Bummed again same week...

Papilio glaucus

D
Papilio glaucus

  • 0
  • 0
  • 7
The Bee keeper

A
The Bee keeper

  • 1
  • 4
  • 138
120 Phoenix Red?

A
120 Phoenix Red?

  • 7
  • 3
  • 142
Chloe

A
Chloe

  • 1
  • 3
  • 131
Fence line

A
Fence line

  • 10
  • 3
  • 172

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,175
Messages
2,770,646
Members
99,574
Latest member
snapsthoughts
Recent bookmarks
0

kjsphoto

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Messages
1,320
Format
Sub 35mm
Well,

Today I decided to head out and take some pictures as I am getting ready for the return of the VC head I am sending out. Well it goes out in a few hours so I am just anticipating the return. Anyway, there I was in the middle of a river just taking in the sites. Took my shots and headed back to the car. Feet frozen or would have stayed longer.

Set my tripod against near the car and was getting ready to pack my camera so I could move on. And what you know the tripod slipped on ICE and went over. I grabbed it but the 4x5 body now has a nice chuck taken out of the side! It hit some tree limbs, which stopped it from hitting the ground. The lens is fine but I am really worried about the bellows’. I cannot see any physical damage except for the chunk missing and a few scratches on the body. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? Are the bellows pretty strong?

Well at least the camera is now considered broken in and maybe I look like a real photographer now! LOL!

Kev
 

rogueish

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2004
Messages
876
Location
3rd Rock
Format
Multi Format
OUCH! :surprised:
You can check the bellows by carefully inserting a lightbulb and turning it on while in a darkened room. Any holes will light up. In fact I would check the whole camera if you can. Also check the alignment, does the film holders slide in and out with the same ease as before?
I had a cat playing with the straps hanging of my 35mm. ended up pulling the camera off the table onto the nice hard cement floor. Don't worry the cat survived (only cause he was faster than me). Broke both the film and battery cover latches. Thankfull (like you) the lens was ok. It's worth more than the camera. Actully it turned out that to fix the latches was worth more than the camera body. So I bought a $2 roll of green painters tape (don't use electrical tape, trust me) and now I have a working conversation starter.
 

noseoil

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
2,887
Location
Tucson
Format
Multi Format
Kevin, I think it may be time to check your horoscope. Sounds like your moons are screwed up. This too shall pass.

I don't walk around with my camera attached to the tripod, too many cactus with spikes everywhere and branches with claws. I will walk around with a 35mm camera attached to the tripod for the sake of convenience, but not usually anything larger. Mostly this is due to weight, the Bogen 3051 tripod and 3047 head weighs in at 17#, add a larger camera with a lens and my shoulder gets too tired for a long walk. Normally I have a backpack for LF and a strap on the tripod for my wanderings. It does take a little longer for setup, but I'm not in a hurry. Fortunately for me, this is recreation and not work.

Oh, almost forgot to ask, what is ice? tim, tucson
 

Jim Moore

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2003
Messages
952
Location
Iowa
Format
Large Format
Man Kev that really sucks.

Take the camera in your darkroom. Put your lensboard/lens on the camera. Take off the back and put a small flashlight inside the camera (Turned on). Replace the back and insert a film holder.

If there are any light leaks you should be able to see them.
 

dr bob

Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Messages
870
Location
Annapolis, M
Format
Medium Format
Kev: In total darkness. Place a bare bulb flashlight, or equivalent such as the “mini-maglight” sans the lens, inside the bellows. Any holes in the bellows will project light about the walls and ceiling like a planetarium. Move the lamp about and especially towards the rear area where the film normally resides. Some small holes will not impact film fogging depending on their location. Any holes can be repaired easily with some black tape or, more permanently, with black rtv cement.
 

Jorge

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2002
Messages
4,515
Format
Large Format
Well Kevin, dont be bummed and welcome to the club. Not 3 months after I got my brand new Gandolfi I smacked it against a rock.....like you say it is now broken in... :smile:
 

mark

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
5,700
I never leave my camera attached to the tripod because of this sort of thing. At least my camera was a Busch Pressman D. When it hit the pavement the asphalt received more damage than the camera. I just had to replace the ground glass. The side has a small nick but that was not bad for a 6 foot fall.

I feel your pain though. I damn near had a heart attack as I watched mine fall in slow motion
 

lee

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2002
Messages
2,911
Location
Fort Worth T
Format
8x10 Format
Two years ago in AZ near the border Frank F and I stopped to photograph a little church and the wind was blowing so strong it blew my camera on the tripod over and I lost 2 little bitty screws that are used in holding the lens board on. This was in a rock and gravel parking lot. Took what seemed hours to find the little screws but Frank's eyesight is better than mine and he found them. Fool around with these cameras long enough and something is bound to happen.

lee\c
 
OP
OP

kjsphoto

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Messages
1,320
Format
Sub 35mm
Yeah the slow motion is the worst. It is almost like you are frozen in time. You see it happening but you cant move and your jaw just drops and your stomach get ill.

How do you know if it is out of alignment?

Jorge> Man I feel your pain especially with a rock. Man....

About th efilm holders I am not sure as I havent used the camera in a few months. I did have a mis hap as after wards one holder went in eaisly enough but I couldnt get the slide back in. It only happened that once and I took about 10 frames the other day...
 

bmac

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2002
Messages
2,154
Location
San Jose, CA
Format
Multi Format
rogueish said:
OUCH! :surprised:
You can check the bellows by carefully inserting a lightbulb and turning it on while in a darkened room. Any holes will light up. In fact I would check the whole camera if you can..
Just be careful that the bulb isnt too close to the bellows. I am not ready to tell the story of the reason I know this.. ha!:tongue:
 

roteague

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
6,641
Location
Kaneohe, Haw
Format
4x5 Format
Jorge said:
Well Kevin, dont be bummed and welcome to the club.

I dumped my Toyo in the surf a few months ago, so I am a member of that club as well. It took me forever to get the sand out of it. Fortunately, the camera won't rust, but, it sure is showing signs of aging.
 

Adrian Twiss

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Messages
618
Location
Wigan (oop N
Format
Multi Format
Just to add to the catalogue of tragic events. I was photographing in Lancashire (near the Anglezarke resevoir) on Sunday and pointed by spot meter at a specular reflection on the water. The indicator swung off the scale and it hasn't worked since. It was an old Minolta with an internal motor that moves the scale when the trigger is pressed.

To quote Ansel Adams - "Bugger"
 
OP
OP

kjsphoto

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Messages
1,320
Format
Sub 35mm
How do you know if the camera is out of alignment? The camera that took the beating was the shen hao. I still havent been able to ceck to the bellows due to some emergencies that popped up. Thanks,

Kev
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom