Stone,
The Premo is an interesting beast, a self-casing camera that was the largest brother of a host of smaller versions–of which a 4 x 5 was my first large-format camera. Don't put too much stock in the 1902 date, it's a patent date on many of the Rochester devices, but it could be right. They were quite popular and there are many of them around. Rochester Optical Co. went through a number of permutations, detailed here. The designs were continued by Eastman after he bought the company and produced for many years.
PHSNE has a large number of these types of cameras that are ready to be sold, if anyone is interested. The last donation of cameras included boxes of self-casing cameras.
You won't need a bulb and hose, there is a trip lever on the shutter...have you cocked and fired it? The 1-5 for shutter speeds is a little confusing. I'm used to seeing numbered aperture holes, but not shutter speeds. It won't be accurate to any standard you know anyway, so guesswork is going to play a part in this adventure. I am bringing at least one bulb and hose anyway. Those air-regulated shutters are amazingly strong and long-working, but accuracy is not a selling point.
The holders are made for glass plates, and the spring at the bottom holds those up under a lip at the top. I have some sheaths that will allow them to be used for film that I can bring. Lacking sheaths, you can put in a piece of glass, or plexiglass, and then stick the film to it–Oli used to use jam to do this, others prefer post-it-note adhesive. Duveyteen may be sufficient to block out the light while shooting, it has been used before by many of us who shoot with these old things.
The weather forecast for Waterford on Saturday is for mostly sunny and in the mid 70's–pretty much ideal for the gathering. Of course, weather forecasters are never wrong,so we are all set. Party is on, see you at breakfast...or whenever.
Everything looks good in the groundglass.
Everything looks good in the groundglass.
Thanks, everybody. As usual, we got more eating and bull***ting done than photography, but it was fun.
Great to meet you, Stone. I would have lent you some holders if I'd known... The Forte/Berger is asa 200 and the numbers you remember are what I have written on the box. I don't remember where I got them, but they worked like a charm last time I developed some. I shot two sheets, 2 f-stops apart, and developed them in a rotary tube at 6.5 min. in Rodinal 1/25 and they both came out very nicely, each with it's own personality, but each a very printable negative. I haven't printed them, but since I have to contact print 5 x 7, I don't worry much about grain. I was given that film at a Photographica show by a camera dealer who said, "I don't remember where I got it, I can't say how it was stored or how old it is...here, take it." Gotta love guys like that.
Next year.
I could have sworn john mentioned something about wanting a 10x12 camera?
Well it's ugly but it's reasonable -ish in price.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291078076098
I could have sworn john mentioned something about wanting a 10x12 camera?
Someone mentioned 10x12 at the party, it may have been in jest?
It was when I was sitting at the picnic table, that's all I remember.
Oh well.
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