I need an answer from a Century expert

[Richard Browne]

I need some help from a Century expert. I teach photography at a small college and am fairly well-versed in large format, both film and digital, but, for some time I've wanted to give my students an experience from another age and so happened upon a Century No. 7 at an antique store. Desire got the better of judgement and I bought it, seeing that it only had 4x5 backs, but thinking I could surely find an 8x10 for it.
After some study I think that the No. 7s came with a sliding carriage. My camera simply has a 13 3/4 " square insert that in turn has a 9" square opening for inserts for smaller negatives.
Am I correct that a sliding carriage will work with a No. 7? Are there simpler 8x10 backs that will work with this camera? With an answer to this I'll start posting want ads. Also, does anyone make these backs?
Half the spring clasp for this camera is missing. It still holds backs, but if anyone is parting out a damaged camera i'd like to get a whole one.

[ic-racer]

If I had that camera I'd look for some 8x10 back and make it fit. You could go crazy and make it switch between 'portrait' and 'landscape' or just affix it permanently. Maybe Deardorff, Shen-Hao or Canham will sell one?



Or just make your own (on line book available).

[Richard Browne]

Thanks for the input, It may come to that. However, as a teaching tool, Id like to get as close to historically accurate as possible. If I were just hacking around for myself I'd probably do that.

[ic-racer]

Thanks for the input, It may come to that. However, as a teaching tool, Id like to get as close to historically accurate as possible. If I were just hacking around for myself I'd probably do that.

I may be wrong, but I don't think its historically original 8x10 glass-plate back will accept modern sheetfilm holders, making it almost impossible to use in that configuration.

[Peter De Smidt]

I have a No. 7. Yes, they came with a sliding back. Mine has 8x10 and 5x7 film backs, and they work just fine with standard holders. Richard Ritter could make what you need.

The light color of the bellows interior will cause a big loss of contrast.

[Richard Browne]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate your thoughts. The bellows seems light tight, but I understand what you're saying. Any ideas about correcting the color without buying a new bellows? Also where can I obtain Mr. Ritter's contact info?

[Louis Pacilla]

Don't know if it helps but here is a couple snap shots of my Century 7 w/ the original to the set Sliding Carriage.

[Peter De Smidt]

Richard Ritter:
http://www.lg4mat.net/

If they are otherwise in good shape, perhaps something like this might help: http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Martins-Hi-.../dp/B0026HXHAA
Whatever you do, you don't want to damage the bellows if they're in good shape.

I used the ink to blacken interior wooden parts of the camera that had lightened over time.

My camera and stand look just like Louis's. I don't have the side film holder attachment for the stand, though. I'll have to make something.

[Richard Browne]

Very nice looking camera, and a really great looking lens. I've got a Bausch and Lomb Portrait Series A and a stand like his, just hope to find a Sliding Carriage to upgrade the camera so we can do some nice 8x10s. Thanks for the tip about Dr Martins.I was thinking perhaps airbrushing a flat black acrylic onto the inside without soaking it too much. I'll have to think about that.

[LabRat]

About the inner bellows color...

If being used in a school setting, probably the film that the budget will allow would be X-ray film or photo paper, which is color blind to red, so the bellows would be black to the film... Color or pan film would be affected, but not so much with a lens of limited coverage... (And they are big bellows...)

Very light/many light layers of ultra flat black spray fast dry paint, mist painting inside would probably work, as this is well before the age of plastics... Go light so the paint does not soak through the material, and allow plenty of time for each of the several layers of paint to dry before the next light layer... Very light mist coats... Mask everything else carefully... Test before proceeding too far...

Steve K