Since mid August I've been shooting wet plate (tin) with my Chamonix 4x5 and 19th. C. lenses. I made a portable dark box and only work out in the field, usually from the back of my Subaru Forester. After making 40-50 4x5 tins I began to do a decent job of it. Last week I began using my Korona 5x7 and pre-Civil War lenses and did quite well. I had no trouble pouring the 5x7 plate or developing it. So far, so good. My goal is to begin making glass negs that I can contact print. The 5x7 is right at the edge of big enough for that but I'm having so much fun I'm now thinking of something bigger. I do have a few early lenses and one or two modern lenses that will cover up to 8x10. I think I want to stay away from 11x14 as costs really pile up. I'm looking at whole plate and 8x10. I think either is a manageable size and will contact print nicely (or even just shoot positives.) I intend to shoot, in order: wet plate, dry plate, maybe b&w film.
WHOLE PLATE
I like it because it's historically correct to 1850-1880. It's big enough to hold my big early lenses and has the "look" I'm after. I have some 19th C. contact prints and like them. I think it would be more manageable in the field too. Downsides are I would have to buy an 8x10 silver tank, accessories are hard to find, film is rare and expensive, and I'm not sure wet plate holders even exist for it. (Not even Chamonix seems to have them.) Instead of buying a Korona, 2D, or Seneca with whole plate back I could have a historical reproduction made which would include a plate holder, but I'm not sure I want to do that right now. They look cool but are less flexible and don't seem to have any movements at all. Right now Jason Lane will make whole plates for me but I'm not sure about the future. It's an odd size and I doubt he has much demand for it. The film holders are all really old and likely not standardized? So while I like the size and historical accuracy, not sure how viable it would be for me.
8x10
Makes a big neg or tin, plentiful cameras out there, plentiful holders, plentiful accessories & film. I'd be looking for something in nice shape like a Korona, 2D, Seneca. The lens boards on these would be big enough to mount my biggest brass lenses and the cameras are sturdy. Could pick one up that also has either 5x7 or 4x5 back so I could save money taking test shots, but i guess I could do that anyway with an insert. They are impressive looking. Downsides. Larger & heavier, everything costs more money, might need a heavier duty tripod, uses more chemicals, expensive film & dry plates. Resale should be easier than selling a full plate camera though. And if I want full plate I could use an insert.
SO, a few questions:
1) How hard is it to pour an 8x10 plate?
2) How easy is it to make decent contact prints from glass neg? (No interest in getting an enlarger.)
3) How much more hassle are these bigger camera in the field for wet plate?
4) When did 8x10 come about? I've not found any reference about them before the 1880s, so not sure they're correct to wet plate era. Seem to be an American invention coinciding with the rise of dry plate.
I do think I'm experienced enough now to try it. I'm in no particular hurry as winter has now set in and my opportunities to do wet plate will be severely curtailed. I have no studio, wife banned it from the house, and soon it will be below zero F outside. The real severe part of winter (below zero cold) only lasts about three months though, so I may have some warm days in the +40s F between now and April. Any thought and comments appreciated.
Kent in SD
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