Bergheil question

[GregW]

My 9X12 Bergheil has a small thin black metal 'septum' along the bottom groove of the plate channel, it's free to move inward and let a plate slide in but with some, the plateholder (the ground glass holder goes under for instance) goes under this. Is this an old modification or do other Bergheils have this as well. It's annoying is why i ask and if not original I might try and remove it.
greg

 

[Ian Grant]

Not 100% sure what you mean,

Some cameras take plate holders that have a lip on the bottom as well as the sides, so it's not a modification, more likely your not using 100% compatible plate holders. That doesn't mean what you have won't work fine.

I don't have a Bergheil but non of my 6 9x12 cameras have anything similar, however I have a boxes with of 100+ metal plate holders sorted by size and then edge fit and while most have a flat bottom edge just a few have an edge strip.

Or are you talking about howe the glass plate fits into the holder ? Photos would be useful.

Ian

 

[GregW]

I thought it might be tough to explain! BTW The camera was a woman photographer's from before the war, it didn't come with a ground glass-i use the one from my Avus, it came with a conversion back for 31/4x 4 1/4. Here's pics with the part indicated.

 

[Ian Grant]

It's what I assumed you meant, I think it's just there as a light trap and that the ideal plate holders have a small lip that fits under. I've definitely got some with a lip at the bottom.

Ian

 

[GregW]

I'm using the ones that fit my Avus as I have a nice stack of light tight ones with film sleeves, They will go over this but I have to depress it with my thumb and it's more fiddly. Do you think it was added at some point to the camera? It's black enamel metal btw. There is a strip of felt under it which is in fine condition. So no worries about leaks.

 

[Ian Grant]

I think it was probably made like that, but I'd guess it wasn't designed to be pushed down.

Ian