Burke & James 4x5 question

[ccondon]

Hi,

So, I've never actually shot large format before, but I picked up an old Burke & James camera at auction last summer in a box with some other camera stuff that I wanted at the time.

When I open the camera and pull the lens forward on the rails, the lens doesn't seem to be locked in place at all-- the bellows will just pull it a couple of inches back on the rails. I don't know what is wrong, but one of the knobs in front of the lens is very loose, and doesn't move out or in (like I think it should). The knob in question is labeled O on the manual at
http://www.kpraslowicz.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/10/burke_and_james_press_manual.pdf

Does anyone know if this sort of thing is fixable (either by myself or for not too much money somewhere)? If you need, I can take some pictures of the problem.

Also, the shutter sticks on the longer speeds (though bulb works fine). It's a Wollensak Raptar 135/4.7 lens... is it affordable to get these things CLA'd?

[BradS]

Hi and welcome!

I cannot get the pdf that you linked to open but, kinda seems like you've got your hands on a B&J Press camera....is that correct? (a photo would help).

The shutter can certainly be CLA'd. Any reputable camera repair technician ought to be able to do a decent job. Expect to pay anywhere between $50 and $100 - depends on...well, it just depends.

Some adventurous folks even attempt to clean these themselves...not for me but, I'm sure it can be done.

[ccondon]

Oh, apparently the person who runs that website doesn't like linking directly to the document.

http://www.kpraslowicz.com/2009/10/04/the-burke-james-4x5-press-manual/

That should work, and then there is a link to the manual from there.


Yeah, its a press camera. Sorry I didn't specify earlier. There are a few pictures of it here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/q.of.c415/Camera?authkey=Gv1sRgCNrzw9zvxIuZQw#

Where do people usually send things for cleaning? I don't know who is reputable online, and I don't think there is a decent camera store in Pittsburgh anymore.

[Lynn Jones]

Hi,

I'm both a former VP of that company and a former owner of the B&J press, and I liked it very much (although I gave mine away to a serious teen friend about 39 or 40 years ago).

If I remember correctly, on the very fron of the track in your photo, there are infinity stops which have been moved all the way to the front for close up use. There should be a small screw on each one of them. Set up a camera on a tripos, focus sharply using the ground glass at f 4.7, move the infinity stops to the lens and tighten them. If the rangefinder is accurate you can then use this for all but the most technical photos.

Lynn

[Chauncey Walden]

The lever P on the diagram is the one that locks the standard on the rails - rotate it all the way to one side. If this doesn't make it tight enough, slide the standard off the rails and tighten the nut underneath the clamp a little.