Cirkut Camreas

Wade D · Feb 8, 2009

Has anyone used or seen an old Cirkut camera? I have some old negatives which are 8in. by 4ft. and date from the 40's or 50's. I also have some film from that era which have not been opened. Obviously the film is no good being so old but I am just curious if anyone here has used or seen these cameras. From what I can gather they were popular back in those bygone days.

Dan Henderson · Feb 8, 2009

Jamie Young, who I have not seen post here for quite a while, is the go-to guy for Cirkuts; he owns and uses several of these cameras. He has brought them to Bill Schwab's "Photostock" event in northern Michigan the past 2 summers and did some really great photos of the group. Jamie's web site is at http://www.jamieyoungphoto.com, where you will see some examples of his photographs made with Cirkuts.

panoramic · Feb 8, 2009

Just a quick note to tell you that I know Cirkut photography is alive and well in Alaska and a few other places in the world.

Cirkut cameras still find use in several ways where digital or modern equipment is not as good. For example photographing 500 people in a group, the cirkut provides a very sharp image, and is easy and cheap to print. The size of the camera (as big as an 8x10 view camera) commands an audience and gives the impression that something important is happening, plus the best part about cirkut use... IT'S FUN!

Ron Klein
Juneau, Alaska

jamie young · Feb 8, 2009

I'm still here. And Ron, who posted above, is just about the best cirkut shooter out there. He is also very knowledgeable about the cameras. They are hard to work but fun to use. I'm in the process of moving, so won't be doing much till spring.

mhcfires · Feb 8, 2009

Someone has posted a 10" Cirkut on Fleabay for a buy-it-now price of $1300? Looks like it is complete, just don't have the $ right now. Good for someone, guess the price is about right.

Wade D · Feb 9, 2009

I did a search and there is quite a bit of info on the web. It's good to hear that the cameras are still being used. The devloping process must be interesting to say the least.

Len Robertson · Feb 9, 2009

Michael - It will be interesting to see if anyone bids on that #10. It looks to be a decent usable camera. I'm not sure, but it may even be a re-list. I think he had it on eBay before at about that price, and didn't get a bid. $1300 is about half what a #10 would have sold for not very many years ago.

Jamie or Ron - Any idea if Kodak still does the special orders of Cirkut color neg film? I don't want any. I'm just curious. I haven't heard any mention of it in several years, and sort of guess Kodak dropped it along with Verichrome Pan, Azo, and all the other goodies they have killed.

Len

mhcfires · Feb 9, 2009

Len Robertson said:
Michael - It will be interesting to see if anyone bids on that #10. It looks to be a decent usable camera. I'm not sure, but it may even be a re-list. I think he had it on eBay before at about that price, and didn't get a bid. $1300 is about half what a #10 would have sold for not very many years ago.

Jamie or Ron - Any idea if Kodak still does the special orders of Cirkut color neg film? I don't want any. I'm just curious. I haven't heard any mention of it in several years, and sort of guess Kodak dropped it along with Verichrome Pan, Azo, and all the other goodies they have killed.

Len

I think I have seen it up in the near past, I only wish I had the money, I would buy it and use it. Most people are using aerographic film. Kodak makes 9 1/2 inch aero film, you can use it successfully
with a small spacer. It is also quite expensive, Kodak has a minimum of ten rolls to be purchased at a price of $750/roll. Developing it can be an adventure in itself. I developed a roll of 122 Verichrome Pan in an open bucket. It worked, but what a hassle. I'll do it again, I enjoy the camera.

mhcfires · Feb 9, 2009

Just noticed on Fleabay that someone has bid on that 10" Cirkut, so I guess that for $1300 + $50 or so shipping, it will have a new home. Hope the person buying it uses it.

mferrarini · Feb 13, 2009

Len - Kodak Portra 160 NC on a 25.4 cm x 6 ft roll is available from any Kodak dealer. 25.4cm is equivalent to 10 in. Why Kodak mixes up two different measuring systems in one description is anybody's guess. Curiously, there is no indication on the box that the film is for Cirkut cameras. The film does not seem to be listed on any of Kodak's on-line information sites. There is no minimum purchase, buy one roll, or twenty. I believe its around $35 a roll and was readily available as recently as last fall. This may not be widely known. I recently saw an expired roll of this stuff sell on the auction site for more than a fresh one would have from a dealer. The catalog number is 847 0940.
Speaking of having FUN, I would be most interested in making contact with any experienced Cirkut shooters in the Seattle area for exchanging ideas and hopefully going out on a shoot. I have an untested #10 that Ron Klein cleaned up for me. Spring is just around the corner.

Wade D · Feb 14, 2009

I haven't done a search yet but some of you might know where I can get 8in.x? rolls of paper so I can print the negs I have. Freestyle might have it. I would really like to print these somehow. The historical society in San Diego might be interested in seeing what I have. Not for profit of course but just to let others see the images.

