Edgar TP
17-Jun-2020, 06:52
Hello.
Noob here, both to the forum and to Large Format, although I have been using a Linhof Super Technika III (6x9) as the 'gateway drug' for six months or so.
I've just (perhaps foolishly) purchased a rather beautiful but mystifying camera made by Gilles-Faller, probably in the 1950s from what I can gather. I think it may be a plate camera but I'd like to shoot sheet film in it. It's 5" x 7" (or perhaps 13 x 18cm). [First pic, below]
It came with one rather funky DDS that doesn't look original and is a bit of a squeeze. I cannot for the life of me figure out how one might remove the interior dark slide once it's attached to the camera. [Second pic, below]
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There is a back that fits on the camera with ground glass panel that flips out of the way to receive a DDS. But once the DDS is attached you can't access the inner dark slide to remove it - there are wood 'borders' covering access to the darkslide on both sides. Although they look like they could be removed - the borders are in separate little strips - these borders are screwed and glued, so aren't designed to just disattach. [Third pic, above]
While its a beautiful thing, I didn't buy it to look at it. I'd like to use it, so I'm not above modifying stuff if needs be. The bellows will need replacing in any case.
Any advice gratefully received. I may well be overlooking something straightforward. Note that the camera also came with a strange sliding attachment but that seems to be for shooting smaller film perhaps. [Fourth pic, above]
thanks,
Sam
Noob here, both to the forum and to Large Format, although I have been using a Linhof Super Technika III (6x9) as the 'gateway drug' for six months or so.
I've just (perhaps foolishly) purchased a rather beautiful but mystifying camera made by Gilles-Faller, probably in the 1950s from what I can gather. I think it may be a plate camera but I'd like to shoot sheet film in it. It's 5" x 7" (or perhaps 13 x 18cm). [First pic, below]
It came with one rather funky DDS that doesn't look original and is a bit of a squeeze. I cannot for the life of me figure out how one might remove the interior dark slide once it's attached to the camera. [Second pic, below]
204800
204801
204802
204803
There is a back that fits on the camera with ground glass panel that flips out of the way to receive a DDS. But once the DDS is attached you can't access the inner dark slide to remove it - there are wood 'borders' covering access to the darkslide on both sides. Although they look like they could be removed - the borders are in separate little strips - these borders are screwed and glued, so aren't designed to just disattach. [Third pic, above]
While its a beautiful thing, I didn't buy it to look at it. I'd like to use it, so I'm not above modifying stuff if needs be. The bellows will need replacing in any case.
Any advice gratefully received. I may well be overlooking something straightforward. Note that the camera also came with a strange sliding attachment but that seems to be for shooting smaller film perhaps. [Fourth pic, above]
thanks,
Sam