New (to me) 9x12 Plate camera - Newbie.

[jayzedkay]

Hi, I have loitered on here recently and before as APUG forum, but not really that active.
I just casually mess about with vintage/classic cameras. I got into 'folders' some years ago with a couple of ikontas, i can't recall the exact models a late coupled 6x6 and a uncoupled 6x9.
My only other folder now is a Bessa II. I had a brief relationship with a Cosina Bessa III, but I moved it on, I couldn't be relaxed using it.

I've recently acquired a ZI Donata 227/7 that came with 665/7 plate holders.
Based on serial numbers (lens & shutter) I age it at 1930. The overall condition is pretty good really.

The shutter appears to operate correctly. Pleasingly the slowest speeds have no deviations, working at a uniform speed until complete.
The self-timer is a bit iffy, operating erratically and often failing to operate.
The lens is free from fungus, hazing, bits etc. But would benefit a clean.
Shutter/apeture blades overall good.
The ground glass is intact and looks OK. I've given it a gentle clean, which took some muck off.
The viewing hood is in good condition. Internally as new, no damage and ground-glass image is bright enough.
I have seen a guy selling fresnel lenses on ebay for 9x12. Is it worth fitting one of these as an upgrade?

I don't think the camera has been worked hard in it's approx 95 years of age.
Worst part of the camera is the release button. The leather is damaged around it.

what appears to have happened is that over the years, possibly the bed has been retracted too far?
Leading to the sprung-catch being forced lower, beyond it's capabilty to return properly.
Over time this has 'lowered' the button, necessitating having to press it lower to release. Exacerbating the whole affair?
I suspect something has been used other than a finger tip to open: A pen-nib, a key, something 'pointy'.
I can minimise the 'latching', by reducing how much the bed is geared-back allowing finger operation, just about.
But this results in the bed on ocassion popping open on it's own.
Latched properly, I need to use a pointed implement to open the camera. It can't be done with a finger, not mine anyway?

That sprung-catch should sit flush against the inner-top. So the button protrudes enough for finger-opening.
I susepct this is a common problem with these?

This may have contributed to it's limited use?

I'm thinking how I can recitfy this? I don't want to attempt to strip back the camera to allow the catch to be removed and corrected?
I'll likely ruin the camera trying that, it'd never be the same?
What I'm thinking is carefully cut out the circle of leather around the button-opening, exposing it all. And the hole the button sits in.
machine a small stainless steel ferrule, to act as a collar around the opening, tidying it up. Then machine a small stainless button and silicon it to the top of the existing button.
Effectively 'extending' it, to allow finger operation and hopefully make it look like somehting that could have come from the factory?

Unfortunately the plate-holders didn't come with any septums, but three of them had plates in them.
One of which had been developed with an intriguing image of a flamboyant gentleman alongside a ship. A world tour maybe?
Looks North African?
I'll give it a scan, get a better look?

Some of the velvet/sealing on the plate holders has disintegrated.
What is best used to replace this?
Does someone supply proper replacement material, rather than using velvet/felt or whatever?

During my research into septums I came across this guy.

Negative insert (septum)9x12 cm > Szlachetna Fotografia

Negative insert (septum)9x12 cm Negative inserts are indispensable each time we want to use sheet film (as the ones made these days) in order to take pictures with the older type of photographic camera with film holders designed to take glass negtives. Th

www.alternativephotographicsupplies.com

I see him already linked in other post, I'll get a set of him, or at least one and see how it works out before buying more.
it seems more practical than wating for them to turn up used on ebay or whatever?
Any experience on here of these septums from APS?

I might consider restoring the holders too. Reading Kino's thread about his journey into restoring them.
Regarding the coating, there is a product by Tech Line Coatings in the USA. It is available from camcoat in the UK.
Polyphen (TLML), a dry-film-lubricating coating. I think it is ceramic based?

This is stuff sprays on, like ink. it's very thin. Build up is negligible, in the region of microns. As it is intended for internal engine parts, piston-skirts, valve-stems etc.
It dries matt-black, self lubricates and should withstand abrasions? Sounds ideal.

