New to LF and Forum From NC(Eastman Home Portrait No3)

**LienhopPhoto** · 9-Apr-2014, 07:13

My name is Brian.

I am pretty new to Large Format photography. I took film in high school a few years back, and did some 35mm over the years. I recently have been adding to my camera collection, mostly 120 film cameras, but I mostly shoot with my Kodak Brownie Folding No2.

I shoot digital of course, but have always loved film, and the process to creating a photograph, rather than simply taking one, is no comparison

This past week I bought my first large format camera from an antique dealer I know, and I mostly bought it for my collection, but I am interested in learning more about it, and hopefully getting it back to working condition again.

Eastman Home Portrait No3.

I love this thing, it looks awesome. Bellows are not that bad, a few tears. Came with 2 lens, which one needs to be repaired. Might end up getting another lens either way, and maybe replace the bellows rather than repair them. Still up in the air. I just want to get it complete so I can learn more and hopefully go shoot with it.

Looking for more information, and will post a thread for my restoration soon.

**Brian C. Miller** · 9-Apr-2014, 08:09

Hi, Brian, and welcome to the forum!

You'll need to replace the bellows. Bellows are "not that bad" when pinholes can be repaired, but tears means the bellows have got to go. Don't worry, replacements are available from a few sources. There are many here who use older cameras, and it shouldn't take much to get yours in fully working order.

You have started with an 8x10. Freestyle Photo has Arista EDU, which is an inexpensive film, at only $2.64 per sheet. You'll need one or two film holders, and someplace pitch black to load them. My bathroom is my darkroom, and I move things around as I need.

You don't need an enlarger. Edward Weston used an 8x10, and all of his prints were contacts.

Welcome, and I wish you the best with your "new" camera!

**Andrew O'Neill** · 9-Apr-2014, 10:21

Welcome to the forum! Have you placed a light inside the camera in a darkened room to see if there are pinholes in the bellows?

**LienhopPhoto** · 9-Apr-2014, 11:18

I was planning on getting a new bellow for it. How do i go about searching for one. By camera or by its size? Also are film holders more or less universal by its size? Is the paper red light sensitive? Im putting in a darkroom now since i use film but needed to know if it works the same way with the paper i needed.