Full Plate Korona camera: a few questions...

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You can try to patch the bellows up and see if the thing suits you first. I have used (cheap) black masking tape and (expensive but still cheaper than a bellows) 3M 850 black polyester tape with some success. The 3M 850 is 80usd per 1" by 72 yards, but it sticks very well and the bellows will fold as normal because the tape is so thin, plus it's absolutely opaque. There's also just draping a dark cloth over the whole bellows. I don't know who you've contacted about replacement bellows, but evilBay vendor from China 'ecbuyonline' has done a set for me for a Seneca 8x10 and it's good and reasonably priced; I think he has a domestic outlet as well, in Kentucky if memory serves.

Thought I'd cap this off with the finished camera, ready to shoot. Just waiting on a focus cloth and to cut down some X-Ray film to start getting used to this camera.

After that, I'll start exploring maybe some Agfa Aviphot or Ilford Delta 100 when I am sure everything is light tight and functional.

Got my Wollensak Voltas F-8 convertible lens in a Betax #3 shutter mounted on a surplus lens board I had laying around, but will probably replace it in the future, as it is off-center, but I am tired of waiting and want to start shooting soon.

Kino said:

Thought I'd cap this off with the finished camera, ready to shoot. Just waiting on a focus cloth and to cut down some X-Ray film to start getting used to this camera.

After that, I'll start exploring maybe some Agfa Aviphot or Ilford Delta 100 when I am sure everything is light tight and functional.

Got my Wollensak Voltas F-8 convertible lens in a Betax #3 shutter mounted on a surplus lens board I had laying around, but will probably replace it in the future, as it is off-center, but I am tired of waiting and want to start shooting soon.

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Nothing wrong with off center. Gets you more front rise or if you run out of fall turn it upside down. That’s a splendid lens for that outfit.

jimgalli said:

Nothing wrong with off center. Gets you more front rise or if you run out of fall turn it upside down. That’s a splendid lens for that outfit.

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Thanks!

I thought that might be the reason for the off-center hole, but wasn't sure. Glad to have that suspicion confirmed!

The image on the ground glass is amazing. Wide open, I was expecting a lot less detail and more of a vintage look than I witnessed, but by all aspects it looks very modern; Stopped-down it should be incredible.

Guess those guys back then knew what they were doing after all.

Just hope I can do them justice...

Kino said:

Thanks!

Hope I don't have to take out a mortgage to buy a suitable lens for this camera...

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A 254mm (combined) Zeiss/B+L Protar VIIa set would work well on this camera. Some older inside-writing Fujinon W lenses, say 180mm and 250/6.7, would also be suitable. The 180 W would provide a suitable wide-angle lens at reasonable cost.