Application is tricky though.
Apart from needing compressor and small-tip spray-gun if DIY.
Parts have to be immaculately clean and degreased; acetone, MEX etc and oxide-blasted for correct adhesion.
It is left to air-cure, but then should be 'baked' to hard-cure at 300F for an hour. I don't know if that might distort/warp the thin-sheet holders/slide etc?
They might be OK if temp is gradually brought up and then reduced to ambient. As done with Pyroclastic or Pyrolosis ovens to strip coatings from sheet metal panels without distorting them.
Have to try one?

So, apologies for the long post.
Lookign forward to using the camera.
Any pointers for replacing seals and general advice on using the camera, appreciated.
TIA.

 

[blee1996]

First congratulations on finding a nice 9x12 plate camera, especially with matching plate/film holders.

I would recommend you do the least complicated things first to test out the camera. I'm speaking from experience, as someone acquired a few 9x12 plate cameras last year.

1) Adding a piece of thick cardboard to the plate holder, so you can use normal 9x12 film. You don't need film sheath to start out.

2) If you can do it yourself, slice standard 4x5 film down to 9x12 in a dark room. You only need to trim 10mm from long and short end. Very easy if you have any of those paper trimmers. If you cannot slice yourself, you can order some Foma 100 9x12 film which is widely available.

3) Take a few test shots to see if the main functions (lens, shutter, bellows, ground glass) are working fine.

If after the test, you still like the camera and enjoy the experience, then you can invest more time and money to further improve it.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Also congrats to your camera.

-Fresnel: It does help to increase brightness of the ground glass. As these older cameras often do not have as fast lenses as today it often is helpful - but your lens has 1:4,5 which is pretty fast and you`ll also see the structure of the fresnel lens on the ground glass more or less, making it a little harder to set focus... so it has pros and cons.

-opening button: If you unscrew the shutter from the front standard, the bellows usually will be separated from the front
standard. If you now push the bellows into the housing you should be able to access the screws holding the sprung-
catch. You may have to slide the front standard off its rail, but this usually is possible. If you now can unscrew the
sprung-catch you can try to re-bend it, making the opening button accessible again without extension or pen.

-seals on holders: Well, velvet actually works pretty well if new. Aged velvet does disintegrate after decades, but new velvet does not, so you can just use velvet of proper thickness. Brush after gluing the velvet in to remove loose hairs on the new velvet - after glue has dried.

-septums: Price for the septums should be ok. I doubt you`ll get them cheaper in same condition elsewhere - but when
using septums focusing on the ground glass will be a little problematic: With a septum the emulsion is a little greater
distance to the lens than with a glass plate. Ground glasses on such old cameras often are adjusted for plates, so if
you put sheet film into a septum you may have to compensate for that. On the good cameras there is a little lever on
the distance scale near the rails for the standard. If you swing this lever the scale will move a little front or back and
there should be an engraving for glass plates or sheet film near the lever or scale.
But this only works for the distance scale, when focusing on the ground glass you`ll have to compensate for not using
plates but film.

 

[jayzedkay]

Thanks for the responses.

blee', good idea about the cardboard. I'd read about folks doing this in absence of holders, but it hadn't entered my mind. I have acess to a 3D printer and considered playing around with printing a septum? I'm sure there is a design already out there to download? I've seen the 4x5 holder for 9x12 camera, but to me its a little bulky?
Rather than cutting film down, I will likely just get a box of 9x12, it'll be easier for me at this stage. But i will definitely try other emulsions cut down from larger film. I'd like to use it mostly, if not always handheld. So something faster than the typical 100iso available would be preferred?

Harry, good point about the compromise on focus with a fresnel. Now that my close-up vision is gone with age, it's tricky as it is?

Regarding the sprung-catch, what you say is what I hoped to be able to do.
But the 'heads' visible holding that sprung-plate on are not screws, not conventional anyway? They have a smooth, slightly domed head. No slot, as a screw would have? I concluded they were rivets, assembled prior to having the leatherette fitted?

Maybe those 'heads' seen from inside are screwed 'into' from the outside, under the leatherette? If this is the case, then I may be able to grip and undo, if the screw does not turn from the other side? Failing that I'd have to cut out the leatherette around that fastener to access it to deal with it and make repair least visible. It's all gettingn complicated and messy? Hence the button extension idea?

