Gonna make my old Century Grand Senior work!

[Craig Fransen]

My father produced a Century Grand Senior from his closet recently after I had told him of my interest in historical glass plate negatives. I've been collecting and scanning them for some time now, with some very interesting photos of people and places around Spokane, WA, and Wadena, MN.

It was probably inevitable that I would want to create some images of my own.

Two catches: I have no plate holders for the camera, nor any glass plate negatives. While there are many sites with instructions on creating glass plates, I'm having a real time of it trying to obtain the plate holders.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to sharing experiences with real experts in large format photography.

- Craig
Seattle

[cyrus]

I think that's a 4x5 camera. There are 4x5 wooden glass plate holders that show up on ebay regularly. You can also adapt an existing filmholder by cutting out the center of the holder (plenty of instructions on the web) or if you really want to spend $, have a holder made.

[Steven Tribe]

The Century series of self casing cameras were at least as good as any of the others (Poco, Premo etc.). Two basic designs for plate glass holders exist - the position of the light trap has one of two positions. See photo - there is small ridge next to the opening in one. The other has a wider raised area furthest from the plate/film opening.
There may be small differences in design (one of the shown plate holders has the later fidelity type locking system. Widths vary - but this is not a great problem.
There is supposed to be a source of modern glass plates in Europe - which seems both elusive and expensive!
Apart from making your own plates, metal sheaths are available for using modern film.

[goamules]

You could just shoot film and use film holders, by the way. I've got one of these Grands in 5x7, with the Dagor lens in a Volute shutter. It is nicer in many ways than any of the other folders of the era. The finder is brighter, the patented front standard quick release, the premium mahogany. These are beauts. They came in 4x5, 5x7, and wholeplate.

Catalog: http://www.piercevaubel.com/cam/catalogs/1906centurylp694.htm

[Craig Fransen]

Wow. Thanks for the shots of the holders and the catalog. I've been progressing nicely. I found some 5 x 7 combo holders on ebay (film plate holders) (photo attached). Glazer's in Seattle still carries 5 x 7 cut film. So I'm going to wait on the glass. Heading to Republic, WA Thursday to find some ghost towns.

The camera has not been used for at least 60 years. So I've gotten advice about checking light tightness of the bellows (which seems in great shape). I even have the original hood.

One thing odd, though is that the ground glass back has the ground side away from the lens. I would think it should be on the same plane as the film will be when inserted.

Any help in that regard would be appreciated.

[goamules]

The ground side should be flipped, so it's towards the lens. What lens did you get on yours? Mine has the Dagor in a Volute, their top option. Yours looks like the leather is in good shape, that's good. They really did have a lot of features, front rise and shift.

[Craig Fransen]

Centar Series II lens.

[Craig Fransen]

Yes, all parts look in great shape. The camera box has probably not been opened for 60 years.

[Steven Tribe]

Nice to get sheaths at the same time as the plate holders.
In my experience, it is far easier to load the sheaths with film and then load the sheaths in the wooden holder. These plate holders with metal/"plastic" dark slides are usually still without light leaks - as opposed to the mahogany type dark slides. But it might be a good idea to check for light leaks (bellows, rear seal, holders) before you invest in a photo trip!

[goamules]

Wow, that's a nice one! Here is mine.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6032563795_2bca3723e6_z.jpg

I see yours has the latch that allows you to rotate the back. Mine doesn't, and I've yet to figure out how to make it rotate, but you can tell it is supposed to.

[Jim C.]

One thing odd, though is that the ground glass back has the ground side away from the lens. I would think it should be on the same plane as the film will be when inserted.


That's how my Century Grand was when I received it, I found it odd too that the gg was reversed
the first few sheets I ran thru it were out of focus and once I reversed it everything was fine.

goamules, feel around the top or the sides for a hidden button to release the back,
mine comes off to rotate. The C Seniors may be the same .
What is the silver item just behind the flip up range finder ?

