Large Format Puzzle

[Grif]

Any idea what this is?

 

[Grif]

Did it make it this time?

 

[Klainmeister]

Accordion? Fire stoker? Adjustable sand castle mould?

 

[keithwms]

What's the question? It's a camera....

 

[Grif]

What's the question? It's a camera....

Groan,,, ;-)

My son said it's about 16" on a side, was in a house they're looking to buy.

 

[trexx]

It appears to be a copy camera. The scale over the lens is the f/stop extension factor, or at least that is what I have seen in the past.

But maybe to your question it's a doorstop.

 

[Robert Oliver]

The lens most likely has value.... or would make the start of one heck of a horizontal enlarger for the ULF folks.

 

[glbeas]

Looks like an Argyle copy camera that was taken off the rails. It's also missing the vacuum pump.

 

[Comrade Conrad]

What Gary said. It's an Argyle copy camera less its base, vacuum pump and copy board.

 

[2F/2F]

Looks like a graphic arts camera to me....and a pretty small one at that.

 

[waynecrider]

Well it doesn't seem a proper lens board, and it doesn't look like a lens to me, and the scale actually reminds me of the dial setting for old radio's.

 

[richard ide]

The lens looks like a Componon or Componon S.
The scale looks like a process camera aperature/magnification/time chart. The blade is attached to the lens aperature scale. Quite a few camera operators would use one exposure time and make adjustments in aperature related to magnification.

 

[2F/2F]

Well it doesn't seem a proper lens board, and it doesn't look like a lens to me, and the scale actually reminds me of the dial setting for old radio's.

I cannot say I have ever used a G.A. camera that old, but it does look just like an "old" version of all the G.A. cameras I have used. The magnification scale is similar even today. Bellows extension factor is a constant issue with G.A. cameras, so the compensation scale is hooked up directly to the aperture. The camera is supposed to go on rails. The lens looks like very old enlarger lenses, which are more similar to G.A. lenses than camera lenses, so it seems appropriate for the camera.

 

[trexx]

May look if a radio dial Here is one collecting dust in the garage, and APO Ronar 480mm. Someday part of an 8x10 or larger enlarger.

 

[michaelbsc]

What Gary said. It's an Argyle copy camera less its base, vacuum pump and copy board.

Yes. This is exactly what it is.

 

[keithwms]

Hmm I wonder how many megapixels, and SD or CF

 

[Monito]

aperature [...] aperature [...] aperature

The word "aperture" is not related to the words "apparatus" or opera.

 

[michaelbsc]

The lens most likely has value.... or would make the start of one heck of a horizontal enlarger for the ULF folks.

The lens is probably in a barrel instead of a shutter. At least the one in my garage is like that. No shutter. And a PITA to remount.

The lens itself is probably superb. But getting it mounted isn't trivial. It isn't impossible either. But I just never got to it.

From what I understand it's one of the flat field lenses optimized for close work, not infinity.

Ah, the joys of yet one more project that I may never find time to get around to doing.

Why wasn't I born rich instead of stupid?

 

[Grif]

Really appreciate all the information. I love APUG. Gotta admit, not sure how to get it from Texas to Washington state, but it'd sure look awsome in my (soon to be finished) mancave