If anyone has stripped one of these; right back, leatherette off etc or has a scrap one to identify the fastening of those screws/rivets for the sprung-catch. I'd love to know?

I'll look into sourcing velvet for the seals. The seals on the rear or the camera body are really good. No deterioration.
I've since removed the front/rear elements and given them a clean. They are spotless, again no deterioration whatsoever.

Septums, yeah those from APS are like 10 euros, I don't think I'd find them cheaper, especially if i have to start buying complete plate holders to get them or waiting forver for them to turn up?

Regarding focal-plane, possibly with a 3D printed septum you could attempt to get as 'close' as possible to the same 'plane' as plate-emulsion? Does it really make a difference the emulsion being, what must be fractions of a millimeter or around a millimeter at worst than plate-emulsion? What with stopping down, depth of field, hyperfocal and all that? I appreciate wide-open, critical focus on a subject or something 'arty'? I'm not super critical, for me i'm sure it'll be fine.

Anyway, it's all good fun and interesting to mess about with.
I'll report back as and when my journey with this camera bears fruit.
Pity I hadn't had more time to get organised. I'm about to visit the U.S. and taking it with me would've been good.
My Texas Leica will be going instead.
TIA.

 

[ntenny]

but when
using septums focusing on the ground glass will be a little problematic: With a septum the emulsion is a little greater
distance to the lens than with a glass plate. Ground glasses on such old cameras often are adjusted for plates, so if
you put sheet film into a septum you may have to compensate for that.

I’m a little confused by this analysis: Isn’t the point of the septum to bring the film to the same plane as the emulsion side of a plate? Thinking through the mechanics of my plate cameras, it seems to me like the difference should be only the thickness of the sheet metal of which the septum is made, which I hope is negligible for practical focus, but I’ve never tested any of this carefully.

Certainly the Kodak holders with the pressure plate will put the film at the plane of the plate (they don’t use a septum), but I don’t know if they fit the Donata (the ones I know of are all to the “Normalfalz” standard for Kodak, Voigtländer, etc.)

-NT

 

[JPD]

I don't know how those septums/film sheats would work in the Zeiss Ikon holders, but I suspect the film would be held in a slightly slanted position due to the folded edges not being cut in the bottom corners. But the septums can probably be modified.

This is an illustration of the type of septums/film sheats I use in the Voigtländer holders. The blue illustrates the parts of the Voigtländer holder the film is pressed against.

 

[JPD]

I had read that fresnel screens work best when they roughly match the focal length of the camera lens, so I bought a quality 150 mm fresnel lens that I frosted on the other side to use as a focusing screen in a 9x12 camera with a 150 mm lens. It made no difference in brightness compared to normal ground glass. The corners are just as dark.

 

[Harry Callahan]

...
Harry, good point about the compromise on focus with a fresnel. Now that my close-up vision is gone with age, it's tricky as it is?

Regarding the sprung-catch, what you say is what I hoped to be able to do.
But the 'heads' visible holding that sprung-plate on are not screws, not conventional anyway? They have a smooth, slightly domed head. No slot, as a screw would have? I concluded they were rivets, assembled prior to having the leatherette fitted?

Maybe those 'heads' seen from inside are screwed 'into' from the outside, under the leatherette? If this is the case, then I may be able to grip and undo, if the screw does not turn from the other side? Failing that I'd have to cut out the leatherette around that fastener to access it to deal with it and make repair least visible. It's all gettingn complicated and messy? Hence the button extension idea?
...

Sometimes you can get small fresnel lenses with envelope as a pocket magnifier as an advertising gift. You can put one of these on the ground glass and see what happens, what benefit it has for you.

I see regarding the sprung-catch. It wasn`t clearly visible on your picture, so i assumed it to be screwed from the inside, but seems more like its riveted. Then you probably have to do what you`ve already planned.

...

Septums, yeah those from APS are like 10 euros, I don't think I'd find them cheaper, especially if i have to start buying complete plate holders to get them or waiting forver for them to turn up?

Regarding focal-plane, possibly with a 3D printed septum you could attempt to get as 'close' as possible to the same 'plane' as plate-emulsion? Does it really make a difference the emulsion being, what must be fractions of a millimeter or around a millimeter at worst than plate-emulsion? What with stopping down, depth of field, hyperfocal and all that? I appreciate wide-open, critical focus on a subject or something 'arty'? I'm not super critical, for me i'm sure it'll be fine.
...

