Erko 9x12cm folding camera

I bought this morning an Erko 'Freital' folding camera
includes 3 film or glass holders, there is also a groundglass(?)with holder. Shutter & speed are working smoothly; mayby not correct,
but who cares with a camera from......(1929)?
No lightleaks I think. I've no experience with film this size or glass negatives. This all the info I have. Is there anybody out there who can help me with some information ?

thanks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/5123593548/

Plate holders need film inserts which are standard, (like the plate size) but hard to find, unfortunately plate holders themselves aren't standard so you need to be careful to get the right type (edge fit/length etc) if you want more.

Film's easy to get in Europe, an APUG sponsor Fomafoto in Norway is a good source of 9x12 Foma films, Fotoimpex (Adox) is another.

Ian

Beautiful camera!

This discussion might lend some help with regards to film size... http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=63589

You could probably try to use 4x5" film, maybe trimmed a bit in the dark beforehand.

It's one of the large family of plate cameras in this size. The holders may have sheaths in them to hold film; if not, the sheaths can be found or made. From the picture, it looks like the camera is in good shape and might make a fine shooter.

As far as I know, the only 9x12 films in regular production are Efke 100 and Fomapan 100; Efke 100 is available from Freestyle. I suppose you could cut down 4x5, but precision cutting in total darkness sounds like a pain in the neck. Plates are essentially no longer made; they sometimes turn up on eBay, but their usability is a crapshoot. That said, it's kind of fun to shoot them and find out what happens. Rollfilm backs for shooting 120 (usually 6x9) in these cameras also exist but are kind of expensive.

Once you have the film, it functions like a fairly normal large-format camera: compose and focus on the ground glass, CLOSE THE SHUTTER, take the ground glass out and put the film holder in, STOP DOWN THE LENS, pull the darkslide, shoot, REINSERT THE DARKSLIDE, remove the holder. (The steps in caps are the ones you will inevitably forget some of the time.)

Freital seems to be the city in which Erko was based; from what I'm seeing in Google, the lens seems most likely to be a Selar, which apparently is a four-element symmetrical anastigmat like the Voigtlaender Eurynar (see http://forum.mflenses.com/unknown-beier-9x12-german-plate-camera-t32450.html, which has some analysis of a similar camera with this lens). It's not clear to me if Erkos made the camera or just the lens.

I really like these prewar plate cameras---they're very compact and a simple point of entry to the highly addictive large-format world. Enjoy it!

-NT

Ilford Delta 100, FP4 and HP5 is also available in 9x12 sizes. At least in Europe.

Really nice little camera. Wanna sell it?

Most companies make 9x12 film as it's still a Continental European standard, so Ilford (B&W) & Fuji (colour) films are readily available in Europe as well as some Kodak.

Ian

thanks all.
ntenny: thanks for the step by step ! Film is what I need now.
Jerevan: I think I got lucky today: bought this (including a brass tripod) in a second hand shop for E 22.50 ! What shall I do ;0

Ian Grant said:

Most companies make 9x12 film as it's still a Continental European standard, so Ilford (B&W) & Fuji (colour) films are readily available in Europe as well as some Kodak.

Click to expand...

I stand corrected (and I now realise the original poster is probably in Europe). I'd thought Ilford only did it during their ULF runs, but I see that it's normal stock at fotoimpex.de...albeit expensive!

Who sells the colour film? I'd love to be able to shoot 9x12 chromes (assuming I can find someone to develop them).

-NT

some details:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/5123741657/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/5124345228/in/photostream/

thanks

The cylinder is part of the shutter, where the air piston goes. The red dot looks like a bubble level. Move the little prism thingy and you'll see what happens.

Jerevan said:

The cylinder is part of the shutter, where the air piston goes. The red dot looks like a bubble level. Move the little prism thingy and you'll see what happens.

Click to expand...

Do I learn to see !!

thanks next time an Erko comes by !

for whatever it's worth, I use ortholith and x-ray film cut down to 3 1/4X4 1/4 for my voightlander plate camera. Not to mention being able to cut film and develope under a red light. I don't know where to find the film in Europe or Great Britain. But in the USA, Freestyle is my go-to people for ortho.

Fujicolor Pro160S in 9x12
http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_negativefilms/pro_160s/

Fuji Velvia 100F in 9x12
http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_reversalfilms/velvia_100f/

Best of luck finding them

There's Kodak E6 9x12 film on Ebay as well

Ian

Ordered B/W at Fotoimpex in Berlin; but I think they deliver by donkey Ian: ain't there a fine Turkish craftsman at your first adress, who can make some 'new' filminserts ? Been to Dikili some years ago but I remember well all those coppersmiths and metalworkers. Fine artists sometimes.
thanks
k.hendrik