Plate and film question

[Top-Cat]

Recently, I just found a plate camera being sold by someone who doesn't seem to know what a large format or plate camera is.

At first I thought, "hey, a large format camera at a bargain", but then I read a bit up on the difference between plate and film and started to feel as ignorant as the one selling the camera.

Then I thought, as I've managed to use 120mm film in cameras designed for 620mm, that there just might be a possibility to use it anyway.

So my question is this:

Can a plate camera, such as the MAXIMAR 207, be used for sheets of film?

Oh, and hi everyone, I've been off APUG for a while, trying to focus more on illustration/draftsmanship and music lately (only recently came back home to use my darkroom again).

 

[brucemuir]

Can you post a picture of the camera Back?

 

[P C Headland]

Often you can, but it depends on the holders and their size.

If it looks anything like I think it does, the holder slides off the camera back. By default, the holders take one glass plate each, but you can use film sheaths into which you slide your sheet of film, then the film and sheath slides into the holder. If you can't find any sheaths, but do have some old plates, you can use some low-tack glue (or jam!) to stick the sheet of film to the glass holder.

I use a 9x12cm plate camera. 9x12cm film is not that hard to find, and the modern 9x12cm holders also fit a standard 4x5" camera (the holders have the same external dimensions).

 

[removed account4]

hi TC

it is a small distance difference between the :flange to film" and "flange to plate" distances
about 3/32 " .... you could put spacers between your ground glass and camera body ( if you want .. )
but it might not be necessary ...

i have a box camera that was made for glass plates and i just use film or paper negatives
in modern film holders and don't worry about it ... but im not from the same school as most
people who use large format cameras ... ( i also use plates in film cameras with the same
reckless attitude )

have fun !

john

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

 

[afrank]

if you can get film holders of the same dimension, i.e: 4x5 then you will only need to worry about the thickness. I modded a plate Voiglander camera to take film holders that were thicker by adding extra metal around the holding edges to increase its thickness.

 

[Ian Grant]

You don't say wheter it's the 6.9x9 or 9x12 version. If it's the 6.5x9 don't bother with sheet film, find a 6x9 Rollex or Rada 6x9 roll film back but make sure it's the correct fit, the edges differ and there's a few versions.

9x12 cameras are easier as 9x12 is a standard continental european standard size for sheet film, you just need film adapters for the plate holders. You can also get 6x9 roll film backs for 9x12 cameras.

In practice the register difference isn't noticeable in results even at wider apertures.

Ian

 

[Top-Cat]

Didn't put a bid on it as it quickly became fairly steep.

So instead I put a bid on a Voigtländer Avus 9X12 camera. At first I thought it was film, then reading up on camerapedia it seems to be plate.

Any experiences with Voigtländer Avus and film around?

 

[Ian Grant]

All 9x12 plate holders can be used with film if you get film inserts, you need to get the right plate holders as theres a few different edge types.

You can also get Rollex & Rada roll film backs for 9x12 cameras, again theres various edge tpes, these shoot 6x9 and sometimes 6x6 with an adapter on 120 film, there were some 620 versions as well.

Ian

 

[Top-Cat]

Any good tips about availability in northern europe? Especially Scandinavia?

 

[Top-Cat]

Oh, and can sheet film be developed almost as if it were photographic paper? Such as using the paper developing trays, only using film developer and doing it in complete darkness? I'm not too keen on investing a lot of money on sheet film tanks at the moment, I have a regular 35mm/120 paterson tank already

 

[Ian Grant]

These days the best bargains are at Camera fairs (well at least here in the UK).

Ebay prices seem rather high in past months, try the .com, .co.uk and .de, logins are the same so are saved items etc. I've bought two Paten Etui's found via ebay.de, while it's a common database the categories don't always map across properly.

Ian