These septums are a good deal. They are not bent or rusty and they're ready available - i don`t think you can do better than that.
Well 3D printing... since it became available people try to print everything 3D, though it doesn`t make sense any case. A septum should be thin, so the film doesn`t have a lot more distance to the lens in comparison to glass plates.
Metal is sturdy so you can make a septum of thin metal, but a 3D printed septum made of plastic had to be a bit thicker to be as rigid as a metal septum - so distance of film emulsion to lens will be even greater.
Also you`ll have to exert some pressure on the septum to insert and retrieve from the holder, a plastic septum may just crack.
The difference between septum and plate does make a difference, especially on subjects further away from the camera. You will have trouble to focus on infinity if plane of the emulsion does not match plane of the ground glass. Especially if you use an old lens wide open. Old lenses don`t produce that much of DOF as new lenses so there ain`t enough room to compensate. That`s why on the good cameras there was this lever to move the distance scale for plate or film, as i described before.
Also these old lenses often have recognizable fall off to the edge of the image, you should use this lens at f11 at least, 16-22 was better.

I’m a little confused by this analysis: Isn’t the point of the septum to bring the film to the same plane as the emulsion side of a plate? Thinking through the mechanics of my plate cameras, it seems to me like the difference should be only the thickness of the sheet metal of which the septum is made, which I hope is negligible for practical focus, but I’ve never tested any of this carefully.

Certainly the Kodak holders with the pressure plate will put the film at the plane of the plate (they don’t use a septum), but I don’t know if they fit the Donata (the ones I know of are all to the “Normalfalz” standard for Kodak, Voigtländer, etc.)

-NT

The point of a septum is making it possible to use film with an old plate holder. Trade-off is that the film won`t match the plane of the ground glass. Yes, the difference is the thickness of the metal the septum is made of, but this already is enough to make a difference (on infinity, with old lenses at least).
Of course it does depend on how critical you are, but on the good cameras there was a lever to adjust the distance scale for either plate or film.

 

[JPD]

The point of a septum is making it possible to use film with an old plate holder. Trade-off is that the film won`t match the plane of the ground glass. Yes, the difference is the thickness of the metal the septum is made of, but this already is enough to make a difference (on infinity, with old lenses at least).
Of course it does depend on how critical you are, but on the good cameras there was a lever to adjust the distance scale for either plate or film.

The plate holders have springs that press the plate or sheet film in its septum against the same "frame" in the holder, so the plane of focus is exactly the same. You are probably thinking of the roll film cameras that can optionally use plates, like this ICA/Zeiss Ikon Halloh: https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/zihalloh.htm

 

[Harry Callahan]

No, as ntenny correctly stated, if you put a septum in a plass plate holder the rim of the septum will contact the frame of the holder - but not the emulsion of the film, in contrary to the emulsion of a glass plate.

 

[JPD]

No, as ntenny correctly stated, if you put a septum in a plass plate holder the rim of the septum will contact the frame of the holder - but not the emulsion of the film, in contrary to the emulsion of a glass plate.

The septums sold by the company in the link will, yes, but not the AGFA/ORWO septums I use in my Voigtländer holders (see post #6).

An example of the type I use, but this is for 10x15: https://www.ebay.com/itm/114651520410

Notice how the folded rim is cut to allow the film to be in contact with the frame of the holder.

 

[ntenny]

I took a close look at the fit of a septum in one of my Voigtländer holders, and now I think the deviation from the original focus plane is less than I originally thought. See the attached images; the “top” of the septum (towards the handle of the darkslide) goes directly under two little clips that would hold a plate in the same plane, and along the long edges, the rim of the septum sits (very close to) flush with the rim of the holder.

At the bottom of this septum, the corners of the septum do slot under the corners of the holder, so at that point there’s an offset roughly equal to the thickness of the sheet metal, and I guess this means the film plane with the holder isn’t perfectly flat. I can’t say I’ve ever noticed a focus effect from this imperfection, though.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this mechanism for shifting the distance scale. I checked and my Bergheil doesn’t have it, and that camera has everything. What’s an example of a model with this mechanism?

