Let's See Your Beasts! (Camera Rigs That Is...)

[pgk]

Went out today shooting and remembered to make a few snapshots of my Deardorff 4x5 / 5x7 special and Cooke XV triple convertible. This particular one is the classic made famous by Ansel Adams.

The lens shown on my Gandolfi is a Grubb Patent Aplanatic 'C' model from ~1865ish. This is one of the lenses believed to have been use by Carleton Watkins back in the 1860s in Yosemite and elswhere in the American West. It covers from 10" x 8" to 12" x 10". I have a shutter which I am adapting to sit in front of this 3" diameter lens.

 

[x-ray]

I was admiring your camera and lens. It should make some beautiful images.

 

[Abbazz]

The big Fuji is my personal favorite beast camera. Here with the 250mm Fujinon:

View attachment 4817551

Sorry for quoting my own message, but I just realized I erroneously labelled the above photo as "the big Fuji with the 250mm Fujinon." Of course there is no 250mm lens for the G690 cameras, contrary to certain Internet lore. The longest lens available for the G690 series is the 180mm and it is indeed the 180mm f/5.6 Fujinon lens that is pictured here on the G690. I apologize for the confusion. Unfortunately, it is not possibile for me to edit the original post anymore but maybe a moderator could rectify the text. (Done! --Doug)

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[Muggins]

That Deardorff (and you can add PGK's Gandolfi to the list as well) is hornier than a herd of rhino!

 

[JMF]

A while back playing with a 200 Nikkor f2 PL mount on a M8


M8-200 Nikkor T2.0 PL by JM__, on Flickr


M8-200 Nikkor T2.0 PL by JM__, on Flickr

 

[JMF]

M8-200 Nikkor T2.0 PL by JM__, on Flickr


M8-200 Nikkor T2.0 PL by JM__, on Flickr

 

[Noserider]

Tochigi Nikkor 300mm T2.2 PL mount with a Sony A7r attached. Way heavier than it looks. This is the one for sale at JCH btw.

 

[kshapero]

Baby Beast

 

[raydm6]

I have been away for week - just had some surgery. Thanks to all who replied to this thread. I am enjoying seeing these rigs tremendously!

Please share more!

 

[CMur12]

It is definitely a beast, but it makes pretty good pictures and it hasn't yet eaten any of its subjects.

View attachment 4817523

Ah, this is my kind of camera - Paramender and all!

In terms of camera types and their relative in/conveniences, I figure that with an SLR, you lock up the mirror (for ultimate IQ). With a Mamiya TLR, you employ the Paramender (to correct for parallax) when shooting up close. (With a Minolta Autocord, you employ a Paradjuster 😎 .)

Of course, this principle involves a number of caveats, but my point is that I find a Paramender or Paradjuster to be a dandy device and I experience no inconvenience using it. Others may see it differently, as I'm forced to accept that not everyone loves TLRs as I do!

Thanks for posting it, Mike.

- Murray

 

[KeithH]

Ah, this is my kind of camera - Paramender and all!

I figure that with an SLR, you lock up the mirror. With a Mamiya TLR, you employ the Paramender (to correct for parallax) when shooting up close. (With a Minolta Autocord, you employ a Paradjuster 😎 .)

Of course, this principle involves a number of caveats, but my point is that I find a Paramender or Paradjuster to be a dandy device and I experience no inconvenience using it. Others may see it differently, as I'm forced to accept that not everyone loves TLRs as I do!

- Murray

I agree Murray, especially with the Mamiya which is a terrifically adaptable camera from really close-up shots to sweeping landscapes. I also use my Paramender with my YashicaMat 24 with the Paramender column marked with the correct seperation for the Yashic lenses.

 

[CMur12]

I agree Murray, especially with the Mamiya which is a terrifically adaptable camera from really close-up shots to sweeping landscapes. I also use my Paramender with my YashicaMat 24 with the Paramender column marked with the correct seperation for the Yashic lenses.

Thanks for the response and the Like, Keith.

I think the Mamiya TLR system is brilliant, though I have a like other TLRs, as well (especially the Minolta Autocord).

I like how you adapted a Mamiya Paramender to work with your Yashica TLR.

(I was adding some text to my post while you responded, so it is now a little different from what you quoted.)