This one is mine - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=59684

[goamules]

Jim, you've got a nice one too, my bellows aren't folding quite as nice, and there is a small tear in one spot. They used really premium, glove leather, but it's thin. The round item behind the viewfinder is a bubble level. I'll play with the camera back some more, but so far I can't figure it out.

[Jim C.]

Sorry to hijack, goamules, feel around the upper rear corners for the hidden
buttons for the latch that holds the rear panel in place there is two, one on each
corner. I kept thinking it was on the sides till I pulled out my Century to check.

[goamules]

Sorry to hijack, goamules, feel around the upper rear corners for the hidden
buttons for the latch that holds the rear panel in place there is two, one on each
corner. I kept thinking it was on the sides till I pulled out my Century to check.

Great work detective! You win the 100 year old technology reverse engineering prize. Thanks!

[goamules]

That's how my Century Grand was when I received it, I found it odd too that the gg was reversed...

NEW THOUGHTS on ground glass. When Jim showed me how to find the super-secret hidden back latches I quickly removed my back. Then discovered mine also has the ground glass facing outward. I'd never noticed because so far the camera has been a shelf queen. Three cameras found like this must be saying that's how they made them, but I can't imagine why. Maybe someone who's looked at a lot of folding "cycle" cameras can let us know. Jim, how was the focus at wide apertures when you switched yours?

[goamules]

Oh, and mine has front tilt too! The rear pullout knob on the front rail lowers and raises the rail/bed. This camera is too cool.

[Jim C.]

The focus was off with the original way the GG was installed ( frosted side out )
when I shot some film, the image looked in focus on the GG but not on film.
Once I flipped the GG the it was all good.
I have to guess that it was that way for use with glass plates, I picked up a few
wooden plate holders off the 'bay and they're definitely thicker than a modern
film older, never really got around to doing any critical measuring of the wood
holders vs the modern ones.

[Craig Fransen]

Success!! I bought four holders, three were wooden combo glass/film (only $50 each) and one 5 x 7 "modern" plastic holder. Images are around Republic, WA.

Thanks to all on the forum for your help.

I shot ISO 400 Ilford BW. Came out a bit grainy, which is not surprising, so may try something slower next time.

Principle lesson learned: close shutter after focusing.

http://public.fotki.com/cfransen/old-photographs/centurys-rebirth/

[Craig Fransen]

[I thought I had already posted this. Sorry for the delay.]

Success!! I managed to make seven images on my trip to Republic, WA. Perhaps the greatest lesson of all I learned was that you need to close the shutter after focusing. If not for that, I would have made eight images.

http://public.fotki.com/cfransen/old-photographs/centurys-rebirth/

The shutter seems to be passably accurate, although I really needed to jump on the bulb release to make it work. The shutter does get hung up at longer exposures; e.g., 1/2 or 1 second, so I'll need to figure out how to clean it up. I didn't do anything in the way of tilt/shifting, etc., concentrating solely on focus and exposure. I shot Ilford ISO400 5 x 7. I'd rather have less grain I think, so may go to the 100 or even ISO 20.

This was supposed to be just a learning experience, but I'm pleased with some of the results and can see the potential of LF. Besides learning the lesson about closing the shutter after focusing, it took me a while to figure why the images were cropped down to 5 x 5. I took the back off to try to sight from the back to the lens along the sides and discovered (no surprise to most on this forum), the problem was the bellows. At the mid-rail focus position, the bellows is only half extended. The rear portion bunches up at the back cutting out visibility to the sides. Solution, obviously, will be to pull the bellows out. And lo and behold, the bellows has rings on the top that attach to a post on the lens board which I assume are all exactly for that purpose.

Special thanks to all on this forum for your invaluable help. I put this all together within about a week of getting the notion, obtained all the requisite equipment, and learned enough about the camera to make my first foray a success.

Also thanks to Jeff and all at Robi's Camera in Lakewood, WA. who had to break out the old big trays from the back room to develop my 5 x 7 negs.

[Craig Fransen]

Well shute. I see that I did post the reply. Oh well.

[Tim Meisburger]

Well done! And if anyone tells you they never left the shutter open, well, I think they might be stretching the truth...