

I have had to get a ground glass as the original did not exist. Some, one or two, brass thread screws are missing and there are substitutes---the original threading is a bit different than current threading on screws.

Greg---do you have original Scovill 6.5 x 8.5 film holders???? I have not seen one on Ebay of this size. I have looked to no avail, but this is what I have done for film holders.

I purchased 2 old Rochester 6.5 x 8.5 film holders----I had a local woodsmith route the sides of the film holders in order to fit into the Scovill back----not perfect but doable.
I had also purchased 2 Rochester 5x7 film inserts to adapt to the old film holders------This works as I'm now processing and developing 5x7 film----not ideal but workable.
The film holders presently are not totally "light tight" when exposed to light. I haven't figured this out as yet.

The lens & lens board have been adapted--I created a lens board to fit---then I settled on using a n old Kodak Extra 152mm lens---This of course works, but not totally ideal. The camera offers vertical and horizontal positioning, so composition, et al is open to interpretation.

Let me know your feedback.

Raymond

[Raymond Bleesz]

Greg et al--Scovill 6.5 x 8.5 Field Camera---In my previous post, I failed to mention the following which is critical. Since I had 2 Rochester film holders routed to fit the Scovill camera back, I also had to solve this problem. The problem: The original camera has a wooden "rail" and two brass screws to hold the original Scovill film holders in place. This I had to do away with as the Rochester holders were perhaps too "thick" to accommodate this rail with its 2 brass screws--the supportive rail is not used. So what I did was to get 2 compatible "screw gizzmos" to hold the film holder in place rather than use the wooden rail.

I can send you photos if needed--email???

[Chauncey Walden]

Raymond, that 152 Ektar would be ideal for 4x5 but since it is a Tessar formula probably won't stretch well to 5x7 except at very close distances. The vintage normal lens for a 5x7 would be more like 210mm, and for whole plate, 270mm.