Meagher Tailboard - First LF Camera Advice?

[WebbedPaws]

Hi,

I’ve just acquired what I’ve been told is a Meagher tailboard camera, this is my first large format camera and I would like to use it as a way to start shooting lf photos. My only prior experience with film/analogue is with 35mm SLRs.

The camera was found in a garage clear-out and is missing its lens, but I’m happy to create a new lens mount to fit the square hole in the front.

If anyone could recommend a good general purpose lens, something equivalent of a 40mm or 50mm, that would be usable on this camera I’d be very grateful!

The glass focusing screen is 12” square, but I can see pencil lines where someone has marked out various plate sizes.

Thanks!

236999

237000

237001

[ic-racer]

Did anything else come with the camera?

If not, I think the problem with trying to use that would be finding a film holder to fit the back. It does not look like it takes any conventional film holder that would hold a film size you could easily buy today.

Once a film solution has been realized, the size of the film would dictate the focal length needed to approximate the angle of view a 40-50mm lens on 35mm camera. Essentially one would choose a focal length equal to the diagonal of the film format you could expose.

237003

[WebbedPaws]

Nothing else came with the camera unfortunately!

Thank you for the advice though, I think I’ll make a holder for 8x10 given the size of the camera, and learn/experiment shooting darkroom paper in it.

From what I’ve briefly gleaned it seems like a lens in the region of 250-300mm would be a practical choice for 8x10.

It would be nice to use and not just to keep as a decorative object ����

[ic-racer]

Yes, if you can make a film holder that would be just the thing! Expect the bellows to leak, so some patching might be needed.

My first 8x10 was a Century I restored, but it's back receives modern 8x10 film holders.

237046