Burke & James Grover 8X10

[John Conway]

The smooth rail is the earlier version. I researched the camera and checked out catalogs from the 1950's and the later 60's. The earlier catalog description goes into detail about the smooth rail. The later catalog describes the benefits of the geared rail. I like to check out the old catalogs. Camera eccentric is a great site.Man, that sure is a long rail. Much longer than I want to stretch the old bellows. I plan on making this camera my main 8X10 outfit and it will be a two lens set. I'm keeping the 8X10 department simple, a 250mm and 360mm and thats it. I sure miss my polaroid stuff.Just recently a box of 809 was found in my closet. I had the machine but never plugged it in, always liked the hand crank. It was great making those instant 8X10 images. They were so nice. And taught me how to use an 8X10 camera. Anyway, my return to 8X10 and my new friend has me excited.

[Michael Clark]

John,that tripod looks like parts from the inside of a submarine, don't think you will have any shaking going on with that tripod. nice camera.

Mike

[John Conway]

Isn't that tripod a dandy. A long time ago in New York City I stopped into a camera shop, 18th street I think, and it was for sale. I had to have it. You know I never thought of a submarine, but now that you mention it, yeah.

[T. Schruda]

well its a rather old thread.. but why not link here.

i started using LF a few years ago with an ole 9x12 i found at my dad's... now i upgraded to a grover that i got for quite a deal on ebay. wooden.. and with a new bellow.

i have a few questions that still apear..

it comes with a 21inch rail.. and i got a 300mm convertible schneider kreuznach with it. when converted i cant go as close as i like for portraits becaus the rail is not long enough.
so i loosened the front stand and turned the sides around.. now the front is sticking out in front of the sides rather then behind them.. you know what i mean?
gives me a bit more "rail"... does that make sense?

2nd.. the front stand again.. on the few pictures i found online.. i can see that there are 3 screws to hold the front stand. the bottom 2 are in line and going through the aluminum side rails.. and the top screw beeing behind. so the top is for tilting.. and the 2 bottoms are for shifting in line.. right?
even if i have my side rails like that.. i cannot have the 2 bottom screws in line through the sides because then there is not enough room for the top wheel to fit nor turn.. any idea on that?

otherwise.. nice baby *

thnx for takin the time

[MIke Sherck]

well its a rather old thread.. but why not link here.

i started using LF a few years ago with an ole 9x12 i found at my dad's... now i upgraded to a grover that i got for quite a deal on ebay. wooden.. and with a new bellow.

i have a few questions that still apear..

it comes with a 21inch rail.. and i got a 300mm convertible schneider kreuznach with it. when converted i cant go as close as i like for portraits becaus the rail is not long enough.
so i loosened the front stand and turned the sides around.. now the front is sticking out in front of the sides rather then behind them.. you know what i mean?
gives me a bit more "rail"... does that make sense?

2nd.. the front stand again.. on the few pictures i found online.. i can see that there are 3 screws to hold the front stand. the bottom 2 are in line and going through the aluminum side rails.. and the top screw beeing behind. so the top is for tilting.. and the 2 bottoms are for shifting in line.. right?
even if i have my side rails like that.. i cannot have the 2 bottom screws in line through the sides because then there is not enough room for the top wheel to fit nor turn.. any idea on that?

otherwise.. nice baby *

thnx for takin the time

I'm still very happy with my 8x10 Grover monorail. Turning the front standard around shouldn't cause any problems I can see just by looking at mine, and I usually take one of the two sets of knobs on that strange double-plate on the front off anyway as friction from one set of knobs seems to hold it in place just fine and it's much easier to loosen one set of knobs for rise/fall rather than two sets of knobs. Perhaps with a heavier lens both sets of knobs would be useful, I don't know.

Mike

[John Kasaian]

Congrats on the "new" 8x10!

[Tom Monego]

Had a Grover for about a year, used it with a 10 inch Commercial Ektar. Was just too big and heavy for the work I wanted to do, bought it with a tripod but wasn't strong enough. Sold it an purchased an old grey metal Toyo Field. That was ages ago.
I took a trip down Skyline drive and we would stop, every one else had an instamatic or maybe a Nikon or Pentax. I would pull the Grover out of my trunk and everyone else at the parking area would just stare.

Tom

[cobbu2]

I'll try to keep this going, I too have an 8x10 Grover, my first LF camera! It has the much-maligned 305mm Carl Meyer, but so far from the tests I've conducted, the lens is a good one. It also lived its former life in a studio.

To transport it, I modified a Rubbermaid bin, making cutouts by the bin handles so the collapsed camera can hang upside down from the bar with the ends protruding outside the bin. I then lash it with bungee cords to a suitcase cart. It works so long as I don't have to travel by air with it! I'll post some pics of it ASAP.

[ImSoNegative]

John, yes my 5x7 has a wood front standard and a u shaped aluminum standers holding the the wood back and ground glass, it is a wooden flat bed field camera.

Mike

mike i have the exact same camera, i stripped mine down in december, amazing that painted that beautiful wood green? yes mine was like some weird green color. burke and james might be crude and funky but they have all the movements a person will ever use. i really like mine and use it all the time.

here are a couple of before and after pics

[cobbu2]

Ok, here are pics of my 8x10 Grover as promised:



It could use some touching up eventually, but until then it works great!