Super cheap old repro camera worth owning?

[tearcut1]

Although I superfically know that these do: They are pre CTP photo machine that snap images of paste-up or finished work that result in various halftone densities according CMYK to later be used exposed onto metal plates for offset. Can these act as large cameras alone and print large as well? i have no clue. This place next to my house has one for extremely dirt cheap, do you think just finding chemicals,film and paper online would make for good use for experimenting with alternative photography or large format ?

[jp]

I'd get one extremely dirt cheap if it were nearby. Couple of options... Shoot some paper negatives or xray film. Use the bellows and lens and back to build a portable or studio ULF camera. Play with it for a while and if you don't do anything with it, put it up for sale on here as parts and/or whole.

[tearcut1]

I'd get one extremely dirt cheap if it were nearby. Couple of options... Shoot some paper negatives or xray film. Use the bellows and lens and back to build a portable or studio ULF camera. Play with it for a while and if you don't do anything with it, put it up for sale on here as parts and/or whole.

Whats a ULF camera?

Listen up can this camera give me the following:

Non-Digital and Non-Halftone large images of : Canvas art, hand drawn illustration and graphic design art in good high quality ? Simiar to digital scanning but pure high quality and large photographic film?
(Scanning doesn't work for everything and $3000 cameras digital cameras are out of question now)

Also for taking images of packaging products?

What exact film, paper and chemicals do I need? Does it need Bromide?

Am i Limited to Photographic Paper or can I print on normal drawing or computer paper? with emulsion?

Do modern photo processors take such large negatives/positives?

[Drew Bedo]

Hello tearcut1,

It would help if we could see a picture of this equipment. Is it just a camera, or is it an automatic imaging system? A better description and an image would be good.

I think that ip3498 is suggesting that you first test the light-tight condition of the camera by making exposures on cheap film (X-Ray) or enlarging paper. The idea here is not to creat a timeless image of beauty, but rather to make test exposures prior to actually committing to buy. The camera will expose whatever light sensative material you place at the focal plane.

Once you have the beast at home you can shoot with Whatevr emulsion you choose.

"Large Format", or LF, is generally taken to mean sheet film formats from 4x5 and larger.

"Ultra-Large Format" or ULF, is taken to mean formats larger than 8x10, though many use this term to describe the panoramic formats such as 4x10 and so on as well.

I leave these descriptions open to amendment by anyone who feel strongly that this is inaccurate.

[Jim Andrada]

As Drew said, they'll expose anything you can stick in them, IF they're a camera and not some other kind of systems. The way a lot of big repro cameras worked was that they were built into a wall between a darkroom and the area where the copy was pasted up so all the film loading etc could be done directly and they commonly had vacuum backs as well. I think the film sheets were directly inserted without a film holder as we know them because with the back of the camera in the darkroom there was no need for film holders.

These things were not in any way portable and they were optimized for close up work. Somehow it doesn't sound to me like this is what you were talking about. More info (even a smartphone picture of the setup) would help

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uwe_kulick/209452190/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolvesfire/344490086/in/pool-46195334@N00/

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Repro_camera

[TheDeardorffGuy]

They make great ULF enlargers too.

[Bill Burk]

As Jim said, the larger ones were made to be built into a wall of a darkroom with the lights outside the darkroom. The smaller "vertical" process cameras were made to fit inside a darkroom and be used in the dark. The back is light tight (after you load the film and close the back) but when you expose they fill the "darkroom" with intense light.

As long as it is not a specialized imaging system, you can put "anything" into the back and "anything" into the front and take a picture of it. You probably won't be taking the camera anywhere except in a van or something. And your subjects may need to be willing to hold still in front of bright lights. I have seen some portraits done on this kind of camera and they were definitely "interesting". Good luck.

[tearcut1]

Will try to take pics later on. Is there anything that is more compact but very similar to the repro?

[John Kasaian]

Will try to take pics later on. Is there anything that is more compact but very similar to the repro?

Smiilar in which way?
Which lens come with it?
Is it built into a wall or is it on a bed or rack of some sort?
Can you focus manually or do you need a power supply?

[tearcut1]

70641706427064370644

[tearcut1]

Here are somemore. Can I just process the films with a digital processor at any normal store?

Can I use 35 mm rolls, 4x5 sheet with this? I What kind of film do i need?

[jp]

Whoa! that last photo looks like a really huge condom.

