FWIW, modifying the 'dorf will not help it's resale value.
FWIW, modifying the 'dorf will not help it's resale value.
True enough, it would decrease the resale value. However, I'm not too worried, as I bought this camera to use and to enjoy, not to resell, so I doubt that I'll be selling it for a long time.
Dave: I wouldn't worry about the 1/4 in. bolt. I have carried my 8x10 Ansco for a long time over my shoulder with the camera on the tripod with legs collapsed. That includes the weight of a 12 in. Commercial Ektar in Ilex shutter. With the platform you have on the tripod, you will have no problems. If the 1/4 in. mount bolt was a problem, you can bet it would have been changed during the many years the camera was made. You will rip the bottom off the camera before you tear out the bolt or break it.
Regards, Doug.
Here's some more on T nuts. Actually, many older wood fields have T nuts--or a similar fastener--as the mounting receptacle. Part of the wear and tear on a well-used camera weakens the fitting within the wood so that, as Doug suggests, the bigger threat is not the strength of the metal threads but the potential of tearing the nut out of it's wooden seat. Whereas some T nuts have prongs that grab the wood, others have screw holes for preventing the fitting from backing out and twisting and with ingenuity one can add extra screws around the perimeter of the fitting making a strong installation that's in there forever. Two receptacles on a big camera make good sense as does the rubber pad suggestions. I have done this type of installation and it can be done neatly to have no cosmetic effect on the camera's value.
Many thanks to all who responded to my question. I'm not sure what I'll do, if anything, but at least now I've got a bit more information to work with. Thanks again.
Well, sorry to worry some of you, but there is a 3 pages article on this topic i n the last edition of a french photo magazine. They said broken 1/4 screws where not so rare, especially among tele l enses users. Small screw big damage! Considering the weight of an 8x10 and even a 4x5, I wouldn't be at rest carrying it on shoulder if fitted on a 1/4 screw! The writers of this article said 1/4 was a conservative nonsense and pleaded for 3/8 screws as a standard.
An 11 X 14 Deardorff weighs around 30 lbs. A Ries Model A weighs around 15 lbs. with the head. Guess what size the tripod screw is?
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