Mark Twin Riverboat, Hannibal, Missouri

Deardorff 5x7 Camera

Ilford HP5+ 400 Film

Kodak Ektar Wide Field 190mm/F6.3 with Yellow Filter

Xtol 1:1, 10min 68 F

Test My Newly Restored 11x14 Seneca View Camera with a 15 inch Ilex Paragon Process Lens

Yesterday, I went to Lily Pool in Lincoln Park and test my newly restored 11x14 Seneca view camera. I found a 15 inch Ilex paragon process lens I bought a while ago and have never used it before. Below are some iPhone pictures from yesterday's outing and testing.

The 11x14 film I used yesterday was Ilford HP5+ 400. I spot metered the scene at F64 1second. The exposed film was developed with 1:1 Xtol and continuous agitation (rotary) at 68 F for 9.6min. The developed film was scanned with Epson 4990 scanner and stitched with Photoshop CS4.

Angel Glacier, Mt. Edith Cavell, Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Ice field Highway, Alberta, Canada

Mount Edith Cavell, Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Some of the Ten Peaks on Moraine Lake, Yoho, Alberta, Canada

Tachihara 4x5

Kodak Tmax 100 4x5

Caltar-IIN 150mm/F5.6

 Xtol 1:1

Epson 4990

Mount Rundle, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Tachihara 4x5

Kodak Tmax 100 4x5

Caltar-S 210mm/F6.8

N-2, Xtol 1:1

Epson 4990

11x14 Fidelity Medical Cassette (11x14 Fidelity Film Holder)

Recently I looked to buy some NEW 11x14 film holders for my Deardorff and Seneca 11x14 view cameras. New 11x14 holders are very expensive and hard to find because no manufacturer makes them anymore. After extensive searches and long waits I was lucky that I found some new old stock of 11x14 Fidelity Medical Cassettes which are exactly the same as the regular 11x14 Fidelity film holders after the bars/ears that were modified for X-ray machine are removed from the cassette. The holders were well made in USA. Dark slides and septa are real metal sheets (not plastic) and unbreakable. 

Fig. 1: 11x14 Fidelity medical cassette in original box

Fig. 2: Each 11x14 Fidelity medical cassette has two side bars/ears which are the parts with metal hooks

Fig. 3: There are four small disks on each side bar/ear

Fig. 4: Tools used to remove sides bars/ears are a Philip (crosshead) screw driver and a spanner wrench

Fig. 5: Close-up look of the disk from the side bar/ear

Fig. 6: Pry the disk out with the spanner wrench. The disk is glued with silicon gel and covers the screw

Fig. 7: Take the screws out using a Phillip screw driver

Fig. 8: Put the holder in vertical position and separate the side bar/ear from the holder with two hands

Fig. 9: After separation of the side bar/ear from the holder 

Fig. 10: Four disks and four screws removed from each bar/ear

Fig. 11: Side view of holes after a side bar/ear is removed. There is no light leak due to those holes because the holes are not patent

Fig. 12: Socket screws are used to fill in the holes for a good cosmetic look

Fig. 13: After holes are filled in with screws

Fig. 14: After bars/ears are removed and holes are filled in with screws

Fig. 15: 11x14 Fidelity film holders are made according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Dimensions: (ANSI in parenthesis)

Depth to fim surface: 0.330" (0.332"+/-0.016")

Retaining tab location: 16.125" (16.160")

Thickness: 0.75" (0.79")

Length: 16.25" (16.188")

Width: 13" (13.000")

Exposure height: 13. 563" (14.086"?)

Exposure width: 11.0625" (10.188")

Distance to exposure field: 1.25" (1.255")

Restoration of an Ultra Large Format 11x14 Improved Seneca View Camera

Part I: The original camera

I bought this camera and wanted to restore it. The camera frame looks good, but the bellows is bad and several knobs are missing, no rear extension rail.

This camera is about 100 years old and was made in Rochester, New York, USA. It weighs only 12 ½ lbs without the extension rail and constructed of mahogany/cherry with polished brass hardware. Focusing is accomplished via front and back rack and pinion movements. This camera has rising and falling in the front standard, swing and tilt in the rear standard.

Part II: Camera was cleaned and the bellows was removed

Camera without bellows

Bellow frames

Part III: Make a 11x14 bellows

Fabric: 2 layer Gore Tex nylon

Craft bond glue and poster board 

Pleat design for bellows

Pleat printouts

Pleats are made from poster cardboard and are ready to be glued on to fabric

Folded bellows

Folded bellows

Part IV: After installation of bellows

Boston Common

Ilford HP5+ 400

Busch Pressman D 4x5 

Kodak Ektar 127mm f4.7

Xtol 1:1, 10 min

Boston Waterfront in Night

Ilford HP5+ 400

Busch Pressman D 4x5

Kodak Ektar 127mm F4.7

Xtol 1:1, 10min

Boston Custom House Tower

Ilford HP5+ 400

Busch Pressman D 4x5 

Kodak Ektar 127mm f4.7

Xtol 1:1, 10 min

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Wyoming 2015

Kodak Ektar 100, 4x5

Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Camera: Busch Pressman 4x5 (Hand-Held)

Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100, 4x5

Lens: Kodat Ektar 127mm/F4.7

Developer: Kodak D76

Dead River Trail, Illinois State Beach Park, Zion, IL

 Film: Ilford HP5+ 400

Developer: Xtol 1:1

Camera: Tachihara 4x5

Scanner: Epson 4990

Film: Ilford Delta 100

Developer: Xtol 1:1

Camera: Tachihara 4x5

Scanner: Epson 4990

Deardorff 11x14 (V11) View Camera

I recently purchased a Deardorff 11x14 view camera (V11). This 11x14 camera is hard to find nowadays. Original Deardorff Co stopped operating in 1988. It only produced 185-250 11x14 cameras, serial numbers ranges from 100 to 600s from Deardorff Co recording book that Ken H currently clasps in his hands. Mine is 380s and was produced between 1986 to 1988, Three 11x14 cameras were made during those two years according to Ken H. Deardorffs V11 was first developed in the 1940s. The V11 saw many variations. The earliest were built without front swings. Many were built for the U.S. Marine Corps. The cast metal parts were painted silver. After the war front swings were added. By the 60s the cast metal parts were painted in  a gray crinkle paint. Depending on bellows material it can use a 90mm lens and up to a 44 inch lens. It costed $5,500 in 1983, which equals $13,212 in 2016.

Specifications:
6x6 Inch (152mm) Round Corner Lens Board
42” (1067mm) Maximum Bellows Draw
20 x 17 ½ x 6 Inch (508x445x152mm) Outer Dimensions
Tripod Mount ⅜-16 Oversize with ¼-20 Adapter
Back Size 16 ⅞” (429mm) Square
Front Swing 20⁰
Front Center Tilt 30⁰
Rear Swing 20⁰
Rear Base Tilt 30⁰
Total Front Rise & Fall 9 ¾” (248mm)
Shortest Wide Angle Lens: 5 inches (127mm)
Longest Lens, No Movement: 42” (1067mm)
Weight, with Lens Board: 28 Pounds (12.7Kg)