arca-swiss format question

[enochRoot]

does anyone know if an earlier arca-swiss model c (or a or b) exists in 5x7?

[jotloob]

Are you shure , you want to go to the 5x7 format ? ? ?
Sheetfilm for 4x5 is still very common but sheetfilm for 5x7 is getting very rare .
So , you should take this into consideration .

Regards Jürgen

[John Schneider]

Jim at Midwest told me that there were some 5x7 models made. But, I have personally never seen nor heard of any 5x7 models, and I've been looking. Thankfully Arcas are easy to modify; I'm making a 4x10 back (and able to take a 5x7 back if mounted horizontally) for my 4x5 model C.

[Frank Petronio]

They are rare in the USA. Let me know if you find one ;-)

[Kirk Fry]

There was a 5X7 conversion kit (back plus bellows) in their early catalogs. I seem to remember they cost about as much as the camera and I don't think I have ever seen one on ebay. ARCA service in the US in the early days was very spotty so if you actually ordered one you might have gotten it bye and bye the next year or so. Doubt if they sold many. K

[Really Big Cameras]

does anyone know if an earlier arca-swiss model c (or a or b) exists in 5x7?

Yes, they did. I have one. I bought it from a private seller off the German eBay a few years ago. I also have some old ACRA-SWISS literature from the 1950s through 1970s that includes the 5x7 model.

I'm not sure if they sold them in the US, but I suspect they did. I bought a NOS (new, old stock) replacement bellows for mine from Lens & Repro in New York. I doubt if a US dealer would be stocking replacement parts for a camera that wasn't available here.

Kerry Thalmann
Really Big Cameras

[Really Big Cameras]

OK, I did some digging through my old ARCA-SWISS literature for info on the older style 5x7 cameras. The first two scans are from a US catalog. I don't have a publication date, but I believe it's from the early 1960s, possibly late 1950s. Note: the 5x7 was available in both base tilt (IB-57) and axis tilt (IIA-57) models.

http://www.reallybigcameras.com/ARCA-SWISS/Brochures/USCAT2.jpg

Kerry Thalmann
Really Big Cameras

[Really Big Cameras]

Another page from the same brochure showing the specs on the 5x7 (and 8x10 and 6x9cm) models.

http://www.reallybigcameras.com/ARCA-SWISS/Brochures/USCAT3.jpg

Kerry Thalmann
Really Big Cameras

[Really Big Cameras]

And some 5x7 info from a newer catalog. Again, no publication date, but I believe it's from the late 1970s, or possibly very early 1980s.

http://www.reallybigcameras.com/ARCA-SWISS/Brochures/IC3.jpg

Kerry Thalmann
Really Big Cameras

[enochRoot]

wow...thanks everyone for the info/replies! at least now i know they do exist. of course it seems like something i will be hunting for a very long time before ever finding one. not sure if i should put it out of my mind, or be ever vigilant! or i could just spend the next 5 years saving up for a current arca 5x7 (yeah right).

kerry...thanks for posting the scans! is yours one of the oldest models, or a more recent one?

john...sounds very interesting! do you have any photos or documentation of your project? i'd love to see it if so.

[Frank Petronio]

You might look for an older 5x7 Cambo or Sinar Norma, they were well made all metal monorails from the same era and are a little more popular since many European studio photographers used them. However none of them beat the Arca for lightweight and compactness.

[enochRoot]

thanks for the suggestion frank. really though, the light weight and compactness are part of what i'm drawn to. i don't need a field camera, but the arcas seem like the perfect compromise. there's a 5x7 sinar norma on ebay now, but i have a feeling it's going to go for a lot of dough.