Press Camera Website

[graywolf]

Blowing my own horn here, but I have a section about press cameras on my graywolfphoto website.

http://www.graywolfphoto.com/

I have not recently updated it, but then the cameras are a lot older than the website. I like to think that the info I have there is useful to folks who like old press cameras. It is more orientated to using the cameras as they were used in the old days than to "which camera should I buy?" The site is entirely non-commercail, not even any ads.

 

[robklurfield]

Tom, I love this paragraph from your site.

We tend to be very precise with our photography today. That is a legacy of 50 years of 35mm work, and the fine art movement of the 1970's. Fill the frame. Crop in the camera. Previsualize. Get the exposure exactly right. Focus must be dead on. Use a tripod. Zone system. Spotmeter. Temperature control to 1/4 a degree. Comb your hair, stand up straight. Rules, rules, and more rules. Nonsense!

 

[oftheherd]

Tom, I love this paragraph from your site.

Quote:
We tend to be very precise with our photography today. That is a legacy of 50 years of 35mm work, and the fine art movement of the 1970's. Fill the frame. Crop in the camera. Previsualize. Get the exposure exactly right. Focus must be dead on. Use a tripod. Zone system. Spotmeter. Temperature control to 1/4 a degree. Comb your hair, stand up straight. Rules, rules, and more rules. Nonsense!

Look forward to when you start talking about other Press cameras. As to your quoted statement, obviously you and I travelled in different circles. 😀

 

[graywolf]

Look forward to when you start talking about other Press cameras. As to your quoted statement, obviously you and I travelled in different circles. 😀

Got to take that paragraph in context.

Other cameras? I guess you are looking for an equipment collecting site, plenty of those around, I tried for a how it was done site.

Most of the time the cameras were used as big flash snapshot cameras. If the negative was usable that was all there was to it. True, sometimes one had to slow down and do it right, but often then a real view camera was used.

I have owned two Crown Graphics, the current one on the website I still have, a Linhof Super Technika, and two Mamiya Universal Press cameras, I wish I still had the last Mamiya. Ok, I also wish I had a LST V, and an ancient 5x7 Speed Graphic too. I would not turn down a nice Pacemaker Speed Graphic 23 either.

However, the only gripe I have with the camera I have is that I can no longer get 4x5 Polaroid Sheet film.

 

[kuzano]

I was heavily into press cameras for some time....

I was heavily into press cameras for some time....

two Mamiya Universal Press cameras, I wish I still had the last Mamiya. However, the only gripe I have with the camera I have is that I can no longer get 4x5 Polaroid Sheet film.

Slowly gotten out of it. I still have one superb or excellent plus Universal with 100/3.5. Both pieces are 9.5 out of ten. If you've never seen a Universal with NO dings in the top cover, I've one to show you. It looks like it's a new cover, plus the body has almost no paint loss and tight coverings.

These two pieces are hard for me to part with and if I had a film back in as good condition, I'd probably still shoot this camera alongside my Fuji G690/65

 

[oftheherd]

graywolf - I was referring to such cameras as the Mamiya Unversal/Super Press 23. I have the latter and I really like eveything about it except for its weight, but I can live with that for the big negatives.

I was trained to use the 4x5 Speed Graphic for crime scene use, but when I got to Vietnam, we didn't have any kind of camera, much less a 4x5. When I took crime scene photos, it was with my Minolta 16 or my Welta Welti. It would have been fun to have had a Speed Graphic to use. We would have been looking for the best photo possible, not just adequate. Surprising how good the Minolta worked for 4x5 and 5x7 photos.

kuzano - You should try to get a good user, ebay or otherwise. Those really are great cameras to use. The 6x7 backs listed in good shape go for $60 to $100, with the 6x9 backs going for more. My 23 looks pretty good on top and the sides, but the front of the sides has had paint knocked off. Considering I used to carry that camera along with a 35mm kit around and about, it's a wonder it doesn't look worse. However, it works fine.

 

[graywolf]

Unfortunately, the foam lightseals in the Mamiya backs did not stand up well. The Graphic backs stood up to time better, but did not hold the film as flat. I had both adapters with my Universal and shot 6x7 in an RH10 back and 6x9 in a Mamiya back. One advantage of the RH10 back was you could put the insert in upside down and advance the camera from underneath so you did not have to take it away from your eye.

 

[Carterofmars]

Cool site! Great work.

 

[outfitter]

I appreciated your comments on the Wollensak Velostigmats (Optars) I'm glad someone has finally explained to modern users the design purpose behind not only Velostigmats but Heliars and even Tessars. You want sharp stop down otherwise enjoy the luminosity. It seems only when you go beyond miniature film formats do photographers get more concerned with with the image created by the lens rather than the physics of the lens performance.

 

[Luna]

I appreciated your comments on the Wollensak Velostigmats (Optars) I'm glad someone has finally explained to modern users the design purpose behind not only Velostigmats but Heliars and even Tessars. You want sharp stop down otherwise enjoy the luminosity. It seems only when you go beyond miniature film formats do photographers get more concerned with with the image created by the lens rather than the physics of the lens performance.

Amen to that.

PS: Great little site.