is this a good first plate camera? i've only been shooting/developing 120 & 127, and have no experience with plate formats. thoughts & insights much appreciated! 
cheers
cheers
Victo triple half-plate...
-
A
- Thread starter David Polanski
- Start date
Recent Classifieds
-
For Sale Nikon 500mm f4 P ais ed (I think that's all the labels?)
- Started by Gram Nylén
-
For Sale Tanar 50mm f2 ltm lens
- Started by Gram Nylén
-
For Sale NEW FUJIFILM Neopan Acros 100 Roll and Sheet Film Expired 2016-2019
- Started by opPaulT
-
For Sale NIKON NIKKOR 105mm f/2.5 Non Ai (MINT)
- Started by Acere
-
For Sale Transposing Frames for stereo photography, 45x107mm ("châssis alterneur")
- Started by Manual Camera
Forum statistics
Yes is in itself a very nice half plate camera - try to find one which is offered with matching plateholders
Further it is required to find also metal film sheats (inlays) to be able to use sheet-film within the plateholders (which were originally made for glass plates).
Further it is required to find also metal film sheats (inlays) to be able to use sheet-film within the plateholders (which were originally made for glass plates).
OP
OP
Many thanks, Ron.
How do you find the experience of shooting with plate vs other, smaller, formats? does the end justify the means for you as a shooter?
cheers
As most of us I started long ago with medium format and a little later with 35mm film (mostly using rangefinder camera's) - also with self developing film and paper. I also did a lot of servicing / restoration work on these camera's, but since my interest was always also in the history of camera's / lenses, I started to buy (and restore) vintage LF camera's such that I could also make use of them. From a 'photo-perspective' my goal was to be able to produce (b&w) pictures with vintage LF camera's that provided resolution comparable to todays digital camera's.
I learnt a lot from reading into threads on the LF forum (although there is also a German LF forum (https://forum.grossformatfotografie.de/forum/) I like the US-variant (https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/) better since there is much more knowledge and interaction, I guess because there are more members from all over the world; I also read quit a lot of books.
I only shoot with old vintage material (i.e. the camera's and lenses, not the film), and in almost all cases I had to restore the camera's to a certain extent (which I prefer, since you get to know the camera in al aspects very well and restoring is my main hobby). I'm now into vintage LF camera's for the last 12 years I guess. I soon had quite a large collection, but looking back I've sold quite a lot too since my knowledge / experience and taste have evolved. For instance my interest the last two years did shift towards the early lensmakers and lens designs (1840-1870).
I started out with a 10x15cm Tropica and other German camera's with that imagesize (I skipped 9x12cm or 5x4inch altogether) then went for the continental 13x18cm imagesize. Lateron I got more involved in British made camera's like your Victo and started with the half plate filmsize and lateron with the more expensive full plate.
Currently I'm restoring a Sanderson A-Pattern whole plate camera, and further I'm also building myself a little camera just like they did in the 1850 era since I find them too pricy to buy. For that I had to acquire more knowledge and experience in traditional woodworking skills - which also comes at hand when restoring vintage camera's.
Regarding your question: I get always exited looking at the ground glass screen from a big LF camera, and I'm still exited about what will be the outcome from a shoot - further I find the (big) prints very impressive and the (all the) work very rewarding.
...but everyone of course has his own photographic journey
Further you'll have to find out what works for you and what not....and of course developing sheet film is not very different from developing your 120 and 127 rolls of film.
Last edited:
I just bought a messy Sanderson Tropical half plate from ebay, haven't received it yet, looks pretty ugly. Was rebadge by Harrington an Australian camera company.As most of us I started long ago with medium format and a little later with 35mm film (mostly using rangefinder camera's) - also with self developing film and paper. I also did a lot of servicing / restoration work on these camera's, but since my interest was always also in the history of camera's / lenses, I started to buy (and restore) vintage LF camera's such that I could also make use of them. From a 'photo-perspective' my goal was to be able to produce (b&w) pictures with vintage LF camera's that provided resolution comparable to todays digital camera's.
