Anybody Buying 7x11?

[Richard K.]

I know a few of you are already using this fine format by way of Eastman and other vintage cameras. I've ordered a 7x11 and 6 new holders from Chamonix that's due to me in February but apparently the work is just getting under way. This may be a good time to get an order for a new one in if anybody is so inclined. But please mention to them that they should finish mine first....:)

HAS anybody ordered a new 7x11 from Chamonix or elsewhere? I think it's a wonderrful format!

[John Bowen]

I'm aware that Richard Ritter recently built a 7x11 with a 8x10 reducing back for one of his customers.

[Matt Magruder]

Mike Castles recently got his 7x11/8x10 Ritter.
He posted info/images here:
http://mikecastles.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/new-ritter-7x118x10-camera/

The camera is friggin gorgeous, by the way. :)

[Jeremy Moore]

I think John is talking about Mike Castles. Here's a link to his website:

http://www.mikecastles.com/

and here's a link to his blog talking about the arrival of his 7x11.

http://mikecastles.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/new-ritter-7x118x10-camera/

He's here on the LF Forum so I'm sure he'll pipe in soon.

[Jeremy Moore]

Looks like Matt beat me to it!

[Richard K.]

Congratulations, Mike; that's one fine looking camera! Only 4 more months for me...:(

[Richard K.]

I think John is talking about Mike Castles. .....
He's here on the LF Forum so I'm sure he'll pipe in soon.

C'mon Mike, pipe...:)

[Kerik Kouklis]

Richard how many formats do you have these days?

[Richard K.]

Richard how many formats do you have these days?

Hey Kerik. Only two (WP and 8x20). But two to come. I've committed to work with the 2 biggest formats (8x20 and 14x17) for at least a year to see if I can do it but will definitely settle on WP and 7x11 in my old age (which occurred about 1.3 years ago!). The good thing is that I'm actually (even in boring old Southern Ontario) finally going out regularly and producing work. My psychiatrist (my wife) views this as a good thing! :D How many formats are you up/down to? Have they opened a Tim Horton's© down there yet?

[Mike Castles]

C'mon Mike, pipe...:)

Darn day job ;) just found this thread. Congratulations Richard, look forward to hearing about the new camera. Maybe we can meet up some day and compare them side by side.

Looks like Matt and Jeremy got ya covered with the links. It is a HUGE difference working with the Ritter vs the old Eastman No. 2. The Eastman was nice, don't get me wrong, but the darn thing weighed like 16+ lbs. The Ritter on the other hand is between 6-7 lbs.

And movements, more than I will ever use - the Ritter does require some care when setting up, just because of all the movements, but I have not found it a dis-advantage at all. The best part of both cameras is removing the back and switching from horizontal to vertical with the 7x11. Not a big deal really, untill you consider that the 7x11 is quite close to the ratio of a 12x20.

Plan to give it a pretty good workout next weekend at the Texas Alt Porcess II get together. Both the 7x11 and 8x10 backs. I would venture to say, that sometime in the future I will check with Richard about having a 5x7 back made for the camera and might be set. I do like the smaller contact prints of a 5x7, so think it would make a perfect camera for my needs.

For anyone interested, Last word I have from Sandy on the 7x11 S&S holders is I am the only one still interested in holders. I am going to be contacting him soon to have some made, so if anyone is interested, let Sandy know.

I can not tell you how gratefull I am to Richard, for the really great job he did on the camera - or to Sandy for being ready to go ahead and making the holders.

[jnantz]

ive been using a 11x7 in-camaera-cropping-device
to shoot portraits with a 14x11 camera i use.
i was lucky to find a back and some holders for the format recently ...
not sure if either of these count .. but just the same its a nice format...

[Mike Castles]

counts with me John :) a great use of the 11x14 format IMHO.

[RichardRitter]

Richard how many formats do you have these days?

Lost count.

The cameras both the LF & ULF rails are of a design that I can custom build it to any size you want. Just supply a film holder. Down the road you want to change format size that can easy be done. No need to buy a whole new camera.

I am working on a 20 x 24 camera when set up will have 2.2 meters around 90 inches of bellows and can be broken down to a camera with 50 inches of bellows. With 4 backs from 20 x 24 to 11 x 14. I will post photos when done.

[Kerik Kouklis]

My psychiatrist (my wife) views this as a good thing! :D How many formats are you up/down to? Have they opened a Tim Horton's© down there yet?

Nope, no TH's yet! I've simplified my life. 8x10 (and the occaisional 11x14 or 14x17) for wet plate and 14x17 for film. The 7x17 and 12x20 have been gone for a couple of years now. Don't miss them a bit, but they were fun while I had them.

[Richard K.]

Believe it or not Kerik but I'm also simplifying my wife. er. life. I just want to be sure what I simplify it down to! I'm 99.99999% sure that WP and 7x11 will be keepers and that a year from now I'll be bi-formatual. Also fairly sure that after the self-imposed one year useage period, one or both of 8x20, 14x17 will be sold, with an small chance of keeping the 14x17 for special projects. I'm pretty sure, after trying 8x16 and 7x17 that I don't really see that well panoramically (everything that "I" photograph just looks like a horizontal slice of something better and more interesting to me!) but I'll give the 8x20 one last try. I honestly would be more than happy with just the first two totally groovy formats!

BTW I wish there was something I could do about the depressing dire doughnut dearth you are enduring but Tim Horton's has specific corporate rules about giving Californians, who already enjoy one, too sweet a life...:)

[Richard K.]

The 7x17 and 12x20 have been gone for a couple of years now. Don't miss them a bit, but they were fun while I had them.

Interesting! Not interested or not seeing in pano anymore? Or has the need for simplicity driven them out? But why the pano formats?:confused:

[Kerik Kouklis]

I shot 95% 7x17 for almost 10 years. That was enough. Not to say I'll never do it again, just no real interest right now or for the last few years. A few thousand 7x17 negs was enough :-) Once I got heavily into 14x17, 7x17 was just too small. Then, when wet plate took over about 4 years ago, I found 8x10 to be my wheelhouse for that process.