Three Dry Plates from Bergheil

[Two23]

Pulled the box of Lane plates 6.5x9cm out of my fridge and loaded them into the tiny metal holders for my c.1929 Voigtlander Bergheil. The camera is pristine, not sure it was ever used! Has the 105mm Heliar too. I bought the camera because my hero Brassai used one. Took the camera and plates out along our scenic bike path and took five shots. The locations were in deep shade and the plates were marked ISO1. Exposures ran into the seconds with lens stopped down to f11 or even just f8.

Processed the plates at home in my trays, all five at once. This was batch #17 and they didn't do so well. A couple were my fault--I didn't give them enough exposure. The others showed some frilling on the edges, shrinkage of emulsion, and other problems despite very gentle agitation. I think emulsion has a harder time with small plates like this. The camera was fiddly but a lot of fun to use. It's one of my favorites. I now have some Lane "speed" plates to try and I think I'll have better luck with them. Intend to load them up tomorrow and go out and shoot. Looks like I need to load them in near darkness with my back blocking the red light from hitting the plates maybe. The holders are the spring loaded type and a little fiddly but I think I can get it. Might try a few night shots with them of downtown. Brassai would be pleased, I think.


Kent in SD

[Steven Tribe]

Good choice of subjects - with very different light values at different distances. I have still some of the early Lane plates (1/1 plate) and must get round to using then soon. My experiences with speed and development were very similar to yours. The emulsion is very unforgiving to any glass or liquid movement beyound what is absolutely necessary for even development.

[arri]

I shot some of Jason´s dry plates and I exposure it much longer, some of it 5 minutes and more.
With this long exposure times I´am getting the best results.
I realised that it is nearly impossible to overexpose the plates, it seams that the silver contents is so low that you never getting a real black in the negatives.
In the consequence it means that the longer exposure times reducing the contrast of the negatives.
Best results I got with a three single element Meyer Trioplan and a two element Rodenstock Bistigmat.
The reason is that this kind of plates are only sensitive to blue and deep blue light (UV light) and thick and cemented lens elements can reduce the transmission of the UV light to =0