I learnt a lot from reading into threads on the LF forum (although there is also a German LF forum (https://forum.grossformatfotografie.de/forum/) I like the US-variant (https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/) better since there is much more knowledge and interaction, I guess because there are more members from all over the world; I also read quit a lot of books.
I only shoot with old vintage material (i.e. the camera's and lenses, not the film), and in almost all cases I had to restore the camera's to a certain extent (which I prefer, since you get to know the camera in al aspects very well and restoring is my main hobby). I'm now into vintage LF camera's for the last 12 years I guess. I soon had quite a large collection, but looking back I've sold quite a lot too since my knowledge / experience and taste have evolved. For instance my interest the last two years did shift towards the early lensmakers and lens designs (1840-1870).
I started out with a 10x15cm Tropica and other German camera's with that imagesize (I skipped 9x12cm or 5x4inch altogether) then went for the continental 13x18cm imagesize. Lateron I got more involved in British made camera's like your Victo and started with the half plate filmsize and lateron with the more expensive full plate.
Currently I'm restoring a Sanderson A-Pattern whole plate camera, and further I'm also building myself a little camera just like they did in the 1850 era since I find them too pricy to buy. For that I had to acquire more knowledge and experience in traditional woodworking skills - which also comes at hand when restoring vintage camera's.
Regarding your question: I get always exited looking at the ground glass screen from a big LF camera, and I'm still exited about what will be the outcome from a shoot - further I find the (big) prints very impressive and the (all the) work very rewarding.
...but everyone of course has his own photographic journey
Further you'll have to find out what works for you and what not....and of course developing sheet film is not very different from developing your 120 and 127 rolls of film.
OP
OP
As most of us I started long ago with medium format and a little later with 35mm film (mostly using rangefinder camera's) - also with self developing film and paper. I also did a lot of servicing / restoration work on these camera's, but since my interest was always also in the history of camera's / lenses, I started to buy (and restore) vintage LF camera's such that I could also make use of them. From a 'photo-perspective' my goal was to be able to produce (b&w) pictures with vintage LF camera's that provided resolution comparable to todays digital camera's.
I learnt a lot from reading into threads on the LF forum (although there is also a German LF forum (https://forum.grossformatfotografie.de/forum/) I like the US-variant (https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/) better since there is much more knowledge and interaction, I guess because there are more members from all over the world; I also read quit a lot of books.
I only shoot with old vintage material (i.e. the camera's and lenses, not the film), and in almost all cases I had to restore the camera's to a certain extent (which I prefer, since you get to know the camera in al aspects very well and restoring is my main hobby). I'm now into vintage LF camera's for the last 12 years I guess. I soon had quite a large collection, but looking back I've sold quite a lot too since my knowledge / experience and taste have evolved. For instance my interest the last two years did shift towards the early lensmakers and lens designs (1840-1870).
I started out with a 10x15cm Tropica and other German camera's with that imagesize (I skipped 9x12cm or 5x4inch altogether) then went for the continental 13x18cm imagesize. Lateron I got more involved in British made camera's like your Victo and started with the half plate filmsize and lateron with the more expensive full plate.
Currently I'm restoring a Sanderson A-Pattern whole plate camera, and further I'm also building myself a little camera just like they did in the 1850 era since I find them too pricy to buy. For that I had to acquire more knowledge and experience in traditional woodworking skills - which also comes at hand when restoring vintage camera's.
Regarding your question: I get always exited looking at the ground glass screen from a big LF camera, and I'm still exited about what will be the outcome from a shoot - further I find the (big) prints very impressive and the (all the) work very rewarding.
...but everyone of course has his own photographic journey
Further you'll have to find out what works for you and what not....and of course developing sheet film is not very different from developing your 120 and 127 rolls of film.