-NT

 

[Harry Callahan]

@ JPD:

I see. It`s been a while since i handled old holders and septums, i do have some but i don`t know if i also got some of these - but you`re correct, these septums should not make problems regarding film plane.
...as long as no rim of the septum is caught somewhere in the holder as

ntenny

did demonstrate. As far as i found these septums are a compromise. They`re great, i also have some, but as you did show the rim of the septum can/does get caught somewhere. Also, the slot of the septum is a little wider than the film is thick, so the film won`t stick, which again gives room for inaccuracy. Not a lot of course, very little room but some additional room.
Another thing i found was that the pressure springs, meant to push the plate or septum forward, not always work as intended. Sometimes the metal septum gets caught somewhere in the metal holder and the springs cannot push it forward as intended. I then tried to exert pressure from behind on the holder, making the septum pop in place... in the dark of course.
So there are several reasons why the film may not be in plane with the ground glass.

I`m not much into old folders, so i assumed this shiftable distance scales to be more common, but apparently it is rare - i couldn`t find pictures on the net, so i had to take some of my ICA. It`s a 9x12 with a 1:4,5 Tessar... cannot find a type designation:

As you can see there is indication for "film" and "Pl." being "Plates" and when you switch the lever the distance scale including infinity stop does move. It`s not much, maybe half a millimeter, and you may not be able to see on these handheld pictures, but it does move back, towards the ground glass, if switching from plates to film.
Set on "film" the infinity stop is closer to the ground glass than when set on "plates".

Apparently this is rare, maybe this could be had as an "upgrade", but plane of film vs. plates was taken into consideration back then... by one manufacturer at least.

 

[ntenny]

Thanks, that’s an interesting feature. I always wondered how much people actually relied on those distance scales, and evidently someone thought they were useful enough to build this switch in.

But we’ve digressed from the OP’s very nice find a bit. It’s a cool camera, and that found shot that came with it is a real winner. I was able to replace some decayed velvet seals with adhesive velvet, which is widely available from craft stores and the like.

-NT

 

[JPD]

I`m not much into old folders, so i assumed this shiftable distance scales to be more common, but apparently it is rare - i couldn`t find pictures on the net, so i had to take some of my ICA. It`s a 9x12 with a 1:4,5 Tessar... cannot find a type designation:

As you can see there is indication for "film" and "Pl." being "Plates" and when you switch the lever the distance scale including infinity stop does move. It`s not much, maybe half a millimeter, and you may not be able to see on these handheld pictures, but it does move back, towards the ground glass, if switching from plates to film.
Set on "film" the infinity stop is closer to the ground glass than when set on "plates".

Apparently this is rare, maybe this could be had as an "upgrade", but plane of film vs. plates was taken into consideration back then... by one manufacturer at least.

Thank you for the photos. Very interesting. I looked in an old ICA catalog and found that this feature is for the ICA Ideal Rollfilmkassette and not for using sheet film:

"The image is focused either using the focusing screen*) or using a special scale mounted on the camera's base.

*) Upon request, we can supply a special focusing screen to compensate for the focus difference."

 

[Donald Qualls]

I'm pretty sure one of my Ideal plate cameras has a shifting focus scale; I think it was relatively common for the higher-end plate cameras (the ones with more accessories offered to fit). Most film sheaths do shift the emulsion plane away from the lens by about the thickness of the sheath material -- half a millimeter or so in the case of the ones I have -- but at the f/11 to f/32 apertures commonly used with modern film for these cameras that's within depth of focus for a 135 or 150 mm lens.

 

[Jojje]

Had an unmarked (French?) plate holder, glass plate and a 9x12 film sheet handy in my top drawer and measured with a vernier caliper. (I wonder why I haven't done this before). Results: the emulsion surface of a glass negative plate sits 0.3-0.6 millimeters nearer the lens than the emulsion of a sheet film with a sheath. Must investigate further.
(I have a smalls stock of expired glass plates and they are so much easier to handle than these sheaths, of which some must be inserted the other way around in different holders and so on.)

