I love my AVUS 9x12

I have been taking my 4x5 out lately, but its becoming luggage. So for the heck of it, I started carrying my AVUS 9x12 and really enjoying the managable weight n real estate savings in my day pack.

As for sharpness... the lenses Ive been playing with are all sharp as a tack. I transplanted shutters from a Zeiss Maximar and one from the MP3 polaroid all with glass n have to say, they all preform very well.

I wish it were easier to change lenses to give some variety.

Negatives are beautiful and not much smaller than a 4x5. YEAH im stuck with only one or two films still available. The films arent bad at all but some variety would be nice. I guess cutting sheets is the answer there. I made a jig to do that but sicne Im having so much fun without the headaches... i dont care what film i use anymore.

are there any other AVUS or 9x12 shooters out there?

I acquired a nice Avus 9x12 last month... Came with 4 plate carriers with correct film sheaths, later bought four more. - I got a bit carried away and bought one very nasty Zeiss Ikon 6x9 Maximar and a very good bitsa 6x9 (Tessar/Compur), too. The latter is currently being used with the roll film adapter which came with Maximar. I had to turn a new roller for it with a lathe and is still being evaluated...
This has made me realize I really like shooting slow! I get DSLR used enough in my work. One lesson I had forgotten: (shot large format last time 1999), you really have to be careful with dust removal... Using roll-film adapter isn't that much easier, let's see which one will get more use..? Size not very different, either.
Probably will have to upgrade my enlarger... Tray processing sheet film in the long run isn't feasible so I'm in the process of making a sheet film carrier in style of Kodak Primo tank to fit in a three-roll Paterson tank. I've always been a B&W shooter, so don't miss any colour option.
Very much fun!

I use mine with the lens it came with. I really enjoy using it; the negatives are sharp and besides using it with 9x12 film I also use it with 120. Some time ago I acquired a Rada 6x9 Roll Film Adapter and it works great.

paul ron said:

YEAH im stuck with only one or two films still available. The films arent bad at all but some variety would be nice.

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Some of the films available in 9x12:

Ilford FP4 Plus
Ilford HP5 Plus
Ilford Delta 100
Fomapan 100
Fomapan 200
Fomapan 400
Foma Retropan 320

Rollei RPX 25 is available in 9x12 from some sellers, but it has the same thickness as 120 film.

Adox CHS 100 II might be available in 9x12 again, if they can start producing it again.

I bought a 9x12 to shoot plates in that size. I also sell a fair number of 9x12 plates mostly to photographers in Europe. Stearman Press started offering a 9x12 plate holder for their SP-445 tank. Works well.

The results always looked good.. I figured the lenses for 9x12’s were the same as for 4x5’s of the period, so the off-axis correction is better out to the edge of the format.

I love shooting 9x12 here in the US and seem to readily find these popping up for sale at reasonable prices. It's worlds more portable than my Orbit 4x5. I'm one of Jason's customers who really enjoy shooting plates, but I have lucked up to come across a 50 pack of Foma 100 not too long ago. Unfortunately, I have ONE sheath, and I've not been able to find it lately nor any others for sale, so my shooting of flexible film in the handful of lovely 9x12's in my collection waits for another day.

9x12 AVUS owner here. Haven't shot it yet but I have used my Zeiss Ikon Maximar and Ihagee Patent Duplex with both film and photo paper. Can't wait to compare the Voightlander Scopar to the Zeiss Tessar and the Schneider Xenar.