Hi
I spent the 1980's completely immersed in photography, primarily LF. Besides my personal fave-love of B & W 'classic' contact printing, I also did a lot of commercial work, in all formats.
What I learned from the commercial work is that photography quit being fun and became just more 'work.' So I quit doing photography professionally.
But I always wanted to someday get back into LF, when circumstances permitted, using the simplest approach possible, a 'labor of love'. Just do it for myself, not for money.
About a year ago at a flea market I found an old Korona VII folding-out-of-a-box 4 x 5 camera. It weighs almost nothing. I'm stripping the leather to reveal the nice wood underneath, which I'll finish (varnish, french-polish or oil) to match the lovely interior wood. It came with a lens--probably RR or early anastigmat, seems convertible, in a brass 'TBI' style shutter with air-cylinder shutter mechanism. I've also jerry-rigged a 127 ektar from a Crown Graphic on it, and that may become it's primary lens. The camera has a spring back. I'm 'modernizing' it--making sure the GG focus matches modern filmholder specs, etc.
My intention is to use it for simple portraits, landscapes and 'LF street photography,' where shifts & bellows extension aren't needed.
I also have a Crown Graphic, but TOO heavy & limited for what I need beyond the Korona. So I'll sell/trade it and get:
1. a basic 5 x 7 (eastman 2-d, korona etc.) field camera, for when movements & longer bellows are desired.
AND/OR:
2. a 5 x 7 version of my little Korona folding-box camera (premo etc.). I love these 'LF in a box" things and they're easy to find. Also easy to repair, modify, maintain.
I'm also interested in building wood LF field cameras from parts and/or scratch or a combination thereof.
For the last 20 years I've made my living from painting...paintings, not houses!....and also from music, mainly 'old time' style music. I've built two fiddles so making a simple wooden field camera doesn't seem so daunting!
I found this forum a few days ago via web-surfing and have enjoyed wading the archives. Lots of info, good ideas, wit, links. people--and some really nice photos too!
Due to both budget and inclination, I'm a fan of cheapo, found-at-the-flea-market older lenses, cameras and related what-not. in the past I owned several such lenses which made good images. Early Dagors, Protars, RR's, Turner-Reich etc.
So I guess I'll be hunting down them darn things again!
I plan to contact-print 4x5 & 5x7 b&w. I'm Interested in using litho film in-camera and developed for continuous-tone (I used to do graphic-arts darkroom work, so am familar with all the possibilities) and also various alternative processes.
I live in New Jersey, along the Delaware river, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia.
Some random fave photographers: Walker Evans/J. Sudek/George Tice/Berenice Abbott/W. Christenberry/Atget/Avedon's western LF portraits/J. Meyerowitz/S. Shore....many many more.
Jane
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