New Camera, Advice Needed

[Two23]

Well, I just bought the old half plate tailboard camera on eBay. It's from about 1898-1900 and includes a Dallmeyer lens and two holders. I ended up paying $550, including shipping. I probably overpaid but hopefully not by too much.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:1123


Here's what I want to do. I intend to use this camera to take photos at vintage threshing shows, steam engines (train), abandoned farm houses & towns, and so on. I enjoy using historic gear and have been shooting with a 1914 Kodak Special No.1 and a 1937 Bessa (both 6x9.) I've been using E&HT Anthony c.1892 RR lens, 6 inch Derogy Petzval, and a 4 inch BF/Darlot Petzval on my Chamonix 4x5, and am looking for a c.1905 Velostigmat in Optimo shutter. I'm after the vintage look as well as vintage experience.

The A&N camera isn't quite as old as I wanted, but it is the old style and in good shape. It looks "pretty" too. I intend to use my other historic lenses on this camera. To do that, I'm thinking I'll have another matching lensboard made locally. I'll have it made so it can accept lenses mounted on modern Technika lensboards to make it easier for me. My other thought is to buy a T-P roller blind shutter from the period, and make a lensboard mount on that. I think I can glue thin strips of ribbon to glass plates in the holders to slip 4x5 sheets into.

Any thoughts or advice? How bad did I overpay on the camera & holders, and any thoughts on the camera itself? I guess I can always dump it on eBay if something better comes along eventually. Now I just need to figure out how to get it when it comes before my wife gets home. She's instantly suspicious of boxes being delivered here.


Kent in SD

[DanK]

I sure don't think you overpaid - it's a very nice looking camera, love the tiger striped wood (I'm sure there's a more accurate name for it) - plus with holders, and a named lens - and all in good usable condition... more like a steal to me... Congrats...

Cheers,
Dan

[Ivan J. Eberle]

IMO, you did quite well to find such a beautiful antique camera at any price, let alone for mere hundreds. Is that Tiger Maple? Wow. If it's truly in the condition described, you'll doubtless derive a great deal of pleasure from using it and it's sure to attract a crowd.

Another thing to consider is that the real cost of LF ownership over the long haul usually has less to do with the price of the camera than the cost of the consumables. Which cost over time compared to such a inexpensive camera and lens will soon dwarf your initial outlay if put to decent use.

[Two23]

Thanks for the reassurance. I was counting on the guy's generally poor photos to discourage others. The selling points for me were the Dallmeyer lens and the two holders included. I've been shooting 4x5 off & on for ten years (Cambo monorail, the Shen Hao, now Chamonix.) I was just wanting to find something more historically correct to go with my small collection of old lenses. The English cameras are very attractive and finely made, and I've been looking for one for awhile now. I decided against something like the thornton-Pickard etc. as they are field cameras that don't look all that different in form from my chamonix. I didn't think I was going too wrong with what I ended up with, especially if the bellows are good.

I suspect the wood is quarter sawn mahogany, but will have to wait until it comes to see.


Kent in SD

[Dan Dozer]

The wood looks like quilted mahogony to me which is prized in making guitars, and is a very attractive cut of mahogony. Many of the older cameras like this were made of mahogony because it is a fairly easy wood for the craftsmen to work with. However, the quilted mahogony look makes it that much more attractive.

[Michael Carter]

What a lovely camera. Good for you, and two book form plate holders. Nice. They need a little tlc but what the hey.
I shoot ULF on home made dry glass plates; just the thing for your set. The Light Farm has info as does my site studiocarter dot com, the blog. 8&1/2 x 15 is not too large to coat glass with Liquid Light emulsion. ISO is 1-2.
Good Luck.

[Tracy Storer]

+1 on "Quilted Mahogany"....PRETTY CAMERA !

[goamules]

I also think it's curly mahogany. Not very common. Excellent wood and brass, and if the bellows are good, you did fine. I looked at that camera too, but have too many cameras right now. But just for the wood, I was close to bidding....

[TheDeardorffGuy]

Kent. I love what you are going to shoot with it. But I have to tell you something. I use a 1980s vintage Deardorff V8 at most of the tractor shows I go to. Nearly every person who spoke to me asked "How old is that camera?' Finally I put a sign on the tripod that said "Shhhhh I'm recreating an old fashioned photo and quiet is needed for the photo to develop." People tip toed by me and did not bother me at all. But some who had graduated some school would stand behind me and look to see what was happening. I'd replace the darkslide and say "GOT IT!!" These observers would slowly walk up to me and look at the scene. I'd say "did you see the change? It went all sepia for just a few seconds. It was beautiful" PT Barnum said something about it.....

Well, I just bought the old half plate tailboard camera on eBay. It's from about 1898-1900 and includes a Dallmeyer lens and two holders. I ended up paying $550, including shipping. I probably overpaid but hopefully not by too much.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:1123


Here's what I want to do. I intend to use this camera to take photos at vintage threshing shows, steam engines (train), abandoned farm houses & towns, and so on. I enjoy using historic gear and have been shooting with a 1914 Kodak Special No.1 and a 1937 Bessa (both 6x9.) I've been using E&HT Anthony c.1892 RR lens, 6 inch Derogy Petzval, and a 4 inch BF/Darlot Petzval on my Chamonix 4x5, and am looking for a c.1905 Velostigmat in Optimo shutter. I'm after the vintage look as well as vintage experience.

The A&N camera isn't quite as old as I wanted, but it is the old style and in good shape. It looks "pretty" too. I intend to use my other historic lenses on this camera. To do that, I'm thinking I'll have another matching lensboard made locally. I'll have it made so it can accept lenses mounted on modern Technika lensboards to make it easier for me. My other thought is to buy a T-P roller blind shutter from the period, and make a lensboard mount on that. I think I can glue thin strips of ribbon to glass plates in the holders to slip 4x5 sheets into.

Any thoughts or advice? How bad did I overpay on the camera & holders, and any thoughts on the camera itself? I guess I can always dump it on eBay if something better comes along eventually. Now I just need to figure out how to get it when it comes before my wife gets home. She's instantly suspicious of boxes being delivered here.


Kent in SD

[Two23]

Kent. I love what you are going to shoot with it. But I have to tell you something. I use a 1980s vintage Deardorff V8 at most of the tractor shows I go to. Nearly every person who spoke to me asked "How old is that camera?'

I shoot a lot of railroad stuff, including at night with mega-strobes. A few months ago I followed the UP 844 for several days. It seems like sometimes I attracted more attention than the engine. Same at the threshing show last weekend. I quickly discovered there were a number of guys interested in having shots taken of their old machines with my old lens. I also used my 1914 and 1937 folding cameras 6x9 format for my hand cameras. When asked about it, I would say, "What better to use to photo a 1933 tractor?" All of them immediately saw the logic.

Union Pacific 844 coming into Falls City, NE:
(HP5, E&HT Anthony RR set in Copal 1, Shen Hao 4x5)

Kent in SD