- Murray

 

[x-ray]

A few weeks ago I posted a couple of snapshots of my 5x7/4x5 special Deardorff and Cooke series XV triple convertible lens. Well here’s the next step up. It’s a Deardorff V8 8x10 camera. Deardorff made essentially the same cameras in sizes from the “Baby” 4x5 up to a few 12x20 banquet cameras. I know they were made from the 1920 into the 2000’s. The Deardorff family made them until closing, not sure of the year, then production was resumed by an individual just down the road from me in Tennessee.

These are fabulous cameras and will take more than a lifetime of heavy commercial use.

I placed a Nikkormat in the shot for scale and the 5x7 / 4x5 special I posted a couple of weeks go. The film holders are 8x10 & 4x5 with a roll of 35mm thrown in for scale. Also the neg is an 8x10 with a strip of 35mm next to it.

In the 70’s I did a lot of double page spreads for catalogs with an 11x14 B&J I had. An 11x14 is truly a beast and when you couple it with a 480mm lens or 600mm lens for product shots it really becomes an ordeal to use. But 11x14 Ektachrome is something to see!

 

[x-ray]

My heaviest camera. 5x7View attachment 4817342

Nice Ebony!

 

[Rayt]

Nice Ebony!

I haven‘t shot with it for 3 years. Need to do something about that!

 

[x-ray]

I haven‘t shot with it for 3 years. Need to do something about that!

I have it’s little brother the SV45-TE. I’m ashamed to say I’ve not shot it in a few years either. I had plans to take it out today but true to form it’s raining. Im getting ready to sell the 8x10 due to arthritis in my wrists. It just too heavy on them and 4x5 or 5x7 are plenty big.

Rayt, it’s funny that I’ve been to the same place you shot your aviator in Tucumcari. I made exactly the same shot.

 

[Rayt]

I have it’s little brother the SV45-TE. I’m ashamed to say I’ve not shot it in a few years either. I had plans to take it out today but true to form it’s raining. Im getting ready to sell the 8x10 due to arthritis in my wrists. It just too heavy on them and 4x5 or 5x7 are plenty big.

Rayt, it’s funny that I’ve been to the same place you shot your aviator in Tucumcari. I made exactly the same shot.

My last trip with the 5x7 was to Tucumcari. I have an irrational interest in fading Americana and every year I set out to photograph old towns and buildings. Downtown Tucumcari is a treasure trove for that. I shot 100 sheets over 3 weeks with maybe 10 keepers. I was sick for a week during the middle of it and spent the time in motel rooms on the road. Don’t know if it was Covid because at the time there were no testing for it. I only brought two lenses a Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar W but only used it once. The others were with a Cooke PS945 a portrait lens for 4x5. I used it mostly wide open for that Noctilux look. Due to the pandemic I never bought the Epsom flatbed to scan the negatives. On the light table the Tucumcari shots came out ok.

Iphone saves the day. The avatar was shot with it and so was this:

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Canham 8x10 traditional.....

 

[Deleted member 65559]

1938 Deardorff 5x7

 

[x-ray]

My last trip with the 5x7 was to Tucumcari. I have an irrational interest in fading Americana and every year I set out to photograph old towns and buildings. Downtown Tucumcari is a treasure trove for that. I shot 100 sheets over 3 weeks with maybe 10 keepers. I was sick for a week during the middle of it and spent the time in motel rooms on the road. Don’t know if it was Covid because at the time there were no testing for it. I only brought two lenses a Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar W but only used it once. The others were with a Cooke PS945 a portrait lens for 4x5. I used it mostly wide open for that Noctilux look. Due to the pandemic I never bought the Epsom flatbed to scan the negatives. On the light table the Tucumcari shots came out ok.

Iphone saves the day. The avatar was shot with it and so was this:
View attachment 4818307

This is so funny, we stayed at the Blue Swallow three nights. We packed our Mini Cooper S and took the minimum and did 5000 miles over nearly 4 weeks following Route 66 from Oklahoma to AZ. The farthest we went was Phoenix to visit friends. Great adventure. I drove mostly 66 from Albuquerque to Oklahoma in 1975 because the interstate wasn’t completed and there were large sections we had to do 66. I was busting a hump to get back home but now treasure the experience.

Hate to hear you were sick. That’s can kill a great trip quickly.