November is Medium Format Folding Camera Month!!

[wilsonneal]

Isolette

I acquired an Isolette from the 'bay just for this purpose. Should be here shortly and hopefully in some working order. I pulled out my old Agfa and the bellows had deteriorated to dust, so 'had' to go shopping.
Neal

 

[Ole]

The thread has been successfully Stuck.

That's what it says when a thread is "stickified" - I kid you not!

Hmmm... Now you got me wondering if I have any 6.5x9cm glass plates.

NO! I'll use roll film. Drop that plate thought, and forget about the sheet film too. I'll be a good boy and use real roll film in a camera made for roll film.

I think.

So far, at least.

 

[Alex Hawley]

Thanks for stickyfying Ole.

Drop that plate thought, ---

And please don't drop a glass plate!!

 

[Dug]

Hi Doug:

I've tried a couple of tricks with the film size challenge. Do you have any problem with light leaks at the edge, when you use the 120 on the 616 take up Spool?

I think I'll be able to get 5 exposures, but the "window" on mine coincides with the 6x4.5 numbers on the roll, so I have to read in 2 1/2 exposure increments (2, 4.5, 7, 9.5, 12, 14.5).

Panoramic indeed, although it's hard to get that sense from those tiny viewfinders!

Matt

Matt - I unload the finished spool of 120 film on the 616 spool in the darkroom or changing bag and transfer it to something light-tight if I won't be developing on the spot. The 616 takeup spool is wider than 120, so the finished roll cannot be exposed to light. The issue I am concerned with is that the spacers (nickels -US five cent pieces) do not shim the 120 roll tight enough to create tension and may affect film flatness. This is not a show-stopper though. The big black chunk in the middle of the lens elements that I discovered last night is a bigger problem....

 

[MattKing]

Matt - I unload the finished spool of 120 film on the 616 spool in the darkroom or changing bag and transfer it to something light-tight if I won't be developing on the spot. The 616 takeup spool is wider than 120, so the finished roll cannot be exposed to light. The issue I am concerned with is that the spacers (nickels -US five cent pieces) do not shim the 120 roll tight enough to create tension and may affect film flatness. This is not a show-stopper though. The big black chunk in the middle of the lens elements that I discovered last night is a bigger problem....

Doug:

Thanks - I've found that the 120 film cannisters that J & C sell are big enough to hold the 616 spool, so if you are looking for something that doesn't require taking the film off the spool in the field, you may want to try them (in the changing bag, of course).

My 616 camera has a spring loaded pressure plate, so film flatness isn't as vulnerable. One thing you might try though to provide tension is small 7/8" fabric pads that are designed to be put on to the legs of chairs, to protect floors. They are just squishy enough to provide some tension. Just be careful to check for shedding.

Good luck with the black chunk.

Matt

 

[noblebeast]

Sounds like great fun, and my Zeiss Ikonta B has been sadly neglected lately, crying "Feed me Seymour, feed me!" Time to load her up again.

Joe

 

[P C Headland]

I'll be in.

Now, just have to decide what to use: Agifold, Iskra I, Iskra II, Certo Six, Moskva 5, Franka Rolfix II, Ikonta 524/2 (no, can't use that, the shutter is separated from the camera by some 10000km...), Century Graphic or soon to arrive Super Ikonta III.

Maybe it would be a good time to by something else just for this ?

Choices, choices....

 

[jgjbowen]

Medium format Folding camera

Now that I have a 7x17, I guess that makes my 8x10 my "medium format" folding camera

 

[Dug]

Doug:

Thanks - I've found that the 120 film cannisters that J & C sell are big enough to hold the 616 spool, so if you are looking for something that doesn't require taking the film off the spool in the field, you may want to try them (in the changing bag, of course).

My 616 camera has a spring loaded pressure plate, so film flatness isn't as vulnerable. One thing you might try though to provide tension is small 7/8" fabric pads that are designed to be put on to the legs of chairs, to protect floors. They are just squishy enough to provide some tension. Just be careful to check for shedding.

Good luck with the black chunk.

