can any one tell me what camera/lens combination bill brandt used to achieve his interior pictures and landscapes with their monumental depth of field. I have attached a picture of the camera im told he used. the attached picture shows what i guess is an 8x10 its been described to me as either a forensic camera or a detective camera the lens im told is a very wide angle. What format ? what lens? can any body shed any light on this for me? Thanks David
It appears to be a home built 8x10 with an extreme wide angle lens, possibly about 6.5". It is impossible to tell more about it from the photograph. JIm
An extremely wide angle 8x10" is the Burke & James Orbitar. It has no bellows, but a helical focusing mount and something like a 90mm lens or thereabouts. Maybe not exactly what he used, but certainly the same idea.
...Lot 267: KODAK WIDE-ANGLE CAMERA, originally belonging to BILL BRANDT Bill Brandt - 1904-1983 Auction House: Christie's Auction Location: United Kingdom .Auction Title: PHOTO Description: A whole-plate mahogany and brass camera with removable bellows and baseboard section with a Zeiss Protar f.18 8.5 cm. lens no. 1355381, a Zeiss protar f.18 11 cm. lens no. 938858 and eight double dark slides. LITERATURE Haworth-Booth, Remembering Bill Brandt, V. & A. Album, No. 3, 1984, pp. 40 and 45. EXHIBITION Barbican Art Gallery, 'Bill Brandt Photographs 1928-1983', London, 1993. NOTES This camera, acquired by Brandt in 1945, was that used for his series of experimental nudes, started in the same year. .. Sam H.
