Show off your ULF camera

[IanG]

Michael, the front has two metal rods that run inside the wood of the front standard threaded at the top with a thumb nut and a plate at the bottom that locates under a brass rail. When you tighten the rods the Front standard locks in place, when loose you can slide and position it by hand, you still have front and rear focus as well. To fold you push the standard to the back of the camera where the brass rails finish and the standard is then loose and you can then fold it forward.

This is a half plate camera using the same system, shows it more clearly than a description One of numerous restorations awaiting new bellows.





Ian

[Michael Roberts]

Thanks Ian. So...if I'm understanding this correctly, the front standard comes completely off the rail (so to speak) and when folded forward is only connected by the bellows? Does anything other than pressure from the folded bellows keep the front standard from sliding around inside the camera when folded and closed?

Thanks for the detailed info; I'm building a ULF camera from scratch and am making design selections now. The front standard design is the last bit I'm working on.

[IanG]

Yes the front just sits free when folded but the compressed bellows allow no movement. There are different ways front standards are fitted simpler still is just a slotted fitting like this:



You could easily scale that up for a ULF camera, a side strut (or pair of) is used to steady the standard once locked in place. Gandolfi and other used their own Patent fittings, which allow the removal of the front standard but also front tilt. I've a Gandolfo to restore but no photos as yet but the brass lock fittings would be harder to make.

Essentially the 12"x10" I have is quite a basic model from an unknown maker and was used for portrait and group shots, but the front standard fit is not uncommon, I've two other cameras that use it.

Ian

[Michael Roberts]

Thanks again, Ian. Beautiful restoration work on the wood and brass. Well done.

[IanG]

Michael, it's worth looking through the earlyphotography.co.uk website because there's a lot of details on fittings. The site's always evolving and more being added.

I've still to restore the 12"x10" camera, the bellows were falling apart but the reality was the damage looked far worse than it appeared, hence I was the only bidder and it was only £50 (about $70 at the time). In fact the bellows had come apart where they were glued together. One of the brass plates locking to the rail was missing but simple to make and solder to the rod. Of course there was no GG screen but that was a quick job to make a replacement.

It's down the bottom of my restoration list as it's now fully usable any restoration will be cosmetic. I made one lens board but I'll make a second lens board so I can use my 12" Goerz AM Opt Dagor with the camera as it easily covers 12"x10"stopped down.

I've got one insert to adapt a 12"x10" Book form plate holder to 10x8 and will make more so I can use the camera with Harman Direct Positive paper.

Ian

[Michael Roberts]

Ian, thank you so much for this link--great stuff!

[koh303]

V11 is home.
Photo by Tess Scheflan.
Attachment 164349

[Thom Bennett]

Don't get a hernia lifting that thing!

V11 is home.
Photo by Tess Scheflan.
Attachment 164349

[Carl J]

Whoa. Send us some close-up views of the camera -- now that you've seriously whet our curiosity.

[lxgrd]

240mm g-claron on my 11x14

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