Hello From London UK

[John_uk]

Hi all,

Great forum you have here.
Im new to large format and if I could learn just a fraction of what you guys know Ill be well happy.

I bought a speed Graphic a few weeks ago(a 1954 model i think) and this week got a KL Biggs 4x5 technical camera. I cant seem to find much info on this camera apart from it being made about 1960ish by a company who went out of business 30 years ago.
They were evidently in HOVE, SUSSEX. (Any info would be appreciated.)
Anyway, all the best

John
ps dont laugh but i havent got any film holders yet so I can take some shot

[Ash]

Hi John,

Don't worry - last year I bought a Kodak half plate camera (mid-40's ish) and I took about one photo with it - I had to modify the half plate holders to take 4x5 film! I got myself a Cambo 4x5 last month and have been enjoying that a lot more. I'm trying to work my way around sorting the Kodak out at the moment.

Welcome to the forum, there are a lot of really nice and generous people here.

[Ralph Barker]

Welcome to the LF Forum, John.

[Walter Calahan]

London's calling . . .

[Paul O]

Hi John. This forum is an excellent resource with very friendly and useful advice. As you are based in theUK take a look at www.lf-photo.org.uk as "we" are a UK-based LF group. Paul

[roteague]

Hi John, welcome from Hawaii. Glad you found us, and I think you will enjoy being here.

[Ernest Purdum]

I can't tell you much about Biggs except that the full name was K.L. Biggs Precision Equipment Ltd. and they were indeed in Hove, Sussex. They seem to have started about 1948 and made perhaps too many different types of aerial cameras and scientific items in addition to the camera you have. I remember only vaguely the advertisements at the time, but I think you have a nice camera. Since you are in London, you might take a look at library copies of the British Journal Photographic Almanac (BJPA) for the '60's. They contain a list of advertisers so are easy to use.

[John_uk]

Thanks everyone for the welcome
also thanks Paul O for the invite to the british forum. I have joined it and await activation.
Thanks Ernest for the info re my kl biggs camera.
All I need now is to start taking some photos

Regards

John

[Ted Harris]

Welcome John

[John Kasaian]

Welcome aboard!

[Phillip Hillier]

Hi John,

Nice to meet you. It's great to hear from LF photographers in the UK. I dont get here very often - I'm busy getting my BJ Orbit sorted and ready for spring and summer. On that note, can anyone help with a filter ring size for a Carl Zeiss Jena 16.5cm f4.5 Tessar lens? I have heard it is M49 X 0.75.

Phil

[Uri Kolet]

Welcome from Vancouver, John; Robert Lawrence (former f32 moderator) in Tintern, Wales, will be able to answer any questions you have. Cheers, Uri

[Capocheny]

Hi John,

Greetings from another Vancouverite!

Look on the auction block for holders... they're pretty inexpensive these days. :)

Cheers

PS: I agree with Uri about Robert Lawrence... great fellow! He helped me out a lot when I first got started in LF. :)