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Robert Skeoch
10-Sep-2007, 19:04
Keith Canham Cameras now offers a Whole Plate wood camera based on the very popular 5x7 wood camera.
This would be a special order product.
-Rob Skeoch
www.bigcameraworkshops.com

Jason Greenberg Motamedi
10-Sep-2007, 21:00
Rob,

Do you have a price for just the rear standard, bellows, and GG back to adapt my 5x7 to WP?

Diane Maher
11-Sep-2007, 05:08
This is the reason I was waiting for the Fotoman whole plate holders. I wanted to see about getting the same thing Jason mentioned to be able to switch out my 5x12 back with whole plate, but Keith asked me at the View Camera Conference if I had any whole plate holders so he could build the back around them. At the moment, I only have two well-used Kodak holders and several bookform holders. AWB is working on a different size of holder at the moment and won't be doing whole plate size for a while.

QCC
11-Sep-2007, 06:21
The format changing set (rear standard, bellows and GG back) will run about $2100 and would allow current owners of 4X5, 5X7, 4X10 or 5X12 wood fields to add the additional format without the cost of a bed and front standard. The complete camera will be about $3450

Jason Greenberg Motamedi
11-Sep-2007, 08:53
QCC, are you Quality Camera? In any case, that it is excellent news. I will most likely order one sometime in the spring.

jason


The format changing set (rear standard, bellows and GG back) will run about $2100 and would allow current owners of 4X5, 5X7, 4X10 or 5X12 wood fields to add the additional format without the cost of a bed and front standard. The complete camera will be about $3450

Rob_5419
11-Sep-2007, 16:58
Wow. Another camera manufacturer on board.

And still us Europeans are the last to see our own version:mad:

The Canham project-hybrid sounds great. Does this mean the 1 year special order waiting time is waived?

Scott Squires
11-Sep-2007, 17:12
If I can buy holders and film for Whole Plate, I would love to be able to switch my Canham 4x10 to Whole Plate.

Scott

www.scottsquires.com

Rob_5419
11-Sep-2007, 17:25
Why the 'If?' Scott?

Fotoman say they'll be ready by the end of September 2007.

You're lucky to have that option. Canham are such a thoughtful manufacturer!

It's a shame they were never imported to England with demo facilities, otherwise their market share here would've been greater.

Scott Squires
11-Sep-2007, 17:43
OK, I will say when and it sounds like pretty soon!

Scott

www.scottsquires.com

Kerry L. Thalmann
11-Sep-2007, 18:12
You're lucky to have that option. Canham are such a thoughtful manufacturer!

It's a shame they were never imported to England with demo facilities, otherwise their market share here would've been greater.

Robert White is a Canham dealer. They've had them listed on their web site for years. They may not have all models in stock, but I'd be surprised if they didn't regularly have some of the more popular Canham models on hand for customers to view and possibly fondle.

Kerry

Rob_5419
11-Sep-2007, 18:16
Kerry,

I know this is going to sound really pathetic, particularly for Americans used to driving long distances. But Robert White, the Canham dealer, is based in Dorset, which is outside of London - somewhere on the coastal fringe. It's hard to get down for a demo.

I don't remember ever leaving London in the past year, unless it was for the airport ;)

Richard K.
12-Sep-2007, 06:20
...on hand for customers to view and possibly fondle.

Kerry

You haven't fondled until you've fondled a Canham....but watch you don't get your fingers pinched...:rolleyes:

Pete Watkins
12-Sep-2007, 06:46
Rob,
Gotta bit of good news, I've just recieved some half plate 400 asa NP 27 film from Retro Photographic this morning (he did say that he may also have some 100 asa).
I don't really want to do half plate but I bought some sheet film holders for next to nothing a couple of years ago and I recently bought a B&J 5x7. I tried to put the 5x7 film into the holders only to discover that they had been converted to half plate before they left the Fidelity factory even though they have 5x7 moulded into the plastic tops of the holders and they fit the camera perfectly. Still, It'll do for the timebeing.
Best wishes,
Pete.
Pete.

Rob_5419
12-Sep-2007, 13:10
Excellent news Pete. So the Wephota stuff is definitely available in the UK. That means there's 3 different ISO emulsions [IS25, 100, 400 ) available for whole plate film from Wephota and 2 from Ilford (125 and 400).

Sandeha's scan looks good without emulsion lift and all those issues reported in some of the eastern European films. I guess Wephota is less likely to have coating problems if it is just a single silver layer.

Half-plate is fun ;)

You just don't know it yet. I do prefer whole plate, but some days we can afford to be frivolous.

A 5x7" DDS definitely doesn't fit in the Gandolfi (avatar) unfortunately.

PS did you import that B&J from the States? I've not seen them around here.

Sandeha
12-Sep-2007, 13:19
At present it's NP22 only for half and whole plate from Retro, not the 15 or 27.

We'll have to have words with them about this.

Btw, last year I had some sheets of NP22 in 5x7 ... a few had specks on them (not from processing, I'm certain) but the rest were perfect. QC learning curve, perhaps?

