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second_nature
15-Jul-2008, 12:31
Hello.

Just wondering if there are any Meridian users out there? I have just bought my first LF camera - a Meridian 45a - this particular one has been adapted to take Linhof-style square boards. And I'm trying (and failing) to be patient until it arrives in a week or so.

I have found the article about this camera on graflex.org and a few references to it on this forum but not a great deal else. Do Meridian users have any general advice and specifically advice on lenses - I like shooting landscapes, found objects (still life I guess) and have an inexplicable liking for cranes - the ones on a building site, not the bird.

Also, I have been unable to discover what this camera weighs. Does anyone know?

gratefully,

Kathy

Bill_1856
15-Jul-2008, 12:53
You're in good company.

N Dhananjay
15-Jul-2008, 13:02
Not what you exactly want, but the Meridian B - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/meridian/meridian.html

Cheers, DJ

second_nature
15-Jul-2008, 13:05
Thanks for the reference, Bill. I'd not heard of Laura Gilpin before. She certainly wears her darkcloth with style!

Zugzwang
15-Jul-2008, 18:33
I have a Meridian 45a. It weighs about 5lbs. It's a nice camera. I have a nikkor-w 150mm mounted on mine and the door will close with it on.

second_nature
15-Jul-2008, 23:57
Thanks for the link DJ and the info Zugzwang. I feared it might be heavier but 5lbs seems quite reasonable for an old metal camera - though I say that from the comfort of my sofa. I'll post a pic when it arrives - am bound to have lots more questions then...

second_nature
24-Jul-2008, 13:37
Well the Meridian 45a has arrived... and it turns out that it does have an adapted front - but the serial number is a 45b. Am baffled but happy - discovering great pleasure in this old piece of metal, checking out all the movements and so on. I had planned on a wide-normal lens to start but found a reasonably-priced 210mm Schneider in great condition. So the slightly closer view is where I will begin looking at the world upside-down.

As an aside, I recently heard about an old study into visual perception - our eyes, like a lens, show the world upside-down - it is the brain that turns the image the 'right' way up: the experiemnt involved people wearing special glasses which inverted this image - and the brain only took a few days to 'correct' it again. I guess that could happen if you spent enough time gazing at the gg...

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows how much space various instant film holders need under the spring back - and to the side? The Meridian has these sort of flat 'ears' that stick out on one side, though I'm guessing the film holder could be slotted in on the other side?

Thanks

IanG
24-Jul-2008, 14:07
Post some images of your camera, it would be great to see one in use.

While looking for a better Press camear earlier in the year everything pointed to a Meridian.

Ian

second_nature
24-Jul-2008, 15:06
15091

hmm... I've not tried attaching pics here before... doesn't look right somehow...

Kuzano
25-Jul-2008, 10:40
As an aside, I recently heard about an old study into visual perception - our eyes, like a lens, show the world upside-down - it is the brain that turns the image the 'right' way up: the experiemnt involved people wearing special glasses which inverted this image - and the brain only took a few days to 'correct' it again. I guess that could happen if you spent enough time gazing at the gg...

Well, as my mommy used to say.... Don't do that---you're face might freeze in that position!!!!!!!!! So, I'm wondering if your brain would decide to go back to the old way of inverting the image. You know....the old "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

I'm surprised you are not finding much on the internet on the Meridian. There was a fellow who had a web site dedicate to Meridian followers and history.

Kuzano
25-Jul-2008, 10:43
OK.... this is not the site I was thinking of, but there is an interesting reference to a View Camera article in 2007 on the Meridian, along with this fellows information:

http://www.prairienet.org/b-wallen/BN_Photo/LFN/CamProf_Meridian1.htm

IanG
25-Jul-2008, 11:37
15091

hmm... I've not tried attaching pics here before... doesn't look right somehow...

Looks excellent, what a great amount of movements, you've done well there. Very practical camera. Thanks for posting the image.

Ian