Using vintage plate camera for beginners

Hello,

I have a vintage wood and brass Watson Premier camera and always thought that it would be good to be able to get a decent photograph out of it. Well being locked down due to the recent snowfall I have been pottering and have decided that the time has come.

It is a full plate camera with a Dallmeyer 2D F6 lens said to have a focal length of 9" (230 mm).

There is a nice ground glass focusing screen and a wooden double-sided plate holder.

I could do with being directed to a source where I can find 'step by step' style guidance anticipating the questions that only those of us who know almost nothing can come up with.

A work-shop would be a good option.

Any recommendations will be appreciated.

Chris Kilroy

I struggled with the whole concept of plate cameras when I first got one. While I can't direct you to an online resource, I'd be happy to share what I've learned.

It would seem that you have what you need. It would appear that you confirmed that your holder takes plates (vs film) and does have the required dark slides that allow it to be handled in daylight?

I am presuming that you develop your own film, have access to a "dark room" (even if it isn't a true darkroom) and have a media to shoot, either in the form of plates (dry being far easier) or sheet film/paper negative with sheath?

The process is slower than the usual, but is pretty straight forward.

Preload the holder with your desired media in the dark in advance and replace the darkslides so the loaded holder can be handled in daylight.

Set up the camera on a tripod, set the shutter to T/B and open the aperture up all the way with the ground glass mounted (if it removes - some are fixed and bow away from the camera body to insert the film/plate holder)

Move the lens forward/backward to get focus on the desired subject - I find a handheld magnifier (or even a spare nifty-fifty SLR lens) helps.

When you've gotten the desired focus, close the shutter.

Take your meter readings of the subject/scene if you haven't already and set the camera to coincide.

Insert your film holder in the back plane of the camera. If your shutter needs to be cocked before releasing, this tends to be the good time to do so in case you lose grip on the tensioner pull and possibly open the shutter by mistake.

Remove the darkslide - your film/plate is now ready to expose.

Release the shutter (and if a bulb, close it back up), and then after exposure, place the dark slide back carefully back between the film/plate and the camera back.

Remove and develop!