filmholder questions

[Ty G]

I have been making wood cameras for wet-plate and daguerreotype photography. In this, I make the plate-holders myself. So, the ground glass is of course the same distance (registration) from the lens as the plate when holder is inserted. ...... I am considering getting into making large format film cameras on a small scale. Here is my delima. Are all film holders made with the same proportion in regards to distance from film to edge of holder. All view cameras obviously come with a ground glass on it; but if the holder by S&S and Toyo or different distances, then it would throw off the distance the ground glass needs to be. OR. do you guys use a shim or something to correct this distance. Am I making any sense?? How do you check/correct the registration when using different film holders? I have always made my own cameras for collodion, so I don't have any experience with film cameras.

Ty
www.tystintypes.com

[Gary Samson]

What size film view cameras are you planning on building? Modern view camera manufacturers of 8x10 and smaller formats adhere to specific standards so that different manufacturers film holders will work in all cameras of a certain size i.e. 4x5 etc. ULF cameras are a different animal and don't always follow one standard. Perhaps Sandy King will chime in on this as he makes exceptional holders for the ULF cameras.

[Ty G]

I am wanting to do 8 x 10 cameras. ULF will be a venture for a later, later time.

Ty
www.tystintypes.com

[venchka]

Hello Ty!

I don't have a clue about your question. I just wanted to say hello. I live nearby, Holly Lake Ranch. I thought for sure that I was the only person in Wood County using large cameras. I would like to see the cameras that you build. Who knows. I may even be able to afford one someday.

Happy New Year!

Wayne

[Oren Grad]

ANSI standards for film holder dimensions (http://home.earthlink.net/~eahoo/page8/filmhold.html)

[Ty G]

Oren, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!! Thank you again!

Wayne, Seriously, get my phone number from my site and it would be a pleasure to talk camera with you. I've got one camera almost finished that I am going to put up for sale next week. That is the only one Ive got now that you could see. In a couple weeks I'll begin one going out to NY. I would also love to see and examine your LF camera. I actually live in Hainsville, about 5 miles south of Holly Lake Ranch.

Ty G
www.tystintypes.com

[venchka]

We are neighbors! I will call you.

ps: Large camera to me are a pair of 4x5s. Does that almost count as 4x10????????????

[Oren Grad]

Oren, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!! Thank you again!

Ty, you're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome again! :) :) :)

If you eventually get into any of the holder sizes not covered by the ANSI standard it gets a bit more ticklish. If you do get to that point, come back here with what you have in mind and the combined wisdom of the odd-format camera fans here can help you figure out what to do.

'Till then, happy holder-building, and happy new year!

[bspeed]

visited your website, very cool!

I think we all need to converge on Mineola Texas.

And not leave till we all have a new Ty G camera.

Seriously though, I would love to visit you sometime. Am an "ex-woodworker" - meaning my ww stuff is cobwebbed....ever since that day I got so frustrated...long boring story.

[Joe Smigiel]

ANSI standards for film holder dimensions (http://home.earthlink.net/~eahoo/page8/filmhold.html)

I don't think that drawing/table is actually correct. It lists a "depth to film surface" that I believe is actually the "t" distance or depth to septum in the ANSI standard. The actual depth to film surface would be less and vary depending on the film type.

[venchka]

Mineloa, and all of Wood County, is way cool. In an understated way. Kinda dry though. BYOB!