Studio Camera Question

[David Cerbone]

I just came across this ad, which is in my neck of the woods:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pho/1692510287.html

I'm planning on stopping by to have a look this weekend, and I'm trying to gather some info beforehand. Can anyone tell me about this make of camera? If it's in good shape, is this a good price? I couldn't find any comps on the big auction site and via a search here.

Not sure yet what I'd do with such a beast, but I feel tempted nonetheless.

Thanks for any input.

[Ty G]

For that price, if you have the funds, I'd get it. Take off the extension rail and it won't be such a beast. I bought a nonusable B&J 8x10 for $125 just to have an antique camera. I'd get the thing.

[BarryS]

I've seen that camera advertised for months--please give it a good home. :) Seriously, it's a great deal for $100, if I lived closer to Pittsburgh, I'd go get it. These make great portrait and still life cameras and you can mount a nice big brass barrel lens. It's designed as a copy camera, but you can use it for just about studio use. How about some 8x10 macro photography--those bellows are long.

[David Cerbone]

Thanks for the input. As it turns out, my plans to have a look this weekend fell through. It's a bit of a schlepp from where I live (I'm in West Virginia, south of Pittsburgh), so I'll have to figure out another time. Glad, then, to hear that it was not a brand new ad, just new to me. Maybe I have some time before someone else grabs it.

[Rick A]

I've been considering that beast for a while. I'm about 150 miles from where its at, and I'm getting serious about just having it shipped sight unseen(save for the pix). I think I'll contact them later today.

[Ernest Purdum]

These cameras were "Enlarging, Reducing and Copying" or ER&C cameras. Smaller versions were made for magic lantern people. They are not often seen now but were quite popular before the modern vertical enlarger became common. If you do buy it, check to see if there are any of the wooden holders and gadgets that originally went with it. Probably not, but it can't hurt to ask.

Folmer & Schwing was the top maker of this equipment, at least in the United States.

I am looking at an H.A.Hyatt catalogue for 1900 which shows ER&C cameras in sizes from whole-plate with a four foot bed, up to 20 X 24 with a seven foot bed. Now that's big. (In 1904, F&S just said "Special sizes made to order.) Of course in that year an 8 X 10 Graflex SLR was not even a special order item. You could just order it right out of the catalogue. Boggle.

[David Cerbone]

I've been considering that beast for a while. I'm about 150 miles from where its at, and I'm getting serious about just having it shipped sight unseen(save for the pix). I think I'll contact them later today.

Let me know if you work out a deal with the seller, as I will then stop trying to figure out a time to drive back up there.....

[Rick A]

I'm gonna pass on it, I just bought another 4x5 and my misses is giving me that look.