using vintage equipment

[altb44]

Hi,

I take photos with vintage cameras, mostly 35mm and 120 but I've been thinking of jumping to large format for quite awhile. I bought this camera yesterday. It's a Unicum pneumatic shutter 5 x 7 camera. No other name except that it has Bausch & Lomb Opt. Co. with a patent date looking like January 8 81 written on the lens. It's in great shape. The lens works fine, all speeds seem okay, bellows are good, the ground glass is perfect and it came with three film holders in very good shape. One has 4 x 5 masks included in it.

Does anyone here work with vintage cameras? Could anyone give me more info on this camera, especially how to collapse it for transport? I think I need to take the lens board out but I'm baffled on how to fold it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[DrTang]

um....just about everyone here

[altb44]

That's great! Please forgive the obvious question...I'm really new here. Also really new to LF photography. I meant cameras from around the turn of the century

[DrTang]

oh yeah..a lot of people here do.. someone is going to know offhand what camera you have... and they probably even have and use a similar model

[Bob Salomon]

That's great! Please forgive the obvious question...I'm really new here. Also really new to LF photography. I meant cameras from around the turn of the century

Which century?

[Jim Noel]

I can't give exact details of folding since this is not among my vintage cameras. This camera has obviously been altered by the addition of the two new hinges at the base of the front. I see no way to fold the camera with these in place. They were probably added for stability.

[altb44]

I see. Thanks. If I remove the hinges it should fold? Also...again I meant early 20th century.

[Jim Noel]

I see. Thanks. If I remove the hinges it should fold? Also...again I meant early 20th century.

I certainly would give it a try.

[scm]

See if this video helps. It won't be exactly like this but it should give you the general idea.

[altb44]

Thank you for the reply and the video. That was helpful. I'll try taking the hinges off and see what it does.