Ron,
Thanks so very much for your detailed and extremely informative response!
As you say, it's so much about finding one's way on the journey, but it's certainly reassuring to hear from one so seasoned that the Victo makes sense as an entry point to LF.
Following your tip I'm inquiring about the metal inlays for sheet film in the plateholders—thanks for that. If they're not part of the kit "as is" then it looks I'll definitely have to source them.
cheers
is this a good first plate camera? i've only been shooting/developing 120 & 127, and have no experience with plate formats. thoughts & insights much appreciated!
cheers
To do what ? I ask this question because they take book form plate holders, half plate film is only available via the Ilford yearlu ULF run and expensive, You could make or adapt a modern back to shoot 7x5 or 5x4 sheet film. An alternative is make an adapter to take a 5x4 DDS film holder that slips in like a book-form holder.
I acquired a Houghton Triple Victo Half Plate camera a couple of weeks ago, mine needs a slight repair, essentially remove a previous piece used to repair it and make a correctnew piece. It joins my Whole Plate Triple Victo and Quarter plate Victo alongside my Half Plate Houghton Duchess.
The cross member that the front standard is screwed to is not original and incorrect thickess so it needs replacing, the images were just quick phone snaps to showw the bellows restoration (before & after) which is completed now.
My point is if you know what you are doing the Victo's are great cameras but maybe not the best to start LF with.
Ian
Last edited:
Wow! thats an impressive bit of rise.
Harringtons Ltd were quite diverse company in their range of activities claiming to be: Manufacturers and importers of everything Photographi, Radio, Cinema and electrica, Jeweller' amd Dentist Requirements. Metallurgists, Analysts and Assayers. Precious Metals Bought and Sold. That's from the 1934 BJP Almanac they had been taken over by Kodak in 1933 probably while the Almanac was at press.
Ian
For half plate we are no longer dependent upon Ilford; I bought a box of half plate sheet film from Foma which comes at a little more than about one third of the Ilford price. Very nice film once you're used to it.
I 'only' had to turn to Ilford for the whole plate film, since its the only company to my knowledge who makes that film. Further Ilford doesn't provide the continental 10x15cm film which I use in a couple of German camera's.
Last edited:
You man totally dependant on Ilford
Ilford would cut to 10x15cm if you asked them and bought enough, and I think Adox (Fotoimpex) would as well, but it's a rare size But it's back to practicalitiesas the OP would need Half Plate film sheath inserts in book form holders to be able to shoot film, they were made by Kodak but are rare.
Ian
OP
OP
Many thanks, Ian, for the great observations and pics of that beautiful instrument—would love to see the whole 'family' together for a group shot!
I guess, in answering your "to do what?", I want to be able to compose with a larger format and to have the experience of doing so with a piece of history. I hope in so doing to continue to improve my knowledge of photographic history & theory, as well of course as to continue to build praxis skills with the art&science of the endeavor...
Incidentally, the Victo mentioned in the OP does have those sheet film inlays, so that'd seem to be on the plus side of the balance... however, while I'm very attracted to the Victo's "period" aspect (and don't shy from a certain learning curve or minor bit of repair work/fashioning), I'm not entirely without reason... are there other field plate cameras that would make a better entry to LF photography (Intrepids maybe?) than the Victo (especially in consideration of its being set to go for sheet film) and, if so, what are some of the advantages those other cameras would have as first instruments over the Victo triple?
OP
OP
'good tips—thanks for that, Paul. Cutting your own glass sounds very "in the weeds" there... what fun!
'rather OT, but do folks who work wet commonly do so? What's involved with that?
My advice would actually be to get something like an inexpensive MPP Micro Technical to learn LF and then progress to using the Victo. It's possible to get MicroTechnical MkIIIs in good working order but often looking scruffy, for around the £100 mark. The covering material used on the MkIII breaks down with age. I bought two one in bits for I think £70 (for both), and a MkVII with an excellent lens for just over £100. I know it's possible as I've done it a few times
Ian
MPP Micro Technical camera's are quite nice; weren't they actually near copies (or even made by) Linhof which produced the Technica series of camera's?
