Tips for using Slavich 9x12 ISO160 plates

[bwakel]

Having been gifted a beautiful old full-plate Gandolfi wooden field camera, I've taken the plunge and bought some Slavich 9x12 ISO160 glass plates (the camera has a 9x12 adaptor and a number of wooden double dark slides).

So, a few questions:

Does anyone have experience of loading the plates into the wooden dark slides? Is it straightforward? Any tips?

Once I've exposed the plates does anyone have any advice on developing them? I'll be tray developing but are there any recommendations for developer, temperature, time, agitation, etc

Any other tips gratefully received!

Barry

 

[Ole]

Loading is even easier than loading film - there's no "flex" to them, so they're either properly in or not in at all.

Use whatever developer you're used to, is my best advice. I don't tend to follow my own advice very often, so I've done some in Pextral's two-bath developer and got great negatives - for POP.

 

[bwakel]

Loading is even easier than loading film - there's no "flex" to them, so they're either properly in or not in at all.

Use whatever developer you're used to, is my best advice. I don't tend to follow my own advice very often, so I've done some in Pextral's two-bath developer and got great negatives - for POP.

Ole, thanks for the reply. How would I estimate the dev time? Also, potentially silly question, but can the plates be developed under a safe light (if so, which one) or do they need total darkness? I'm not sure if they're panchromatic?

Thanks

barry

 

[Ole]

They are panchromatic (or "Izooptochromatic", near enough to the same thing), so you can only use a safelight you would consider using for developing other film...

That's why i used a two-bath developer, the time doesn't really matter. I'll be trying some more one of these days, I guess I'll give them ten minutes in whatever developer and take it from there...

 

[bwakel]

Ole, thanks for the tips. I developed my first two plates in trays yesterday - 8 minutes in Neofin Blue diluted to 700ml, 3 seconds agitation every minute and they've come out nicely (I under-exposed both unfortunately because I forgot the reciprocity failure due to concentrating too much on setting the camera up!)

The tonality is what stands out - beautiful compared with my usual 6x9 negs.

Barry

They are panchromatic (or "Izooptochromatic", near enough to the same thing), so you can only use a safelight you would consider using for developing other film...

That's why i used a two-bath developer, the time doesn't really matter. I'll be trying some more one of these days, I guess I'll give them ten minutes in whatever developer and take it from there...

 

[Anton Lukoszevieze]

Foto?

Can you post a jpeg. of your camera please, just out of interest? I have a Gandolfi whole plate camera (for shooting film).
Thanks
Anton

 

[bennoj]

I have a number of plate cameras and would be interested in shooting some plates, but when I have looked at the Slavich site, their products seem to be for holography. Perhaps I am just too stupid to figure out which emulsion would work for 'normal' photography, or am I looking at the wrong products? Can someone help?

 

[Ole]

I think you've looked at the wrong Slavich site - try http://www.slavich.ru/english/products/fotoplastin/

The photographic plates are the PFN-01T. Slavich will also coat any emulsion on any support, but there is a minimum order size. That size is quite small, but glass plates are heavy so shipping is expensive.

I boought my plates from Retro Photographic. They were expensive - at least until I started comparing with 1934 prices!

 

[bennoj]

Thanks, Ole. I had a feeling I was on the wrong site, but somehow my Google attempts failed to come up with this one.

 

[bwakel]

Can you post a jpeg. of your camera please, just out of interest? I have a Gandolfi whole plate camera (for shooting film).
Thanks
Anton

Here it is, I've attached a front and rear view.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Here it is, I've attached a front and rear view.

Oh! It's a Universal. I have the 12x15 version of the same camera.

 

[Anton Lukoszevieze]

JPEGS

Oh, that is a beautiful camera!

 

[bwakel]

Oh! It's a Universal. I have the 12x15 version of the same camera.

Roger, glad to hear that I'm in good company! Do you know much about these cameras? My father was given this one when he left his first employer (he was a scientific instrument maker, served his apprenticeship there and went on to be a senior manager before leaving to set up his own company). I don't know much about the camera's age, history, possible accessories, etc.

Any information would be of interest.

Thanks

Barry

 

[rknewcomb]

I know its probably a long shot that I'd be able to actually get some of these plates but... The website does list the plates but that's all.
Is the way to check on the price and shipping via the telephone?
Could someone here give me some idea of these plates cost?
Without a "special" order, they come only in 9x12cm size?
Do they seem to survive the shipping experience well?
thank you!
Robert Newcomb

 

[Ole]

Retro Photographic had some 9x12 plates, and may still have some left. I bought my plates from them, not from Slavich.

I think we need "local" help here - Eumenius, are you here?

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Anybody know if anybody makes/sells this stuff in the good ol' US of A? I also looked at the site and saw only 9x12 plates, and no prices or ordering info...

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Anybody know if anybody makes/sells this stuff in the good ol' US of A? I also looked at the site and saw only 9x12 plates, and no prices or ordering info...

There are no known makers of glass plates worldwide other than Slavich in Russia. Most photographers who use plate cameras either adapt to film, or learn to coat their own plates. The market for glass plates is so small, that is why you don't see any US sellers. Freestyle carries Slavich photo paper, so if any plates from Slavich were imported into the USA it would probably be from them. The price would be quite high, I would expect, as this is not really a high-volume mass produced product. Would you pay $10 per plate? (just a guess).

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[Fotohuis]

Rollei/Maco have them in their program:

9x12cm 12 plates, RR09GP

www.mahn.net

 

[Michael W]

There are no known makers of glass plates worldwide other than Slavich in Russia.

Agfa Gevaert in Belgium still make glass plates. I believe they are mostly used in science experiments. They are APX 100. From memory they sell for about $100 for a box of 10 plates 6.5x9 cm. Kodak are definitely still making plates as well, although I heard that is just special orders for astronomical photographers & other scientific types.

 

[Fotohuis]

Above mentioned plates are 99% sure from Gevaert due to the fact Rollei is producing some films overthere.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've seen the Slavich plates available from holography suppliers in the U.S. The panoramic ones are what you would want for pictorial photography, but they also have ortho plates and a couple with narrower spectral sensitivity mainly for holography.