I have purchased a 5x7" Deardorff "copy" on Ebay, and i should get it soon (i hope!).
That's not a real copy, the back is quite different, it's one of those found on early cameras, hinged on the top, and for those wooden plate holders.
On the front standard there is a brand label: VIJAY.
I didn't find any reference on the web, while i found something about RAJAH and PRINZDORFF cameras, that are of indian origin, and loose Deardorff copies, like mine.
The same vendor sells other wooden field camera, some with fixed back, some with front and backk focus, and a few with sliding beds, like a Deardorff.
There was even a D'Dorff copy for 5x17" panoramic film, in far better shape, but the film is almost impossible to find, it was more expensive, and the back was fixed. That would make the adaptation of a new back almost impossible, without permanently modifying the camera. That consideration made me choose the smaller one, so i'd be able to replace the original back with a standard one (i have the choice between two different 5x7" backs, one is a wooden Agfa Ansco, and the other is from a very old Fatif monorail).
Unfortunately the bellows is shot and so badly decayed that it would be very difficult to repair it in a satisfying way. Having the bellows remade is out of question, i would never spend 300 euros for the new bellows, for a camera that was just $127!
I think that i could try to make a replacement myself, i think i have at home some materials that could be used, but i don't trust myself very much, i am afraid that bellows making could be quite an hard task for somebody who never did it.
Probably adapting some kind of used bellows (that show up quite often on the Bay) would be a much easier task.
The camera has a modest bellows extension, and that should make it easier.

Whatever the result, a cheap indian camera should be an ideal candidate for my first restoration project.

I'd be happy to get in touch with somebody who owns one of these indian "copies", or at least to get some more infos about them.
One major question is about the original back. The camera comes with just one plate holder, and i guess that it should be shimmed in some way, to be able to use cut films.
I know nothing about old-style backs/plate holders, but i suppose that the simplest way to actually use the camera would be with standard cut-film holders, which i have already, both in 5x7" and 13x18 metric size, and for which there still is a decent choice of films, both conventional and for graphical arts.


have fun

CJ