Pete Watkins
12-Sep-2007, 13:48
Rob, yeah, I imported the B&J from a member here who lives in the States.
Sandeha, retro sent me Wephota Planfilm NP 27 400 asa half plate sheet film. They are selling it in packs of 10, which suits me as I also have 4x5, 8x10 & 11x14 capabilities (the big ones don't see a lot of daylight though).
Pete.

Rob_5419
12-Sep-2007, 14:11
Sandeha - I so didn't want to hear that about NP22!

Let's hope this year's batch is better. Is this like an Eastern European thing...like the Contax-Kiev copies which had very poor QC depending on how much alcohol the factory workers had on their shift?

Before we all get carried away, I'm in the Ilford FP4+ camp! I'd be interested in the other emulsions to try out.

I see RJ and Harry have been onto Retrophotographic about the NP15 (ISO25) emulsion. That's the one I'd like to see.

Pete - packs of 10 are very flimsy, right? They don't come in those half-plate or whole plate boxes which are useful for storing exposed film?

Sandeha
12-Sep-2007, 14:19
That's good news - I just didn't see it on their site.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the quality issue, but so far so good on the NP WP. I'll be burning some more this weekend. :rolleyes:

Rob_5419
12-Sep-2007, 15:25
Hi Sandeha,

yes - Retrophotographic have a good relationship with the mastercutters in Wephota Film Co. There probably isn't a lot of money for them, cutting to this whole plate format. Since they have the master rolls still....

Talking of sites, it's amazing what crops up.....a Century Whole Plate Camera.... wonder who's selling it?

Would be great to do a review comparison between the Gandolfi/Ebony/Canham/ Argentum/Chamonix whole plate cameras next year.

Ash
12-Sep-2007, 15:28
Rob I saw that ....site... too.

Pity the price on the Century will shoot up.

I'll have to wait until I know the details of my student loan and possible part time job later this month. I'll invest in some more LF equipment and film if I know it will 'help' with the course :D

Rob_5419
12-Sep-2007, 15:31
The seller says that it was only made a few years ago.

That's pretty cool. I didn't know Century did whole plate cameras too.

Although the groundglass screen is in a friggin' mess.

Is MJ joining your classes?:D

Sal Santamaura
12-Sep-2007, 15:43
This is the reason I was waiting for the Fotoman whole plate holders...Keith asked me at the View Camera Conference if I had any whole plate holders so he could build the back around them. At the moment, I only have two well-used Kodak holders and several bookform holders. AWB is working on a different size of holder at the moment and won't be doing whole plate size for a while.My post here:

http://www.apug.org/forums/512495-post12.html

offered the suggestion that anyone designing a new 6 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch camera configure its back to accept Lotus holders. See the post for reasons why. Since then it's become apparent that Chamonix will also make 6 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch holders; they will fit such a "universal" back too.

Ash
12-Sep-2007, 15:53
MJ is already at this particular college, doing different courses :)

Pete Watkins
12-Sep-2007, 23:54
Rob, yes the packs of 10 are in sort of envelopes but if they were in boxes they would cost more. Look at 4x5 Rollie R3, thats in boxes of 10 and it's a superb film.........but the cost!
Ash, you've had all summer to get a job..............you need cash to lure beautiful women, even Mc Cash.
Pete.

Ash
13-Sep-2007, 01:11
Pete I have a beautiful woman. I need to cash for camera gear and to treat her to nice meals (not fast food!)

Diane Maher
13-Sep-2007, 05:44
The seller says that it was only made a few years ago.

That's pretty cool. I didn't know Century did whole plate cameras too.

Although the groundglass screen is in a friggin' mess.

Is MJ joining your classes?:D

The seller says that the bellows were made a few years ago.

Robert Skeoch
14-Sep-2007, 17:43
The cost of the kit to convert your wood 4x5/5x7 into a Canham Whole Plate will run you Canadian $2350, for those who are thinking of going that way.
-Rob Skeoch
www.bigcameraworkshops.com

Rob_5419
15-Sep-2007, 14:34
Thanks Diane. I'm clearly not reading closely enough.


Rob, yes the packs of 10 are in sort of envelopes but if they were in boxes they would cost more. Look at 4x5 Rollie R3, thats in boxes of 10 and it's a superb film.........but the cost!
Ash, you've had all summer to get a job..............you need cash to lure beautiful women, even Mc Cash.
Pete.

I guess I find the boxes more useful! Although bear in mind, print paper of 50 x 8x10 inch sheets makes very good storage boxes too. I like printing on 8x10" paper so it's not a problem.

Have a box of the Rollei R3 and I can't figure out what to do with it (scary new emulsion syndrome - can't cope :eek: )

Can't help with Ash's dilemma. If Ash comes up with a solution, then the world will be cured of indolent teenagers! ;)

Rob_5419
15-Sep-2007, 14:36
Sorry Ash - couldn't resist.

Box of film coming your way as promised ;)

Ash
15-Sep-2007, 14:40
Thanks Rob :)