Big Xerox Plate Camera - Help?

[unkgowa]

I have recently become fascinated by the world that is large format and just sold my digital kit to buy a Speed Graphic.. I haven't yet taken my first proper 4x5 photograph (the Graflex being a Christmas present) and probably rather foolishly stumbled across this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Large-Plate-Camera-Rank-Xerox-Serial-No.-XB48-3082_W0QQitemZ220522028984QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091206?IMSfp=TL091206165001r18122 on the auction site a couple of days ago. I was already dreaming of 8x10 and beyond at this point, and at 99p it was too good an opportunity to miss.

I have had a look through it nothing is coming up on the ground glass(?), is that to do with the lens or the glass? And the lens looks to be off of an old SLR so surely that needs replacing, I was thinking of a shuttered lens that could cover 8x10? I'm still only sixteen and don't have much money so any suggestions on the cheap side would be appreciated..

I'll try and get some more pictures up soon..

[Chauncey Walden]

With the 50mm lens on it and assuming that the shutter is open, either you will have to close the bellows until the lens is within 2 inches of the ground glass or you will have to place the subject very very close to the lens. And, if you have the lens close to the glass, the image size will be limited to what you would expect from lens for a 35mm camera or about a 2 inch circle. With the lens at a distance that would cover 8x10 your subject will be coin sized or smaller. Your biggest problem may be to figure out how to place an 8x10 double dark slide on the back in the plane of the ground glass. Good luck.

[unkgowa]

Thanks, that's a lot of help..