Looking for information about an old wooden LF Cam

[MikeN]

Hi Everyone,

I bought an older model of a 5x7 LF Cam but I miss some information about it. With some luck, maybe I can find it here :)


https://youtu.be/DEGLXvdOXdA



Does anybody know what brand it is and even maybe when it was build?
What kind of lens board would I need? The opening of the front standard is about 7x9cm. I'd have expected more space here. Any clue about lenses to be used for this cam?
Last but not least: What film holder would I need? Looks like normal 5x7 but I don't know if they could fit.


THANKS a lot for any hints!

[Dugan]

That's a beauty!
I have no idea of the maker...but if you need a new bellows, I can recommend Custom Bellows in the UK...they do great work.

[r_a_feldman]

My guess (made without knowing the measurements of your camera) is that it is not 5x7 but rather is “half plate” in size. The film holder is most like a book-form holder and might be particular to this brand of camera. It would not be too difficult to make a 4x5 adapter back for the camera.

[xkaes]

What does the small plate on the front of the camera show?

[MikeN]

That's a beauty!
I have no idea of the maker...but if you need a new bellows, I can recommend Custom Bellows in the UK...they do great work.
Thanks for the Bellows hint; ...going to consider it ;)


My guess (made without knowing the measurements of your camera) is that it is not 5x7 but rather is “half plate” in size. The film holder is most like a book-form holder and might be particular to this brand of camera. It would not be too difficult to make a 4x5 adapter back for the camera.
The projection area is 123x174mm. I think that is to large for half plate; unless the holder reduces to it. I think it's close to 5x7 but I'm not sure what kind of lenses were used back then. The modern ones don't fit. Some do (smaller/shorter ones), others not; e.g. my 210mm Schneider. The rear lens is to large to fit through the "open space".


What does the small plate on the front of the camera show?
Good point. It can't really be identified. It could had been three letters. The 1st one not recognizable. The second and third maybe "H" and "I" ...but with lot uncertainty. On the first glance it just looks like scratches ;)

I stay curious ;)

[jnantz]

maybe it is a Japanese camera. not a US/imperial / Metric one ...
https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Japanese_formats

have fun!
John

[xkaes]

Good point. It can't really be identified. It could had been three letters. The 1st one not recognizable. The second and third maybe "H" and "I" ...but with lot uncertainty. On the first glance it just looks like scratches ;)

I stay curious ;)

Maybe if you shine a light on it at a 90 degree angle and photograph it -- and enlarge it -- we can help. The makers of cameras usually use a plate in that spot to ID the maker.

[Tin Can]

Please measure exactly the Dimensions of both the GG Flap and the space where an old style holder would fit.

Some just have flat sides, others have slotted

I have a couple cameras like yours

but nobody listens when I suggest

Find very good holders first, then the film and lastly the camera

I bought several from Japan when they were cheap

Cut stiff paper to exactly size the film

[MikeN]

maybe it is a Japanese camera. not a US/imperial / Metric one ...
Hi John, that's an interesting thought. I'd tax the cam period to early 20th century; maybe around 1920 (but I'm not an expert here). As far as I could research the metric system for screw threads hadn't been widely adopted in the US at this time. Other than in Europe and Japan. So US is out off the puzzle ;)


Maybe if you shine a light on it at a 90 degree angle and photograph it -- and enlarge it -- we can help. The makers of cameras usually use a plate in that spot to ID the maker.
Here you go:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grainycolors/unknowncam/main/images/front_plate.png

Edit: By closer inspection: This is just a plate that protects the wood from the lock mechanism that keeps the folded cam closed. ...so just arbitrary scratches ;)

- - -

I still found a couple of interesting details:

# Rivet joining Front Standard with Bellows

There is a rivet joining the front standard with the bellows. The rivet doesn't make any sense; neither functionally nor technically.. The imprint is: MAKART № 1.

In case this is the "camera brand" it might be an indicator for an individual custom built.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grainycolors/unknowncam/main/images/rivet.png

# Serial Numbers

The cam contains some serial numbers. One inside the focus screen flap. It is stamped in as: "40298".

If this number is a correlation with the number of pieces built, then it would speak for an established brand with higher production quantities. However, the number is not printed directly on the camera body but on the plate holder. This part is exchangeable and the serial number tends more to belong to the plate holder but not to the camera.

There are two other numbers; each: "1":

- One on the plate holder
- Another one on the cam body; on the rear standard's insert for the plate holder

These "1"s seem to pair up, meaning that plate holder and body belong together. This reminds me on Hasselblad film backs, where the film back and its insert share the same serial number, meaning they belong together.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grainycolors/unknowncam/main/images/serial_numbers.png

# Shape of the Plate Holder Frame

I don't have a plate holder for the cam but according to the frame that inserts on the rear standard it need to have the following shape:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grainycolors/unknowncam/main/images/plate_holder_shape.jpg

I browsed many plate holders on ebay but didn't find such shape.

I still stay curious :)

[Mark Sawyer]

Just looking at the general camera design, construction, and materials, (teak wood?), I'd guess it's a Rajah, made in India.

[MikeN]

Just looking at the general camera design, construction, and materials, (teak wood?), I'd guess it's a Rajah, made in India.

Hi Mark, thanks for mentioning the Indian brand. I just browsed a few ones but they are rather lower quality than fine carpentry like this one here. The material, as far as I can asses by comparing wood structures, is mahogany; also not seen on the Indian ones.

[Tin Can]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51236822543_2059dcd4e0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2m4C7h8)ANBA (https://flic.kr/p/2m4C7h8) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[MikeN]

Doing some research and with the help of other boards I found a couple of indicators that point to an Austrian maker: R. A. Goldmann Fabrik Photographischer Apparate
It's not bullet proof but with a certain evidence ;)

I'll start then refurbishing this beauty :)

For anyone interested: The project can be tracked here: https://github.com/grainycolors/unknowncam

[Joseph Kashi]

The hardware and general layout appear to be quite similar to an unbranded more-or-less 5x7 wooden camera that I have. When I sought identification information here and elsewhere online, the general consensus was that it was a generic Japanese model, possibly Tanakaishi ( spelling?), built with then-widely available generic field camera hardware. It was probably made shortly after WWII.

One oddity - the recessed area for the ground glass carrier is actually too high to perfectly fit modern 5x7 film holders but the depth to film exactly meets ISO depth dimensions and so modern holders register correctly and have good focus. The extra width of the recess in the back where the film holders rest doesn't seem to result in fogging IF the film holder is centered and the recess in the back is painted a matte black.

My surmise is that this was originally either a book-form back or a half-plate camera that was retrofitted with a modern factory-made 5x7 ground glass carrier, but that's only a surmise based upon the ground glass carrier dimensions meeting modern ISO standards.

[Tin Can]

Last comment

Perhaps

I bought my set as pictured, I added a lens

Ready for wet plate

dry plates and film

bought on this forum last year for a song

or was it a dance