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Thread: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

  1. #1

    new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    Hello. I honestly cannot remember if I was a member on this forum in years past or not. I've owned a handful of 4x5 cameras over the years, but never anything larger. I scooped up what I thought was a pretty good deal a couple of weeks ago and got myself an 8x10. My primary motivation was the large negative in relation to carbon prints. I likely will not embark on carbon printing in the near future, but I have some (long passed) experience with it, and I would like to try some again. That being said i could use some advice re the B&J camera. It is the battleship grey color with red bellows, made of wood. As such, this is known as the commercial view right?

    When setting up the camera there is a "base," or bed that is pretty short and 1 rail that I will call permanent due to the piano hinge, and then an extension rail that can be added to the front or the rear. When said camera is closed, I do not understand the retention method for the front "permanent" rail. It seems like one is supposed to apply full rise to the front standard which would allow a clip to be engaged however, with the bellows compressed, it feels like full rise would damage things.?
    Either my bellows is old and stiff, or the retention hook is bent I'm not sure if one or both things are happening?

    If one were to backpack this camera, what about removal of the "permanent" front standard and packing the separate extension rail to use via rear extension? I realize I would sacrifice quite a lot of bellows draw this way, but would I be losing anything else? I would need to check bellows length against infinity focus of my intended lens at a minimum I would think.

    The "kit" I acquired was; camera with 1 extension rail, a homemade 8x10-4x5 reduction graflok back, a true B&J 8x10-5x7 reduction back, a Calumet Caltar S-II 240mm f5.6 in copal 3, a pair of questionable wood 8x10 holders and 1 lisco regal plastic holder, some expired film. The gentleman I bought it from was selling a lot of varied gear as he is moving out of the country. Under $500 for the lot. I forget if I am writing the lens designation correctly? Caltar II-S or S-II? anyway. I am thinking of stripping down the grey paint and refinishing the camera since I do not have any immediate 8x10 plans. I also do not have any 8X10 processing equipment.

    It seems like the opinions on this particular camera are not the greatest but for my initial investment, I am pretty happy. I think I left a couple of 8x10 items "on the table" with the seller I may contact him and see about any pieces that are remaining.

    Any thoughts or advice regarding the B&J 8x10 are welcome. I did do a search and scrolled through the threads I could find.

    -MG

  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    253

    Re: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    I looked at one in pieces last summer, it had the front and rear standard but the bellow was separated, probably a new bellows but the wrong size. It had a 4x5 and 8x10 looked like B&J backs. I past on it. I know a couple of folks who stripped the grey paint off, to find mahogany under it. They look lovely refinished like this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Collinsville, CT USA
    Posts
    2,330

    Re: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    Same camera was my first 8x10 in the mid 1970s. As I remember the front standard was moved to the front of the short base and with the rear 8x10 standard moved forward the longer rear base hinged up 90 degrees behind the rear 8x10 standard. Mine did this and it went neatly inside a backpack along with the separate extension standard. I ended up stripping the gray paint on my Commercial View to find underneath it #1 grade maple. Evidently Burke & James used different types of #1 grade wood for their Commercial Views. I replaced the gray paint with several coats of clear stain. Ended up selling the 8x10 in the mid 1980s to acquire an 11x14 Commercial View in mint condition. Regretted it after I realized that I wouldn't be able to backpack the 11x14. Hiked up many gorges with the 8x10 in the Finger Lakes region of New York and in southern New England. My lens was a 12" f/4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat in a Betax... still have and use the very same lens on my current 8x10. Over the past few years I have been on the lookout for an 8x10 or an 11x14 B&J Commercial View to acquire, but no luck so far. My only problem with the 8x10 was in the wintertime when I was photographing snow and ice: Internal reflections off the bellows caused some extra exposure/density on the sides of the negatives. Other three seasons had no problem with this. Mine had a "tripod attachment bed" that could be moved and secured along the bottom of the three section camera bed to balance the camera on a tripod. A Burke & James wooden tripod (B&J called it a portable studio stand) with its tilt top (piano hinge in front or back) wooden head was the perfect match for the Commercial View.
    Congratulations on your acquisition.

  4. #4

    Re: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    Greg. Thank you. I will look at my sample and see if I can spin the standards 180 degrees if I am understanding you correctly. (to get the piano hinge to occur behind the rear standard) I may embark on a re-finish project since I'm into chilly weather and dark at 5pm now.
    I'm sure it's a different thread, but given the current rate for film holders what do folks think about "refreshing" old wooden holders? Simply checking for light leaks could get expensive fast.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    991

    Re: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    Use photo paper to check for light leaks in holders...much cheaper than film!
    Most old holders can use a re-taping.

  6. #6

    Re: new Burke and James commercial view 810 owner

    Thank you Dugan. I couldn't remember if fiber-based paper (what I have on hand) would fit.

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