Show Us Your Camera

[Ian Grant]

IThanks on the tripod and head. My manfrotto 410 head can hold the camera but it’s not that solid compared to with my rz67 or wista.

I use a Gitzo R.No. 4 tripod head with my 10x8 Agfa Ansco Commercial View, I'm not sure if it's slightly older or newer than Marty's PL5. The long control arms make it far easier to balance a 10x8 camera.

Before I bought it I was using a R.No. 2, equally good just a slightly smaller platform. Last year I got a mint Gitzo G 1370 head, I paid very little for them, I think £20 for the G 1370.

There's currently a very cheap PL5 on eBay in London, OK missing a bit of cork, but easy to fix that.

Ian

 

[MartyNL]

I admit it's a low price but it's not without issues.

The pan handle has what appears to be a piece broken off and the side tilt handle is not original. Something like a photax studio stand replacement?

 

[jhotopf]

Very nice, from Nik and Trick?

 

[Ian Grant]

I admit it's a low price but it's not without issues.

The pan handle has what appears to be a piece broken off and the side tilt handle is not original. Something like a photax studio stand replacement?

The plastic on the long control arm of my R.No. 2 cracked, and finally broke. I glued it, and it was useable, but finally I made a wooden replacement which is actually much nicer to use, it's now 25cm in overall length instead of 17cm.

I always have a few odd replacement parts for tripods, lighting stands etc.

Ian

 

[Soulstar89]

Ok dry plate and wet plate are a completely different kettle of fish.

No experience here, but from what I've gleaned from over the years, is that the plate emulsions, UV sensitive, are better suited to non-coated lenses which pretty much rules out modern mc lenses and db boards.

As far as tripod heads go, I've recently been looking at geared levelling heads rather than full blown and more expensive tripod heads.

you are right about lenses for wet plate. Everyone I’ve seen shot wet plate has used old brass lenses.

The 8x10 is a slow burner for me. No rush. I accept large items take longer to get than other formats.

 

[Tim Holmes]

Nice. You deserve a knighthood for taking out a sinar p on the field! Mine is staying indoors. Not going outdoors. If a box of 8x10 colour film wasn’t the price of a camera itself I would absolutely love to explore it.

I do kind of hold my breath, when hiking with it, worried about cracking the ground glass. I hike with my 5x4 Sinar F2 because I love the full range of movement I get over a Linhof Master technika (tried and sold) but I've not tried a true 5x4 field camera. The reason I got the 10x8 P was it was a big 'job lot' of gear for a reasonable price that came with a 65, 90, 150, 210, 300 & 480mm DB lenses & shutter a complete 5x4 F kit a 5x7 back and bellows for the P and a 10x8 Polariod proecessor. I already had a 5x4 Sinar F2 and 3 DB lenses that I was using for 4x5 and I could fill in the lens gaps of that. I've sold a few of the lenses and 5x4 F kit. I'm much happier hiking with the Kodak MV, but it means buying more lenses that have their own shutters and the DB lenses are beautiful.
I can highly recommend the tripod, it a Benro Mammoth (carbon) its light with a compact head and can be used headless. I've covered the widest leg sections in electrical tape to protect the legs in the field. The Leofoto G20 head is also great and a friend with an Arca thinks its almost as good.

 

[Tim Holmes]

Just saw this. Maybe it will fit your camera? I would love a reducing back to 5x7 for the sinar but they didn’t make one.

https://ebay.io/m/OSYIqf

Thanks for that, it's close to OK, but I think if I have to go 1/2 plate, I'll make it timber for weight in the field and to modify the opening to full 5x7.

 

[Ian Grant]

Very nice, from Nik and Trick?

Can you elaborate, what are you referring to ?

Ian

 

[Ian Grant]

Thanks for that, it's close to OK, but I think if I have to go 1/2 plate, I'll make it timber for weight in the field and to modify the opening to full 5x7.

You need to keep searching eBay regularly. I just did a search for a 13x18 back and found a complete 4x5 Graflok back with hood listed as unbranded for £29.99 inc postage. I knew at first glance it's a Pacemaker Graphic back, there is a screen, maybe a fresnel. It's attached to something unknown. For the price it's a bargain, and ideal for a reducing back. I might use it on a 5x4 Soho Reflex.

That De Vere back is a bit too expensive, I sold a complete De Vere monorail Whole plate camera for less, with 3 backs. The actual ground glass frame and surround could b be unscrewed and fitted to a wooden panel.

Ian

 

[Soulstar89]

I do kind of hold my breath, when hiking with it, worried about cracking the ground glass. I hike with my 5x4 Sinar F2 because I love the full range of movement I get over a Linhof Master technika (tried and sold) but I've not tried a true 5x4 field camera. The reason I got the 10x8 P was it was a big 'job lot' of gear for a reasonable price that came with a 65, 90, 150, 210, 300 & 480mm DB lenses & shutter a complete 5x4 F kit a 5x7 back and bellows for the P and a 10x8 Polariod proecessor. I already had a 5x4 Sinar F2 and 3 DB lenses that I was using for 4x5 and I could fill in the lens gaps of that. I've sold a few of the lenses and 5x4 F kit. I'm much happier hiking with the Kodak MV, but it means buying more lenses that have their own shutters and the DB lenses are beautiful.
I can highly recommend the tripod, it a Benro Mammoth (carbon) its light with a compact head and can be used headless. I've covered the widest leg sections in electrical tape to protect the legs in the field. The Leofoto G20 head is also great and a friend with an Arca thinks its almost as good.

Wow what a job lot. You definitely had luck on your side.

I’ve a wista vx field camera also which I really like. Its ground glass is super bright and it’s rather fast to use. I fully understand why you like the f2. I felt the same when I got the p2. The ability to rise, fall and shift on the rear standard doesn’t affect perspective like the front standard. It’s slight but when I compared I noticed. Is the f2 easy to pack in a bag? Why not get a cover for the ground glass.

I would have loved sinar to have made a reducing back from 8x10 to 5x7. They only did 8x10-4x5. I REALLY like 5x7 in landscape orientation for environmental shots.

As I live in London I prefer to cycle with my Brompton and my kit. I need to address my tripod setup tbh. Can you believe that my wista vx kit (90,135,210, holders and all things needed to shoot) is lighter than my rz67 proII kit (65,110,180, prism, extra back, x2 extra focusing screens and x3 hoods) this confuses me.