Just fixed up a Kodak 2D

Ari · Apr 26, 2020

Next in a long line of "Cameras I Will One Day Sell" is my first wood camera, the venerable Kodak 2D, nicknamed "Betsy". Finished fixing her up today after several days of work. I like what she brings to the table: strength and simplicity.

Never liked wood cameras much, even the best-made ones, like Lotus or Chamonix.
Not a knock on the companies or manufacturing, just my preference for cameras that can handle all of nature's elements and provide a good/high degree of precision.

The 2D is not my first, or fifth, choice for a camera, but these days I'm just happy to have an 8x10 back in the house after a 2-year hiatus. I'm liking the ease of use, and the fact that I can make most replacement parts myself, if needed.

But I've already spoken to Betsy, and told the old girl that while she's still got "it", she's just keeping the seat warm until I can save up enough for an Arca Swiss. Given the economy these days, Betsy may be around for a long time.

Just finished a rough adapter board, and now shooting some film to test lightproof-icity.

Donald Qualls · Apr 26, 2020

And now, Betsy's master plan: to cost you so much in 8x10 film that you can never, ever afford that hussy Arca Swiss.

Betsy's got the chain on you, and she'll never unclip it.

Ari · Apr 26, 2020

She does have a great personality, but honestly I don't need help burning film; I do that quite well on my own.

Actually, I have a question for 2D owners:
How do you deal with the front and rear standards tilting at slightly different angles, even when locked up and secure?
Do you let it drive you crazy that the two standards will never be in agreement, or do you just accept that this is what it is?

Bob S · Apr 26, 2020

Ari said:
She does have a great personality, but honestly I don't need help burning film; I do that quite well on my own.

Actually, I have a question for 2D owners:
How do you deal with the front and rear standards tilting at slightly different angles, even when locked up and secure?
Do you let it drive you crazy that the two standards will never be in agreement, or do you just accept that this is what it is?

How do you equate this with:”....preference for cameras that can handle all of nature's elements and provide a good/high degree of precision.?”

Ari · Apr 26, 2020

Bob S said:
How do you equate this with:”....preference for cameras that can handle all of nature's elements and provide a good/high degree of precision.?”

Well, money for one. Another is that it's better to have a beater camera thank no camera at all.

Richard Man · Apr 26, 2020

Jim Galli is loaning me a Kodak 2-D while I save up money to get the next 8x10 (sold my Tachihara). Comparing to the Gibellini (4x5), it's definitely "old Plymouth truck" vs. an Italian modern car ;-)

(the center column on the FLM tripod [thanks Ari!] cranked up all the way to match the height, ha ha)

Ari · Apr 26, 2020

Yours looks pretty nice, Richard; congrats!
I definitely like the big lens boards and the ability to support big lenses.
Soon I'll be getting a Kodak 12" Anastigmat and a 12" Ilex Paragon Anastigmat; big suckers, both.

By the way, does anyone have a fix for the front rise? Mine keeps slipping down with a big lens mounted.

ic-racer · Apr 26, 2020

It has been over ten years since I fixed up my old Century 8x10 camera.
Wood holds up pretty well. This camera is about 100 years old, and I suspect your camera is that age also.

Richard Man · Apr 26, 2020

Ari said:
Yours looks pretty nice, Richard; congrats!
I definitely like the big lens boards and the ability to support big lenses.
...

By the way, does anyone have a fix for the front rise? Mine keeps slipping down with a big lens mounted.

Mine is a loaner, so...

Say, do you still have that Cooke XVa? Anyway, I presume you do know that normally you pull out the front standard knob to hold it in place right? Of course if the gear is worn or something,...

jimjm · Apr 26, 2020

Ari said:
How do you deal with the front and rear standards tilting at slightly different angles, even when locked up and secure?
Do you let it drive you crazy that the two standards will never be in agreement, or do you just accept that this is what it is?

I also have an 8x10 2D, but my front/rear standards are very close to parallel with zero tilt on the rear standard, maybe about 5mm closer at the top. The weight of a lens on the front compensates for this a bit, so they're even closer to parallel.
Even with front and rear rail beds attached and the extension cranked out to over 720mm.

Is the difference on yours too much to compensate with some rear tilt?

Roger Thoms · Apr 26, 2020

Ari said:
She does have a great personality, but honestly I don't need help burning film; I do that quite well on my own.

Actually, I have a question for 2D owners:
How do you deal with the front and rear standards tilting at slightly different angles, even when locked up and secure?
Do you let it drive you crazy that the two standards will never be in agreement, or do you just accept that this is what it is?

I have an accurate level that I use to plumb the front standard with the tripod head, then I use rear tilt to plumb the rear standard. Especially if the subject has strong vertical lines.

Roger

Ari · Apr 26, 2020

Thanks, everyone.
Richard, I didn't know that the knob pulls out to hold the front standard, will check in the morning; thanks! And yes, the Cooke XVa is the lens shown in the photo.
Jim, Roger, I use an accurate card level, made by Ebisu, but the standards wobble in place a little, even when tightened down. I think the groove in which the rails ride has gotten a little wider over the years.
I may try to finesse it at some point, but that's a tricky job.
IC, the camera looks 100 years old, but more accurately, it smells 100 years old.