Matt

Matt:

The chunk-ectomy was successful! I was able to dismantle and clean all lens surfaces with ROR (Residual Oil Remover) and get rid of the large chunk, the smaller chunks, and the other deposits that have built up over the latter part of the previous century. I remember taking pictures of my sister's cat with this camera and being impressed with the performance in the early to mid 1980s. On to November!

 

[landsknechte]

Great timing with this one... I picked up a nearly mint Voigtlander Jubilar over the weekend for a whopping three dollars, and have been itching to play with it, as it's the only folder I have that still takes commonly available film.

 

[Alex Hawley]

Bump. OK everyone. Its November!

 

[Dug]

Eight inches of rain in Seattle in 7 days. November has not been kind for image-making (yet). The Kodak Six-16 folder is pretty bullet proof, but not waterproof. Anyone else having any luck?

 

[wilsonneal]

Not sure yet. I was out in NYC in today's torrential rains with my new-to-me Franka Solida III (Thanks Matt). Haven't souped the HP5 yet but I am optimistic about some frames of people with umbrellas by the NY Public Library's lions. I hope I got something worth printing to justify my soaked feet.
Neal

 

[colrehogan]

Have taken the grand total of two shots with mine.

 

[25asa]

I shot a roll of Adox 100 thru the Kodak No. 2 Folding Autographic Brownie with the Rapid Rectilinear - but didn't like any of the compositions.

For grins I took a shot of the moon, hand held on the last frame.
1/50th at US16.

 

[Alex Hawley]

I've shot a couple rolls. Nothing printed yet.

 

[Kobin]

Since the glitch that's been preventing me from uploading images is fixed, I'll see what my Zeiss Ikon Netter can do (with its Blik rangefinder).

K.

 

[mgb74]

Well, this got me going to finally to a CLA on my Agfa Isolette (CLA is stretching it - my apologies to those who can really do a CLA on a lens). Shutter seemed OK but, as is often the case with these, the focus ring was stuck. After a day soaking in lighter fluid I was able to separate the first and second elements using the "2 hose clamp" method. Will try to calibrate the focus tomorrow.

Could have used the 2x3 Graphic, but that seemed like cheating.

 

[Steve Smith]

Is there a separate gallery set up for this?


Steve.

 

[Alex Hawley]

Is there a separate gallery set up for this?


Steve.

No, there is not a seperate gallery. Should there be?

 

[Steve Smith]

No, there is not a seperate gallery. Should there be?

I'm not sure. I just thought it would be nice to have them all in the same place.


Steve.

 

[Alex Hawley]

I'm not sure. I just thought it would be nice to have them all in the same place. Steve.

Its a good question Steve. I have sent a PM to David Goldberg and he is checking with Sean about it.

 

[Frank R]

I just shot a roll of film through my new Franka Solida II with a Xenar lens. I was very pleased with the results. The shutter was dead on and the uncoupled rangefinder was accurate down to three feet. I only shot ten pictures and all ten turned out fine.

I want to enter the MF Folding camera contest. I have never uploaded any pictures to APUG. If I upload several pictures, do I just mention in the description which picture is meant for the contest? How will the judges find the pictures?

Will there be a separate gallery for this contest? If no gallery, maybe a list of links for all those who want to view all the submissions?

Who is judging the pictures? When will it be judged?

 

[Alex Hawley]

I want to enter the MF Folding camera contest.

Frank, there's no contest involved, no judging of any sort. The idea is to simply showcase what can be done with an "obsolete" type of camera of this particular genre, coupled with the natural inventiveness of the users.

Will there be a separate gallery for this contest? If no gallery, maybe a list of links for all those who want to view all the submissions?

We don't know yet. I have asked one of the moderators for guidence on gallery postings. We are awaiting word from Sean about it. As soon as the guidence is received, I will post it here in the thread.

I have never uploaded any pictures to APUG. If I upload several pictures, do I just mention in the description which picture is meant for the contest? How will the judges find the pictures?

As I said above, we are waiting on guidance for the gallery postings. We have asked that participants post whichever photo they feel is their best one for the entry.

That being said, you should certainly feel free to upload any of your photos to the APUG galleries any time. Nothing wrong with getting started now. If you want to note that it was taken during the MF Folder project, that's fine too. Various other members have done very similar things.

Thanks for participating Frank.

 

[moose10101]

I've put one from my Perkeo in the gallery.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)