Improved Seneca No. 2, 5" x 8" View Camera with Five (5) Cut Film Holders
That's not a typo! This camera has five (5) 5" x 8" cut film holders! There's no nameplate on the body, but it has many of the features of other Seneca cameras. Obviously, 5" x 8" is an unusual size, so this might have been a special-order item.
It includes the rear rails (always a plus!), the ground glass is good, the bellows are light-tight, and the overall finish is very good.
It includes two (2) lensboards with two lens/shutter combinations. The first is a 3-1/4 x 5-1/2 Bausch & Lomb Tessar in a Rochester Optical Co. Premo shutter. Surprisingly, the shutter speeds sound very close. Front and rear element glass is good, but will need a little cleaning. The shutter needs a good cleaning and polish. For such a small lens, it provides reasonably good coverage. The second lens is a mystery; there are no markings on either element, and both will fit in place of the rear element. The glass in both are very clean and free of scratches. The shutter is an Ilex General; the speeds are not accurate, and neither B or T will function. I suspect there was a barrel section that held the front element and slipped into the front of the shutter; it would have been held in place by a set screw.
Now, about those 5" x 8" holders! I couldn't find anything about such a size, which makes me suspect that this was a special order. The good news is that each holder has a spring-loaded frame that holds a sheet of 5" x 7" cut film. So, there's no need to special-order film for this camera - just use your favorite 5" x 7" film brand!
The unusual size will make this a unique addition to your camera collection!
$275 + S/H.
That's not a typo! This camera has five (5) 5" x 8" cut film holders! There's no nameplate on the body, but it has many of the features of other Seneca cameras. Obviously, 5" x 8" is an unusual size, so this might have been a special-order item.
It includes the rear rails (always a plus!), the ground glass is good, the bellows are light-tight, and the overall finish is very good.
It includes two (2) lensboards with two lens/shutter combinations. The first is a 3-1/4 x 5-1/2 Bausch & Lomb Tessar in a Rochester Optical Co. Premo shutter. Surprisingly, the shutter speeds sound very close. Front and rear element glass is good, but will need a little cleaning. The shutter needs a good cleaning and polish. For such a small lens, it provides reasonably good coverage. The second lens is a mystery; there are no markings on either element, and both will fit in place of the rear element. The glass in both are very clean and free of scratches. The shutter is an Ilex General; the speeds are not accurate, and neither B or T will function. I suspect there was a barrel section that held the front element and slipped into the front of the shutter; it would have been held in place by a set screw.
Now, about those 5" x 8" holders! I couldn't find anything about such a size, which makes me suspect that this was a special order. The good news is that each holder has a spring-loaded frame that holds a sheet of 5" x 7" cut film. So, there's no need to special-order film for this camera - just use your favorite 5" x 7" film brand!
The unusual size will make this a unique addition to your camera collection!
$275 + S/H.
