Agfa Ansco 8x10 Universal

[Johnwileyhowington]

I just received an 8x10 Agfa Ansco 8x10 Universal, I'm a bit embarrassed to ask but can I change the orientation of the film back from Portrait to Landscape? It doesn't seem simple, that, and I'm afraid to force anything on the camera.

[MIke Sherck]

Orientation is easily changed. The back can be removed, rotated, and then re-attached. The ground glass back has two small steel pins on each side (except for the side you insert the film holder into); for the side which ends up at the bottom, the pins fit into a pair of flat steel springs attached to the rear standard, with holes in them to match the pins. On the top of the camera's rear standard are two more flat steel springs which also have holes to fit the steel pins on the top of the back. Lift up each of the springs on top while separating the back with the other hand. You won't break anything and it doesn't take all that much force. Once the back is free, rotate it to the desired orientation, fit the bottom pins into their holes, then the top pins. The pin/spring-with-hole combinations hold the back firmly in place. If the springs have gotten bent over time (happens,) just bend them back into place so that the back is held firmly. You ought to be able to do it with your fingers: none of this stuff is so stiff that you should need tools.

Mike

[John Kasaian]

The 5x7 Agfa Universals I've seen don't have pins but brass plates and the springs latch onto them when reversing the back. You might have this configuration and if so---hey it's no different from the pins---they work the same way.

[IanG]

John's right, I have a 10x8 Agfa Ansco Commercial View and a Universal, all that holds the back is two sprung brass plates, very simple but effective. Just pull the top of the back which will lift them and then lift it up out of the bottom brass fittings that it sits in, then rotate the back and place it back in.



It's far harder to describe tan it is to do

Ian

[MIke Sherck]

I'll be darned. I've had both 5x7 and 8x10 Agfa cameras and they both had the same pin system as my B&Js. I wonder whether they were a different model, or perhaps someone had swapped backs out at some time? Very strange. At one time I had both an Agfa 5x7 and a B&J 5x7 at the same time and the spring backs were interchangable. Now I'm questioning my sanity...

Mike

[Brian Ellis]

Don't be embarassed to ask. I had to take my first LF camera to the now long-gone local pro camera store so they could show me how to change the orientation of the back.

[IanG]

I'll be darned. I've had both 5x7 and 8x10 Agfa cameras and they both had the same pin system as my B&Js. I wonder whether they were a different model, or perhaps someone had swapped backs out at some time? Very strange. At one time I had both an Agfa 5x7 and a B&J 5x7 at the same time and the spring backs were interchangable. Now I'm questioning my sanity...

Mike

Mike, I think that the Agfa-Ansco cameras changed after the company was confiscated by the US government in late 1941, I suspect production was moved to another workshop, as the Bingham factory was turned over to manufacturing for the military and all camera production there ceased. The hardware changed on the later models so it's quite possible yours were similar to the B&J some of the parts may have been common.

Ian

[Johnwileyhowington]

exactly as you have described, I was just being wimpy trying not to break the thing. Works like a charm. thank you very much!!!