I see a lens and some big bellows that might be of interest to someone.

Honestly though, it's going to require a little imagination, handiwork, and adaptation to make this do things other than it was designed for. I'm not seeing that expressed. If you had more experience with how enlargers work and how old cameras are built, this could be a handy collection of parts to the right mad scientist.

[Bob Salomon]

Looks like an old vertical process camera that uses a Rodenstock enlarging lens (old style) probably the 135mm Rodagon.

It would be a lot easier to just buy a copy stand and a good macro lens. At least that can be hidden in a closet if you are not using it.

Where are the lights? If they are there what are they? Tungsten? Quartz Halogen? Pulsed Xenon?

Will they run on a 15 or 20A 120V household circuit?

[tearcut1]

Also check out the photocopied small manual

[E. von Hoegh]

Here are somemore. Can I just process the films with a digital processor at any normal store?

Can I use 35 mm rolls, 4x5 sheet with this? I What kind of film do i need?

From the questions you are asking, I think you need to take the time to inform yourself about photography in general. This camera originally used sheet film, not 35mm. You can't process film of any kind with a digital processor, and the only film processing available at any drugstores or wallyworld is 35mm C41. The manual will tell you what film size (s) it took. What lens is on it?

What precisely do you expect to get from it?

[DrTang]

used to own an Agfa repromaster

and the thing is..it would be hard to use as a 'film camera' because..unless you want to put your film onto the glass..you'd need to construct some kind of back for film holders

I suppose you could stick a piece of film on the glass - but I bet there will be scratches and dust and whatever and the results will not be of high enough quality

[tearcut1]

The machine i was told is almost untouched. they just want to get rid of it.

I meant processors with computers that process 35mm, 4x5, or any other size. No i know a few speciality shops.

like i said I'm looking for something that can capture non-digital large images of : Canvas art, hand drawn illustration and graphic design art in good high quality ? Simiar to digital scanning but pure high quality and large photographic range and size.. Its also good for doing old school paste-ups and not comprimisng quality of art or painted things with scanners.

[Michael E]

I meant processors with computers that process 35mm, 4x5, or any other size. No i know a few speciality shops.

Why don't you ask the labs in question? Only they can tell you the biggest size of sheet film they can process.


like i said I'm looking for something that can capture non-digital large images of : Canvas art, hand drawn illustration and graphic design art in good high quality ?

Yes, that is what these cameras were made to do. Be aware of size restrictions. You won't be able to put large paintings under the camera.


Simiar to digital scanning but pure high quality and large photographic range and size.. Its also good for doing old school paste-ups and not comprimisng quality of art or painted things with scanners.

Now that is a sketchy description if I ever read one. Let me get you in on my understanding of these cameras: They take reproductions of flat objects in the vicinity of 1:1. You can put all kinds of film or paper on the back end: Transparency, negative, color, black&white... Just remember that you need film about the size of your originals. You can decrease the size of the image to some extent, but these cameras were not intended to produce small negatives/slides. If you are working in color, you will soon wish you had bought that 3000$ DSLR (pricewise). One advantage repro cameras have over scanners is the greater distance of the artwork to the lighting. Scanners have the light source right under the glass; warped artwork will produce darker/lighter parts.

What do want to do with the images you produce? Do you scan them? Contact print them? Display them on a light box?

Michael

[tearcut1]

What do want to do with the images you produce? Do you scan them? Contact print them? Display them on a light box?

Yes all these. Seeing the final mock up as film photographic form. Archiving and using this as tool in design work and experimental photography that fall outside of computers.

So ii would be using B5 (half a4 or smaller), A4, A3, A2 - for various works (art, design, etcc)

It has to be the Film size of the original? So what problems would occur if I used 35mmm? Wouldn't 4x5 do the job for most of these sizes? Since they are easily available and affordable it would be a relief to know if they work.

If not, how much would these films i mentioned cost that would really cater to such sizes( a4 , a3, a2) in the vinicity of 1:1? litho film, seems to be just for effects or to aid in the printing process. like this : http://www.ultrafineonline.com/ulhicoorlifi.html? What's the cheapest large color film that is good for these sizes?

I would also be using emulsion to print on normal non-photographic standard roll paper, sometimes, if I can. ( thats another thing). how would go about processing on differnt kinds of paper with such large films. Can modern processors process very large size films? I know a place that does 4x5 but. not sure if anything larger. Didn't ask