I remember clearly the digs on Deardorff over the years on the forum here and steered clear of them until I happened upon a 1940 Marine V11 locally several years ago. Could not pass it up and I must confess that although I had my doubts that it would work out it has been a joy to use. Yes, it is heavy and big but it is simple to use in the field and locks down perfectly to make fine images. You just need to grab it with both hands and finess it a bit. Great Camera!
Last edited by Michael Kadillak; 23-Oct-2017 at 09:32. Reason: typo
Liquid gold and a little brown shoe polish if necessary works wonders on the Dorff...............Originally Posted by Gudmundur Ingolfsson
Last edited by Luis-F-S; 7-Nov-2017 at 07:46.
Very interesting responses to my Deardorff post. Was able to contact a fellow photographer and was gratefully able borrow his 8x10 Deardorff with a 12" Dagor for a couple of days. Having owned and used one in the past, was familiar with the controls after a short time of using the camera in the field. Now the two 8x10s I use are a Sinar Norma and an 8x10 Chamonix. Inside my lab/studio or from the back of my Q5 SUV use a classic Sinar Norma. For shooting any distance from the Q5, I backpack the Chamonix in s f/64 backpack. Over the years have used many 8x10 view cameras. Without a doubt the Sinar 8x10 P was the easiest to use but the most bulky to transport. My first 8x10 a B&J wooden, the hardest to accurately use but boy was it solid.
Shot some images outside with the borrowed Deardorff.
Final impression: I might compare the 8x10 Deardorff akin to a classic 1965 VW Beetle (I actually own one!)... very basic with no frills, reliable, sturdy, dependably that always gets you from point A to point B. etc. Does the Deardorff feel "heavy" to me? not really considering its solid construction. I like to use my '65 Beetle (2 years old) to pick up the mail and to do local in town chores. Feelings towards the Deardorff very similar, but for "studio" work prefer the Norma and for backpacking the Chamonix. Final feelings... if I were to only have a Deardorff as my only 8x10 view camera, I'd be a happy photographer for sure.
I compare the V8 to a Harley dresser, and this is how I've remade one to my liking. Can't do that to a Deardorff.
Beetles? Here is my '58 that I finally gave away last year.
Next to go is the Deardorff which I might list here at my estate closing price.
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Is that a hard-tail? I rode across Minnesota to get a new tire in St. Paul on the way to NYC and the slabs near-to-killed me. Nice bike though.
My first Deardorff was an early 5x7 model with 4.5" square lens boards. I bought it in 1968 and used it a year and sold it to buy a new 4x5 Sinar Norma that I still have. The Norm was the 4x5 backbone of my business until digital came.
In 1972 I worked for a commercial studio that had a Calumet green monster. It was ok but not as nice to use as the Deardorff I had. I left that job and worked for a large ad agency that had a new 8x10 Deardorff. What a pleasure to use. It was smooth and precise and very stable in the studio as well as the field. In addition with the sliding front panel was a huge plus for wide lenses.
In 1972 I bought a commercial photo friends extra 8x10 Deardorff. My friend was the 2nd owner of this well used early 1930 machine. I bought it for $75 and a Wollensak wide angle for another $75. I replaced the bellows and put a swinging front turntable on it. I used this camera for thousands of catalog shots until a few years ago when I went all digital in the biz.
I wound up selling the V8 and bought a beautiful Canham traditional 8x10. The Canham was beautiful but fussy to use. I also had a 4x5/5x7 wood Canham too. Same fussy controls and locks plus there was a swelling issue with the wood in the humid south eastern US where I live. Both cameras required frequent adjustments.
I sold both cameras and bought a 4x5 Special in very clean condition and a mint 8x10 Deardorff. Both cameras now sloth my need for large format along with my Vera sweet Ebony SV45TE which is the absolute ultimate in large format.
For me the Deardorff cameras are a familiar part of my workflow. When under the cloth my hands naturally go to the appropriate control and I never have to come out from under my dark cloth until I'm ready to set the lens.
Oh yes, a hard-tail. The frame was a '56, straight leg they made for only half a year. Harley had not yet made a rear suspension in 1956. (and note the rare front springer). Any relief was in their sprung seat post which I deleted. Primitive? You bet. I laced an early Gold Wing rim with fat tire to the stock HD star hub using custom made spokes and aired the big tire down to 9 pounds.We did what was necessary so long ago, and that was in the days before blister-packed after-market parts. I built my bike from stuff collected off the floor of swap meets when that was still possible a long, long time ago.
Has anyone figured out how to put front shift on a Deardorff? I know about swinging front and rear to get the effect but would like to have an honest inch or so of front shift.
On the Deardorffs, my Uncle quotes his friend Tillman Crane often with "one can never own too many Deardorffs".
” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.
Hi Willie
Shift is the main reason why I probably will never buy a Dorff, that's despite the paucity of ones for sale in the EU. I just cannot get by without it
Good luck anyhow
Andrew
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