Anscojohn · Feb 14, 2009

Wade D said:
Has anyone used or seen an old Cirkut camera? I have some old negatives which are 8in. by 4ft. and date from the 40's or 50's. I also have some film from that era which have not been opened. Obviously the film is no good being so old but I am just curious if anyone here has used or seen these cameras. From what I can gather they were popular back in those bygone days.

*****
I worked with an outfit that used one for group portraits. This was back in the 1960s. It used big rolls of Verichrome Pan. Negs were contact printed, of course. We had a dark room guy who got started printing an order of several hundred. He did not lock the contact printer completely on one end. The boss had to trash a whoooooolllllle lot of prints that were slightly unsharp at one end. Boss told stories of wiseguys who would stand at a spot until the camera panned by him, then beatfeet it further on and get in the picture twice. We souped the film in a ceramic deep tank sunk partially in the floor, in Permadol developer.

jamie young · Feb 14, 2009

Till a few years ago kodak put out a printed "professional products" catalog that had all the weird stuff in it and was fairly complete. As digital took over they dropped it, along with a lot of the products. Most of the stuff still available could be found online though. But it was downhill from there. I can't find anything on their website now and you can contact whatever they call the professional products division now and hope you get someone that might have a vague idea about the product you are looking for and whether they still sell it. Last time I heard portra 160nc 10" x 6' cirkut film was available by the roll, but they don't make it easy to figure it out. You have to hunt it down.
By removing or hiding your products list online, and not publishing it anywhere, you pretty much are taking away the demand for it as no one knows you are selling it. My only conclusion is they want to not sell these products anymore. It's sad to see kodak destroy their own market, but they clearly are either completely inept or making a conscious decision to shrink the specialty film market. I can't even easily figure out what aerial film is being made. I'm assuming it's a conscious but stupid marketing decision. Wouldn't it be smart though to have a complete online products list. I can't believe it would be that hard to maintain. Anyway, hope color cirkut film is still made. If so, I wonder how much longer.

mferrarini · Feb 14, 2009

Kodak 160 NC , 10''x6' roll, catalog #847 0940. I just bought some a few months ago. Ordered through Glazer's in Seattle, although you can get it through any Kodak professional products dealer. It took only a few days, so I believe that Kodak keeps this product in stock. It is a real tragedy how these products are being killed through a deliberate process of withholding information.

DougGrosjean · Feb 21, 2009

I bought a Cirkut #10 in July 2008, from Kenneth Snelson. It came well reccomended by at least a couple people here on this site. I've shot about 8-10 images with it, including one at a motorcycle rally in Duluth MN with about 1,000 people in the image. Setting up and shooting such a scene is one of the most amazing photographic experiences I've had in my life, combining drafting and composition and photography skills all into one. Also coaching skills, as I had 3 assistants for that shot, and basically coached them an hour ahead of time, and laid out the shot, as we had just 15 minutes to get all the people into place at 4:00 PM.

Here's a rough pic of the result. The colored version is several d*g* images, stitched; b/w is Cirkut:
http://www.aerostich.com/files/images/detailed/660_1hb_fadeBW.jpg

And here's the very cool sales pitch from the Aerostich catalog:
http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=20803

I'm a newbie at Cirkut stuff, so at this point that's the climax of my Cirkut experience. But had been reading about the subject for a couple years before buying one. Seems to me there's about 1-2 Cirkut photogs using them in states east of the Mississippi, and fewer than that in states west of the Mississippi. But that's just a guesstimate on my part.

jamie young · Feb 23, 2009

There have been a couple of professional school group companies still shooting cirkuts, hence the continued availability of film. Don't know the status now, but kodak will only be selling the 10" color if there is profit in it, though I heard at one time the profit was in the paper they sold these companies, to make the hundreds of prints each school bought, multiplied by the many schools shot. So the profit was in the paper, but the film was needed to shoot the photos. I think there are a few more shooters for now than that, but they are just doing it on their own and off the radar.

mhcfires · Feb 23, 2009

Where do you get 10" Portra processed?

Wade D · Feb 24, 2009

I found that Ilford makes 8in. x 250ft. rolls for about $75.00. More than I need for the few Cirkut negs I have but I can always cut some 8x10's out of the roll. Or I could make a crazy big pinhole camera to make some panoramas. No end to the creative uses of a long roll of paper.

bauschj · Mar 23, 2009

Reply to Ron

panoramic said:
Just a quick note to tell you that I know Cirkut photography is alive and well in Alaska and a few other places in the world.

Cirkut cameras still find use in several ways where digital or modern equipment is not as good. For example photographing 500 people in a group, the cirkut provides a very sharp image, and is easy and cheap to print. The size of the camera (as big as an 8x10 view camera) commands an audience and gives the impression that something important is happening, plus the best part about cirkut use... IT'S FUN!

Ron Klein
Juneau, Alaska

Ron,

Long time. What's going on? I'm now in Salem, OR. Am retired and doing some work with the D700 and machine shop.

Jim Bausch, bauschj@aol.com

mhcfires · Apr 1, 2009

There is another 10" Cirkut on ebay. Looks to be complete, with Portra 160 film and other stuff. Wants $2899.

Cirkut Camreas

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