Gear update

jhotopf said:
What a great alternative to a dark cloth!
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It's normally fitted with wood screws to the back ... but I've fitted studs and mini wingnuts so it's easily removable if you want to use a dark cloth.
 
I've got a half plate Kodak Specialist 2 police kit, it came in a box with both a half plate and sliding quarter plate bail backs and the proper tripod, a particularly hefty thing. The lens that came with it was the 8" Kodak Ektar. There were no film holders with the camera but I managed to get three 5x7 holders for less than expected (after having mistakenly bought a couple of holders from a dealer who replaced them after I discovered they were actually half plate). I bought two quarter plate holders for the sliding back but they didn't engage properly so I gave them away. The quarter plate capability isn't particularly important to me as the film is disproportionately expensive compared to 5x4, for example.

The only things I had to do to the camera were replace a couple of tiny wood screws and clean and lubricate the gears, for which I used a light silicon grease, and have the shutter serviced to correct the sluggishness.

It's an epically heavy beast and very tricky to support when fitting it to the very substantial tripod. However the results from using it are excellent. I took my first photographs with a box of FP4 which came with the camera. The next lot is Fomapan 200.

Camera on its Kodak tripod compared to my Brand 5x4 on a Berlebach.

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The strange diffraction patterns are coming from a glass panel over the front door!

A photograph taken using the camera, you can't really appreciate the capability from this upload but at least I hope it shows that I have used it and will continue to do so.

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Marley's Ghost said:
So It's been a couple of years ... I left as Marley and have returned as Marley's Ghost ... :) and a few things have changed around my equipment.
My MPP 5x4 was sold ... I simply couldn't justify keeping it as I was shooting far more with my lovely old Kodak Specialist. Yes it's as heavy as a bus ... but I really am a 'bigger is better guy' and I have a Mamiya RB67 for when I need a pocket camera lol. I mostly shoot with my 210mm Symmar S (and various Fuji lenses I have) but I also have the original Ektar pictured and a 5.5nch Dallmayer that both came with my Specialist 'kit' that I believe was once owned by Manchester Police Force.

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I really must get around to repairing the geared front standard rise and fall ... the pinion wheel has just three teeth left and I have to use rubber bands to 'lock' the knob to prevent my front standard from coming down like Madame Guillotine when I'm going for movements! Not yet worked out how to get to the offending gear wheel ... but I'll get there.

I'm currently in the process of building a 10x8 camera ... so if anyone's interested I'll start a build thread. Yes I could buy one ... but where's the fun in that? Though I still might ... you can never have too many big cameras in my book.

Yes that's a double bass in the background ... I play with a fairly well known rockabilly band when not taking pictures!
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Just going over some threads, what is it that denotes the black colour? Is this a Specialist 2? I have one which is green so I'm guessing the black version is a different model or earlier/later.

Does it have metal grooves down the side?

Tagging @Ian Grant also.

There was a black one being endlessly relisted on eBay the seller wanted around £300 and the tripod thread was missing.
 
lharby said:
Just going over some threads, what is it that denotes the black colour? Is this a Specialist 2? I have one which is green so I'm guessing the black version is a different model or earlier/later.

Does it have metal grooves down the side?

Tagging @Ian Grant also.

There was a black one being endlessly relisted on eBay the seller wanted around £300 and the tripod thread was missing.
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It's a Specialist, but not a 2, it doesn't have the alominium guides, and the way the back attaches is different.

The Specialist 2 was sold in black or the strager more common metallic silver green/

They are often listed on eBay for months, even years.

Ian
 
Yep that one has come down a bit from it's initial posting - £291 now. I paid £100 for mine - I love it to bits, but it's an acquired taste and one I wouldn't lash out loads on. I really need to bite the bullet and fix my front rise and fall gear (stripped) and eventually I'll replace the bellows as I did on my Kodak 2D - My Specialist had some pinholes that I used black Plastidip on - but that's always the tin end of the wedge :)
With the arrival of 5x7 colour Optik Oldschool colour - I may well be using the old girl a bit more!
 
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