Tuesday, May 3, 2016

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)









Monday, February 29, 2016

Midwest Large Format Asylum Annual Print Review 2016

Went to Chesterton, Indiana on January 23rd, 2016 for the Midwest Large Format Asylum Annual Print Review. This is one of the exciting events in American large format photography. Many talented photographers showed their traditional silver prints.

Driving to Chesterton in the early morning

Midwest Large Format Asylum flag

Print review 


One of the members made a video for this year's print review





Monday, December 7, 2015

Photography by Ansel Adams, the Collection of Anne Adams Helms

Went to see Ansel Adams exihibition in South Shore Arts, the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana. The exhibition is wonderful and it is rare to see all his 72 prints from different periods of time in one single room. The prints are much better than the reprints in books. 


City of Munster, Indiana

Entrance Board Display

One of My Favorites 


November 15, 2015 – January 24, 2016
Admission: Adults $3, Students/Children $2
VIP Reception: Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 6-8pm
The Center for Visual and Performing Arts
1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana

http://www.southshoreartsonline.org

The Center for Visual and Performing Arts
1040 Ridge Road
Munster, IN 46321
(219) 836-1839

Hours
Monday - Friday, 10 am – 5 pm
Saturday, 10 – 4 pm
Sunday, 12 pm – 4 pm

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Deardorff 5x7 Camera

I recently purchased a Deardorff 5x7 camera from a friend of mine and fell in love with it right away. After I searched online for Deardorff 5x7 camera information, I learned that my camera was made during World War II period because the rear standard is made of cedar, not mahogany, the lens boards are 4.5x4.5 inch with round corners, there is no front swing and knobs are nickel plated. Deardorff 5x7 cameras were made without front swings from 1926 to 1949 and there were absolutely no identification of any form on them. 

Below is quoted from Deardorff Historical Web site (Ken Hough)
"Deardorff 5x7 cameras came in 3 styles. The first had the sliding panel lock on the side of the front base with  red wood and lacquered brass (circa 1926). The second version  is red wood with gold hardware (1926-37). The third and final version  was Brownish wood and nickel plated metal. A sub version of this was the WW II production cameras. These camera were made of Spanish Cedar ( yellow in color )  with some mahogany. The metal is nickel plated. These had 4 1/2 X 4 1/2 square cornered lens board on the earlier models and in 1937 went to a 4 1/2 X 4 1/2 rounded cornered lens board. Production ended in 1949 with the introduction of the V4 and V5 with front swings."







Monday, October 5, 2015

Monday, September 21, 2015