Drew Bedo
www.quietlightphoto.com
http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo
There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!
Tin Can
It's a pretty common design.
I have a B&J camera that folds up like that. the sliding tripod base makes it easy to balance depending on the lens. It's nice that it protects the groundglass quite well, but it does not fold up as compact as some purposeful cameras costing quite a bit more. https://flic.kr/p/c9vN77
If it's mostly for non-portable portrait use, look for a studio stand like would be used with an old Century studio camera.
My 5x7 B&J Grover wooden tailboard camera works and was cheap to buy, which accounts for its strengths. Having the rear rail stick out behind the rear standard works fine for normal and longer focal length lenses; it's a pain in the posterior for short focal lengths. It's like a giant lever sticking out the back and the shorter the focal length the more difficult it is to avoid camera shake from literally everything you do. The camera will focus a 90mm lens but you're a masochist if you want to do that regularly. Nevertheless, it was cheap and with care and by paying attention it works tolerably well.
In years past I found myself in possession of an Ansco or B&J 8x10 tailboard camera. It wasn't worth the effort for me: too heavy, too bulky, not particularly rigid and there was that damned board sticking out the back. I got rid of it fairly soon and wouldn't do that again.
Last edited by MIke Sherck; 30-Oct-2020 at 14:22. Reason: typo
Politically, aerodynamically, and fashionably incorrect.
Thanks for the replies.
I really wanted to hear that this design is a great idea, because turning that back focus screw on my Chamonix is a pita when setting up for a portrait on 4x5.
But today I did a quick test of focusing the Chamonix using only the rear standard, which is not geared, and though I imagine that a tailboard camera must have a much more smooth travel of the back standard, I don’t think this focusing system could be for me.
I guess I’ll go for a folding.
I find reaching for the front standard to adjust shift and rise from under the black cloth to be a bit difficult, especially at portrait extensions, so I guess the back screw design is the best compromise after all.
"I am a reflection photographing other reflections within a reflection. To photograph reality is to photograph nothing." Duane Michals
Consider this old thread
Focus using rear -- or front -- standard first?
Tin Can
I used a B&J 5x7 back in the 1990s. Used it in the field for several years. For field use, I put on a 4x5 reducing back w2ith a Grafloc set up/ The folding shade protected the GG, so I reversed the camera body on the focusing rail so that it folded up in front. That protected the mounted lens when moving around from spot to spot for shooting. The extra bellows extension was nice in 4x5.
My field kit now is built around a little Wista-built Zone VI . . . .but I wish I still had the B&J..
Drew Bedo
www.quietlightphoto.com
http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo
There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!
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