Can someone help me figure out what this Voigtlander is all about?

[Perry Way]

As far as plate and rollfilm back compatibility, do some internet digging. If memory serves, The back on your Avus is also compatible with the Zeiss Maximar (Zeiss had at least four different backs) and the Nagel Kodaks. It also seems to be the most common standard of several used at the time. My Suydam rollfilm back states on the packaging "For Voigtlander, Zeiss Maximar and Kodak Recomar"

I took this information and used it to decide on making a purchase of three film holders for the Kodak Recomar by one of the top dollar sellers on eBay. He had plate holders for Zeiss, and a couple film packs for Voigtlander and those were expensive (in my mind), and then there were these three Kodak Recomar film holders and they were cheep by comparison so I bought them risking like all of $19 including shipping.

Now I received them this morning. During lunch slipped one on my Avus and it's a perfect fit! Here's a photo to prove it. So there probably are some variances along the way with product lines, maybe there's some Recomar film holders that won't work, but these do!

 

[Perry Way]

Well, I made an impulsive purchase on my way home. Bought a paper cutter. I've got three cameras needing special size film, that I have not shot yet, so I decided 4x5 is pretty cheep, I'll cut it and take the strips and save them for something neat later on so that nothing goes to waste. (I hate waste.. throwing away value.. big no no) So I cut down some HP5 and loaded the three film holders and I'll be shooting them tomorrow and developing them. I will not be able to enlarge them until I can find a source for an Omega D5XL negative carrier. Maybe I'll have to take a smaller size and have it cut larger. So instead of enlarging I'll contact print and share the first shots from this camera so that the thread may be of further value down the line - the next time someone stumbles across a camera like this, then they will have a lot to read about it!

 

[Ian Grant]

Welcome to the 9x12 club, I have 5 so far A bit of black shoe polish will restore that leather covering quickly.

Have to agree the backs not original but I have that problem with one of mine as well, a Rodenstock, and despite being in excellent condition the bellows are wrong, too short and not original and there's quite a variation in plate holders. Film inserts were made but can be hard to find, but Rada & Rollex 6x9 roll film backs are quite easy to find.

From the early 30's 9x12 cameras were often sold with film packs. I have some adverts for these cameras I can copy for you when I'm back in Turkey.

Ian

 

[Perry Way]

I have some adverts for these cameras I can copy for you when I'm back in Turkey.

Oh that would be cool. I love these old cameras and all the things from the old days. I remember in the 1970's, when bored and because mom didn't let me watch a lot of TV, I'd run out of games run out of everything to do so there was that giant stack of National Geographic and the Colliers Encyclopedias and all of our atlases. Well, I practically memorized all the National Geographics from 1962 until my mom stopped the subscription in the 1970's. I loved the advertisements. Photographs of liquid silver dripping all over the page. Yeah, those were the photographs!

Anyway, I saw on ePay someone selling a Burgheil manual and some kind of advertisement. I was so shocked, it wound up selling for above $45, for after that price I felt disgusted and removed it from my watch list.

 

[Perry Way]

Well, I shot three sheets of film today. One holder is a leaker. I'm going to go out on a limb and propose that the leaker is the one film holder which is bent in the middle. Does anyone know whats a good way to flatten this sheet metal without making the dimensions change? It is bent midway down the length of the holder, but not by much. I don't feel its right to just bend it back by my hand because of that crease that slides down the channel on the body. Anyone have experience with that? or a guesstimate?

I'm waiting for the negatives to dry. I pulled HP5 to 200 iso, and developed in Ilfotec DDX 8 minutes in BTZS tubes and have very nice and medium to dense negatives. Going to make some contact prints, but not sure about tonight - it's getting late.

 

[Perry Way]

Looks like more than one holder was a leaker. I think found the cause. The channel the dark slide slides down was deformed on two holders where it was creased together too tightly. I corrected it by sliding a knife down inside the channel and expanding it where it was too tight. Popped out somewhat easily. Looks a lot better now but will know for sure next time I shoot. My scanner's not working. Here's some scans from an office supply supermart. They are the first three shots this camera provided after who knows how long. They are contact prints. Contrast is a factor I'll deal with when I enlarge. As far as I'm concerned, it's time for me to stop talking and start cutting more film to fit inside the holders!