My refurb was extensive, but it was only done to make the camera work again; I didn't disassemble completely, sand and re-finish the wood, except where needed.
I needed a functional and reliable camera for the time being, and so far I'm quite pleased with the 2D.

ic-racer · Apr 26, 2020

Your also has rear swing, yes? So with rear swing and tilt, the back can always be made parallel to the front, no matter how bad the front tilts.

Two23 · Apr 27, 2020

Ari said:
Yours looks pretty nice, Richard; congrats!
I definitely like the big lens boards and the ability to support big lenses.
Soon I'll be getting a Kodak 12" Anastigmat and a 12" Ilex Paragon Anastigmat; big suckers, both.

By the way, does anyone have a fix for the front rise? Mine keeps slipping down with a big lens mounted.

The knob on the right side of the front standard pulls out to lock in place. I don't worry about small amounts of play in the camera. I'm mostly using it for wet plate so precision isn't my biggest priority. What I like is it's solid enough to hold my big 19th C. lenses. A Chamonix would never be able to to do that. I'm using almost every inch of those 6x6 lens boards!

Kent in SD

Ari · Apr 27, 2020

ic-racer said:
Your also has rear swing, yes? So with rear swing and tilt, the back can always be made parallel to the front, no matter how bad the front tilts.

Yes, and I’ve adjusted that, but both standards wobble slightly, so it’s a constant adjustment. Probably best to ignore it, if my OCD lets me.

Ari · Apr 27, 2020

Two23 said:
The knob on the right side of the front standard pulls out to lock in place. I don't worry about small amounts of play in the camera. I'm mostly using it for wet plate so precision isn't my biggest priority. What I like is it's solid enough to hold my big 19th C. lenses. A Chamonix would never be able to to do that. I'm using almost every inch of those 6x6 lens boards!

Kent in SD

Hmm, mine seems to be on the left side, and it pulls the whole gear assembly to the left, effectively jamming the teeth.
I’ll have a closer look in the morning. Thanks

Ian Grant · Apr 27, 2020

2D's were made for a few decades, and they were made here in the UK as well as in Rochester, they also evolved slightly. Here in the UK by 1940 the 2D was listed as The Kodak View Camera" and available in 3 sized Half plate, Whole Plate and 10x8. After WWII here in the UK the Half plate 2D was upgraded to become the Kodak Specialist 2, the major change was slotted aluminium edges to the base and extension rail and a metric scale on the base as well, this gave greater precision and rigidity, oddly the lens boards fit 90 degrees right to left rather than top to bottom.

The standard lens was a 203mm f7.7 Ektar, mine's in a Kodak Epsilon shutter (Ompur/Copal #0 compatible), the 2nd lens came in the Kodak outfit case as part of the kit and is a Dallmeyer 4¼" f6.3-f11 wide angle, f6.3 for focussing, f11 taking. While the camera is Half plate it's an International back so 7x5 DDS and 13x18cm DDS will fit as well. So effectively the 2D continued into the 1960's.

Like Ari I made a conversion lens board so my camera can use my Wista lenses, I'm using a 240 Nikkor W as my main lens.

Ian

Ari · Apr 27, 2020

Interesting, Ian; thank you. That's a very pretty camera you have there, and it looks like the updates got much more solid designs than earlier models.
I've checked the lock function for front rise, and, at least on my camera, it doesn't appear to work the in same way others have pointed out.
On my camera, I have to push the two rise knobs to the left, this jams the cog teeth, making it harder to effect rise or drop.
The right-hand knob doesn't appear to be able to pull out at all; it may be that this camera was repaired using slightly different parts at some point.

Kodachromeguy · Apr 27, 2020

Ari, do you know what wood was used in your camera? Mahogany? Cherry? Nice item regardless!

Ian Grant · Apr 27, 2020

I think the problem is that the 2D evolved quite significantly over the years and hardware definitely changed. Someone posted images of a 2D here a few weels/months ago and it had all the same geared movements as my Specialist 2

Here in the UK the only US style field cameras were the Kodak Ltd 2D and Specialist 2 and a couple of Kodak metal field cameras, they are a sort of cross between the traditional British Tailboard cameras and the Continental Reisekameras.

Ian

Ari · Apr 27, 2020

Kodachromeguy said:
Ari, do you know what wood was used in your camera? Mahogany? Cherry? Nice item regardless!

I suspect it's mahogany, and thank you!

Wayne · Apr 27, 2020

Pretty cameras. Can I pet them?

Alan Gales · Apr 28, 2020

Betsy, huh? Looks more like a Beatrice to me. Congratulations, Ari. I just hope your wife isn't jealous of your new girlfriend.

Ari · Apr 28, 2020

Maybe we'll settle on Betty, then, Alan.

Richard Man · Apr 28, 2020

I'm going to call mine Barracuda until I send it back to Jim in a few weeks, ha!

Ari · Apr 28, 2020

Say, I'm thinking of making a short extension to fit behind the back, about 6" or so.
Does anyone know where I can source the brass racks with the teeth? Don't have to be made of brass, as I'll likely make something out of Baltic birch plywood.
The camera, as it is, has 17" of extension, fine for me, my longest lenses are 12", but I'd like to be able to get a little closer sometimes.

Just fixed up a Kodak 2D

Ari

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