Show off your Large Format camera!

[andrea milano]

I haven’t been contributing or even just come to this forum for many many years, in fact, after more than 25 years of being a professional photographer ( and a teacher of large format photography, studio still life and portraits mainly) some 10 years ago I stopped with my professional activity ( well, I did work for a couple of years in a photographic capacity in a company where I was a partner until 4 years ago but there wasn’t a lot of photography, quite a bit more of digital archival management, but if there was any photography it was mostly fashion accessories in the studio, and it was only digital) .

These days I am not using my old large format cameras all that much.

I sold most of my equipment ( and turned it into musical instruments, I became a woodwind instruments aficionado) but I still have a simple but very nice Linhof Kardan Standard.

I have had many, many large format cameras in my career but this one isn’t half bad.

Despite being limited by the fact that it has no interchangeable bellows and only limited tilt movements of the back, when shooting in a landscape format (because otherwise you cannot insert the film holder... there is a way around this but it is rather clumsy and not practical with a lightweight tripod ) it is a perfectly useable camera.

The tripod is one sold by Hama, made in Germany. It has a nice ball joint which, for a large format camera mostly used for field work totally eliminates the need for a head and the hole set is rather lightweight.

I used to have many lenses. I now have sold them all. All I am left with, is a Tominon set which I have left from a Polaroid MP-4 (sold that one too). This has to be the champion of the cheap, modern, large format lenses.

It has a copal shutter ( self-cocking) and you can mount on it any lens with a 39 x 1 mounting thread that is not too deep. So it came with a 135mm, a 105mm and a 75mm. But I guess you can put on it any enlarging lens, provided in doesn’t disturb the shutter .

[StoneNYC]

I haven’t been contributing or even just come to this forum for many many years, in fact, after more than 25 years of being a professional photographer ( and a teacher of large format photography, studio still life and portraits mainly) some 10 years ago I stopped with my professional activity ( well, I did work for a couple of years in a photographic capacity in a company where I was a partner until 4 years ago but there wasn’t a lot of photography, quite a bit more of digital archival management, but if there was any photography it was mostly fashion accessories in the studio, and it was only digital) .

These days I am not using my old large format cameras all that much.

I sold most of my equipment ( and turned it into musical instruments, I became a woodwind instruments aficionado) but I still have a simple but very nice Linhof Kardan Standard.

I have had many, many large format cameras in my career but this one isn’t half bad.

Despite being limited by the fact that it has no interchangeable bellows and only limited tilt movements of the back, when shooting in a landscape format (because otherwise you cannot insert the film holder... there is a way around this but it is rather clumsy and not practical with a lightweight tripod ) it is a perfectly useable camera.

The tripod is one sold by Hama, made in Germany. It has a nice ball joint which, for a large format camera mostly used for field work totally eliminates the need for a head and the hole set is rather lightweight.

I used to have many lenses. I now have sold them all. All I am left with, is a Tominon set which I have left from a Polaroid MP-4 (sold that one too). This has to be the champion of the cheap, modern, large format lenses.

It has a copal shutter ( self-cocking) and you can mount on it any lens with a 39 x 1 mounting thread that is not too deep. So it came with a 135mm, a 105mm and a 75mm. But I guess you can put on it any enlarging lens, provided in doesn’t disturb the shutter .

Glad you've kept one, Curious about the musical instruments lol. Thanks for sharing.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Very low production, but appear here and there. Rather bulky but surprisingly lightweight and user-friendly. Has a unique mirror-dampening system, ideal for handholding. About the same buzz as using a 4x5 Auto Graflex, but sooo much more elegant to use and fun.

Yes an ideal design IMO.

[MonkeyTreeSupreme]

Bit off topic i know, but was curious.
If your beloved camera got damaged, where would you go?
DIY job? A specialist?
Any country listings?
ie im in the UK, but have friends in US who asked recently where they might be able to look.

A mate mentioned he had used this site, but don't think he realised was using a LFCam, rather than a standard DSLR.

Sorry if in wrong section
Great looking kits everyone

[Robert H]

[jp]

Bit off topic i know, but was curious.
If your beloved camera got damaged, where would you go?
DIY job? A specialist?
Any country listings?
ie im in the UK, but have friends in US who asked recently where they might be able to look.

A mate mentioned he had used this site, but don't think he realised was using a LFCam, rather than a standard DSLR.

Sorry if in wrong section
Great looking kits everyone

I've got backup cameras. My camera isn't beloved, it's a tool. Carpenters lose hammers (not very often), police lose cars.

I'd try to fix it, unless it was a shutter problem then I'd send it away somewhere or replace it. Google would help me find what I need, and a specific post stating what I needed here would probably provide quality referrals/suggestions.

[StoneNYC]

Wow! What is that??!!

[Alan Gales]

Wow! What is that??!!

Sinar P.

[StoneNYC]

Sinar P.

Oh I'm slow, it's inly PART of a camera haha, I was really confused how the lens could hit such a wide surface area with no distance from the lens.. Haha

[jcoldslabs]

I've got backup cameras. My camera isn't beloved, it's a tool.

I bought a "beater" Speed Graphic as a back-up a few years ago but find I use that camera now more than any other. When it gets wet or bumped around I don't worry like I do with my newer, more pristine gear.

Jonathan