 

[Donald Qualls]

0.3-0.6 millimeters

I'm not confident I can adjust focus to that tolerance with a simple rack and pinion focus gear. Hence the common advice that "Those old lenses are better when stopped down some."

 

[Harry Callahan]

Thanks, that’s an interesting feature. I always wondered how much people actually relied on those distance scales, and evidently someone thought they were useful enough to build this switch in.

But we’ve digressed from the OP’s very nice find a bit. It’s a cool camera, and that found shot that came with it is a real winner. I was able to replace some decayed velvet seals with adhesive velvet, which is widely available from craft stores and the like.

-NT

You`re welcome. I think these focusing scales were for fast, handheld shooting. If you want to take a picture of a landscape you don`t have to focus with the ground glass if the camera has a stop for infinity - and all the cameras i have seen have an infinity stop. If you want shoot a subject being closer you can guess the distance or use a rangefinder - which would be faster than to put on the ground glass, open the hood, open the shutter, open the aperture...
And maybe also for using a flash. When using a flash you need to know the distance to the subject to set correct aperture on the lens, if you focus on the ground glass the distance scale will tell you the distance to your subject.

Yes, we`ve been digressing a little but not too far i think - as the OP mentioned he wanted to use this lens wide open and then you really need to have the ground glass on the same plane as the film.

Thank you for the photos. Very interesting. I looked in an old ICA catalog and found that this feature is for the ICA Ideal Rollfilmkassette and not for using sheet film:

"The image is focused either using the focusing screen*) or using a special scale mounted on the camera's base.

*) Upon request, we can supply a special focusing screen to compensate for the focus difference."

View attachment 398023

You`re welcome.
I see, but i also was wondering whether this shiftable distance scale is for roll film backs, but i found sheet film in septums also to be further to the back than glass plates.
I did not have a septum at the beginning, didn`t knew that there were septums at all and built my on. I focused on the ground glass, put on the holder - and got a shift in plane of sharpness. Sharpness was shifted into the foreground, the actual subject wasn`t really sharp. It was a different camera, later i may have adjusted the ground glass to match the plane of sheet film in a septum, i cannot recall any more - but when i got the ICA i wasn`t surprised to find a shiftable distance scale and the reason for it being there was clear to me.

I'm not confident I can adjust focus to that tolerance with a simple rack and pinion focus gear. Hence the common advice that "Those old lenses are better when stopped down some."

I don`t know if you can adjust focus down to 0.1mm, but quarter of a mm should be possible. I think the common advice is rather due to the old lenses not being coated at all, so when using a larger aperture you get a lot of flare. Also these old lenses cannot produce that much sharpness and DOF, so there are several reasons to stop them down.

And because of that it`s even more important to have the ground glass match the plane of the emulsion. They had to be more thorough back then, as lenses weren`t as forgiving as today.

 

[blee1996]

These century-old metal folders can produce stunning photos almost the size of 4x5, yet much more compact. Both the camera and film holders are extremely compact, albeit a bit heavy.

I have a Voigtlander Bergheil with the uncoated Heliar lens, and it amazes me how well it stacks against a 4x5 camera with modern plasmat lenses.

The only downsize is film stock availability in 9x12. So I sacrifice 10mm of each edge to slice down from 4x5.

 

[Donald Qualls]

My first plate camera was a Patent Etui -- 9x12 with the form factor of a 6x9 roll film folder -- and I'd probably still have it if it'd had a Tessar type lens instead of the Radionar it did have. Now I know there's no practical difference between the Cooke type triplet and Tessar type lens until you open up to about f/5.6 or bigger -- but twenty years ago, I traded that camera for the Super Ikonta B (532/16) that I still have.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hi, I have loitered on here recently and before as APUG forum, but not really that active.
I just casually mess about with vintage/classic cameras. I got into 'folders' some years ago with a couple of ikontas, i can't recall the exact models a late coupled 6x6 and a uncoupled 6x9.
My only other folder now is a Bessa II. I had a brief relationship with a Cosina Bessa III, but I moved it on, I couldn't be relaxed using it.

I've recently acquired a ZI Donata 227/7 that came with 665/7 plate holders.
Based on serial numbers (lens & shutter) I age it at 1930. The overall condition is pretty good really.

