Eightbanners Chinese Pinhole Cameras?

[StephenS]

Good to see you here Stephen! Very nice web site btw! Impressive work.

Dave in Vegas

Why, thank you. It's sort of new and always under construction - a place to keep recycling images.

I must add the whole zone plate thing I've been into lately has been quite stimulating. Am planning to incorporate a series of these into my documentary work in the upcoming months.

 

[Dave Wooten]

1. So are you at the moment in Israel or NY?

2. As this thread pertains to your use of the Pinhole camera in question...I find it interesting that working photo journalists in light of the immediacy and prevalence of digital in the profession have in some cases reverted for some of their work to other alternatives...i.e. pinhole, wet plate, tintype etc...I was priviledged to meet Rob Kendrick in Nevada this winter and permitted to see and handle some of his beautiful Tintypes used in documentary of Texas cowboys...it certainly adds another reflection, meaning and emotion to a story....

 

[StephenS]

So are you at the moment in Israel or NY?

NY. I will be heading back to Israel for a stay of several months soon though.

PS - As I'm responding here, I'm figuring out how the boards work.

 

[Dave Wooten]

oops....i hit reply before completion of the post above.... edit added...

 

[StephenS]

2. As this thread pertains to your use of the Pinhole camera in question...I find it interesting that working photo journalists in light of the immediacy and prevalence of digital in the profession have in some cases reverted for some of their work to other alternatives...i.e. pinhole, wet plate, tintype etc...I was priviledged to meet Rob Kendrick in Nevada this winter and permitted to see and handle some of his beautiful Tintypes used in documentary of Texas cowboys...it certainly adds another reflection, meaning and emotion to a story....

As this work is documentary in nature, the issue of immediacy is not so pressing for this project. My method, in terms of the technical, for this is traditional - I shoot with a rangefinder and some Tri-X.

I think your point about digital is an excellent one and one I've been contemplating, discussing, and even lecturing about for the past 5 or 6 years. I was involved with the transition from film to digital on several newspapers and coming from a fine arts background I found the change interesting on many levels.

My opinion is we'll be seeing more of this interest in 'other' techniques as people again come to realize there is an inherant quality, or a different set of values, in imagry that embraces the idea of gesture - the hand of the maker is central to the weight of the work.

Its wonderful to see these changes and the mix of the traditional with the new is exciting.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Well said! Stephen I certainly hope to hear more from you and your work...keep in touch...and welcome to the forum...

Dave in Vegas

 

[StephenS]

Well said! Stephen I certainly hope to hear more from you and your work...keep in touch...and welcome to the forum...

Dave in Vegas

Thanks again and I hope to be hearing and learning more from people who are interested in some of the processes I'm excited about.

 

[magic823]

Well its here! My Eight Banners "Dragon" arrived today. Looks good. It's a little tricky to load, but I'll get better with practice. Ilford needs to print the numbers on the paper backing at little darker. Its difficult to see them through the red window. The shutter looks good and it comes with 2 each of three different sizes of pinholes. The manual is in Chinese with zero english, but its not too difficult to figure out.

Looking forward to trying it out this weekend.

Steve

 

[StephenS]

Nice! I'm waiting for the 'metal' model. I'm hoping it's built like a tank!

To me, all of these cameras are very cool and I have a big modification for one in mind.

 

[magic823]

Sample from my Dragon 618

Attached is a sample from a shot I took yesterday playing arround with my new Dragon 618. I definately need to get used to the format.

Shot in FP-4, 125 ISO, f/200 (0.03 Pinhole), 35 sec., Developed 9 mins in Rodinal. Scanned from neg with an Epson 3200. I done some minor fall-off corrections in Photoshop.

 

[Dave Wooten]

....is there a page with prices and ordering info including all specs....on these cameras, including the dragon?
thanks

 

[magic823]

Dead Link Removed

 

[Dave Wooten]

thanks Magic!

 

[Skip]

Holy crap!

 

[StephenS]

Get the new metal series. The Mb is very nice.

 

[buze]

So, where does one buy these cameras ? eBay doesn't list any around here, and the website has prices, but doesn't seem to have an ordering page...

That 4x5 sure looks good!

 

[buze]

As a followup on this; I tried to email the company a few days ago, and never got a reply.

I have a Zero Image on loan, but I don't like it that much:
+ You can't put the camera on a table in landscape mode (the two elastic band pods are in the way)
+ You can't put the camera on a tripod in landscape mode with the fairly common Manfrotto quick release head -- doh! These elastic band pods again...
+ 25mm is a bit too wide for me, and I don't want to use a permanent extension to reach 50mm

 

[Bob K.]

8Banners web site:

Dead Link Removed

i recently purchased an Mb. terrific... can even be used hand-held with their shutter.

 

[beevebrown]

8 banners

Hi,

I just bought an 8-Banners pinhole camera (multi-format model Mb) directly from the company (Dead Link Removed. Received it in 4 days in Vermont, USA directly from Hong Kong. I did not have to pay any customs duty. Oliver Chan, the contact, is responsive and friendly.

The camera is awesome - a true beauty of functionality, simplicity, design, engineering, manufacturing, and eye for detail.

I just shot my first roll of film and developed the negatives using the "instant coffee and vitamin C" developer described on http://www.frugalphotographer.com/formulary-coffeedeveloper.htm

I scanned the negatives with my HP 2450 flat bed scanner and enhanced, cropped, etc using the "gimp" program. Really good. The images are very sharp using the 0.2mm pinhole plate.

How fun!

I highly recommend these cameras.

Steve

Other than eBay, does anyone have any ideas about how to get in touch with either the manufacturer or a distributor of this line of cameras? They are similar to the Zero Image cameras, of which I have both a 2000 and the 4X5. I've Googled and Dog Piled it and can't come up with an answer. Any ideas? Bill Barber

 

[vortex]

hi there...im new here!!

im a user of the 8 banner "MB" multiformat as well...

can check out some of my shots done with it here

 

[jd callow]

hi there...im new here!!

im a user of the 8 banner "MB" multiformat as well...

can check out some of my shots done with it here

Nice shots Vortex and welcome to APUG. You might want to go (there was a url link here which no longer exists)to introduce yourself.

 

[ilford_king]

I have purchased 2 cameras now from them, the Dragon II, and the Ma. The first one I found on eBay, then I got one directly from them. They are some very well built pinhole cameras, and unlike the wooden zero2000 I own, I don't have to worry about hurting these as much!