Calumet CC 800 ?

[John Conway]

I think the early version of the C1 may be a CC800. No results yet from my search. When I was reading about Yousuf Karsh, I noticed his Calumet 8X10 was not a C1, but a similar model with more steel parts and different knobs. Just curious.

[Lynn Jones]

There was an 8x10 Calumet view camera several years prior to the CI. While it was an excellent camera, it was extremely difficult to make and so the owner/creator, Ken Becker, discontinued it along about 1958 or 59. We created the C1 and introduced it during the PPA convention in the fall of 1966. I sold two C1's to Yousef in about 1966, both with a custom paint jobs that were semi-gloss white, one with white bellows and one with black bellows. He wanted to try both and decide which he like best and I no longer which he settled on. I had a good relationship with Karsh for several years although he and Ken Becker couldn't abide on another.

Lynn

[John Conway]

Thanks Lynn. I appreciate the information and the great story. I recently watched an interview done with Karsh on youtube. Mr Karsh was a class act and great artist. It's funny how the C1 is often referred to as a "great starter 8X10 camera", when quite a few great photographers cherished the camera and used it exclusively. I would like to ask you another question about the C1. I'm curious if there was a wide angle model called the "orbit" that had front focus?