View attachment 397813

The shutter appears to operate correctly. Pleasingly the slowest speeds have no deviations, working at a uniform speed until complete.
The self-timer is a bit iffy, operating erratically and often failing to operate.
The lens is free from fungus, hazing, bits etc. But would benefit a clean.
Shutter/apeture blades overall good.
The ground glass is intact and looks OK. I've given it a gentle clean, which took some muck off.
The viewing hood is in good condition. Internally as new, no damage and ground-glass image is bright enough.
I have seen a guy selling fresnel lenses on ebay for 9x12. Is it worth fitting one of these as an upgrade?

I don't think the camera has been worked hard in it's approx 95 years of age.
Worst part of the camera is the release button. The leather is damaged around it.

View attachment 397818

what appears to have happened is that over the years, possibly the bed has been retracted too far?
Leading to the sprung-catch being forced lower, beyond it's capabilty to return properly.
Over time this has 'lowered' the button, necessitating having to press it lower to release. Exacerbating the whole affair?
I suspect something has been used other than a finger tip to open: A pen-nib, a key, something 'pointy'.
I can minimise the 'latching', by reducing how much the bed is geared-back allowing finger operation, just about.
But this results in the bed on ocassion popping open on it's own.
Latched properly, I need to use a pointed implement to open the camera. It can't be done with a finger, not mine anyway?

That sprung-catch should sit flush against the inner-top. So the button protrudes enough for finger-opening.
I susepct this is a common problem with these?

View attachment 397819

This may have contributed to it's limited use?

I'm thinking how I can recitfy this? I don't want to attempt to strip back the camera to allow the catch to be removed and corrected?
I'll likely ruin the camera trying that, it'd never be the same?
What I'm thinking is carefully cut out the circle of leather around the button-opening, exposing it all. And the hole the button sits in.
machine a small stainless steel ferrule, to act as a collar around the opening, tidying it up. Then machine a small stainless button and silicon it to the top of the existing button.
Effectively 'extending' it, to allow finger operation and hopefully make it look like somehting that could have come from the factory?

Unfortunately the plate-holders didn't come with any septums, but three of them had plates in them.
One of which had been developed with an intriguing image of a flamboyant gentleman alongside a ship. A world tour maybe?
Looks North African?
I'll give it a scan, get a better look?

View attachment 397817

Some of the velvet/sealing on the plate holders has disintegrated.
What is best used to replace this?
Does someone supply proper replacement material, rather than using velvet/felt or whatever?

View attachment 397820

During my research into septums I came across this guy.

Negative insert (septum)9x12 cm > Szlachetna Fotografia

Negative insert (septum)9x12 cm Negative inserts are indispensable each time we want to use sheet film (as the ones made these days) in order to take pictures with the older type of photographic camera with film holders designed to take glass negtives. Th

www.alternativephotographicsupplies.com

I see him already linked in other post, I'll get a set of him, or at least one and see how it works out before buying more.
it seems more practical than wating for them to turn up used on ebay or whatever?
Any experience on here of these septums from APS?

I might consider restoring the holders too. Reading Kino's thread about his journey into restoring them.
Regarding the coating, there is a product by Tech Line Coatings in the USA. It is available from camcoat in the UK.
Polyphen (TLML), a dry-film-lubricating coating. I think it is ceramic based?

This is stuff sprays on, like ink. it's very thin. Build up is negligible, in the region of microns. As it is intended for internal engine parts, piston-skirts, valve-stems etc.
It dries matt-black, self lubricates and should withstand abrasions? Sounds ideal.

Application is tricky though.
Apart from needing compressor and small-tip spray-gun if DIY.
Parts have to be immaculately clean and degreased; acetone, MEX etc and oxide-blasted for correct adhesion.
It is left to air-cure, but then should be 'baked' to hard-cure at 300F for an hour. I don't know if that might distort/warp the thin-sheet holders/slide etc?
They might be OK if temp is gradually brought up and then reduced to ambient. As done with Pyroclastic or Pyrolosis ovens to strip coatings from sheet metal panels without distorting them.
Have to try one?

So, apologies for the long post.
Lookign forward to using the camera.
Any pointers for replacing seals and general advice on using the camera, appreciated.
TIA.

Welcome to Photrio!

Enjoy you new camera.