Anyhow, Ian, I would be interesting to find out, and I think David too, why the MPP Micro or Linhoff Technika camera's would make LF easier to learn? Is it because they have a so-called spring back which takes modern plateholders?
btw what I see from Linhof and MPP comes at high prices...
Anyhow, Ian, I would be interesting to find out, and I think David too, why the MPP Micro or Linhoff Technika camera's would make LF easier to learn? Is it because they have a so-called spring back which takes modern plateholders?
btw what I see from Linhof and MPP comes at high prices...
Last edited:
Might be rare (strange?) from a British/US perspective, but it was a very popular size on the Continent during about 50 years; Foma still produces it as many other 'rare' sizes at fair prices. The 'nice' thing about this size is that the camera's are still a practical format and most you can shoot also handheld like the Deckrullo (the format was used often by photojournalist), further it is only a bit smaller than half plate so it can still produce images with great resolution (better IMHO than 9x12cm and 5x4inch formats) if you strive for big prints.
To my knowledge they were not only produced by Kodak but by many others whose names in most cases were not imprinted on the sheats; not long a go you could buy boxes full with these on camera fairs as well as other sizes and one finds them at the big auction site offered quite regularly - I even have some made by German AGFA. The ones I find really rare (as well as its plateholders) are the whole/full plate size and bigger sizes like 10x8 and 12x10 (sheats/inlays and its plateholders) which come at a high price.
From all the sheats I have in my collection (apart from the very big ones I have all formats continental and imperial), half plate was the easiest to find and acquire (together with the continental 13x18 format); but I guess that it would be fair to say that 5x4 (which I don't shoot) would be easier to find - as well as its film since it is sold still world wide in many photo/camera shops.
Last edited:
The more common sizes are 4x5 and 8x10 in both tin type and glass plates are readily available off the shelf. You can get a glazier to cut odd sizes or cut them yourself with a glass cutter. Nothing about wet plait is easy. I started to do some basic 4x5's last year and realized I needed a much bigger and better work space to do it well, so this year I am building one.'good tips—thanks for that, Paul. Cutting your own glass sounds very "in the weeds" there... what fun!
As Ian suggested a 4x5 press camera is far more practical, especially for a beginner. My first 4x5 camera was a linhof technika iii, it still is my most used 4x5, very quick and easy to set up and very stable. Perfect camera to start large format and if you wish to try plate photography 4x5 is a good starting point.
Dont pass up on a bargain old plate camera (especially the larger ones) as they will eventually get more expensive and harder to get. I have a 24 x30cm field camera with 3 plate holders, currently you can buy inexpensive x ray film that size and I just tape the xray film to the glass plate and use that, eventually I will use it for wet plate.
You can also cut xray film to other sizes easily under a red safe light with a paper guillotine. Xray film isn't as good as regular film, has a few issues, but is cheap and good for practice. .
Learn on a regular 4x5 camera, then you'll know where to go from there.
Guess too that is the best way to go if you are still beginning to learn LF.
...I like your gallery Paul @ Flickr!
Thanks Ron, I'm still learning.
I have The Superbe Victo, incredibly piece of craftsmanship, looks like it was kept in a barn for half a century, but the wood work and brass was still in good condition. I just patched it to use, its not restoration.
Affordable LF camera's are becoming very hard to get in Australia, so if I see one I grab it.
Im still waiting for the Sanderson to arrive, looks really interesting, be great to have it functional again.
The building materials for my new shed arrived yesterday, so hopefully I won't have to wait much longer for construction. It will be 8 x 4mtrs, plenty of room for darkroom and studio and workspace, then I can get more seriously into LF.
Yes the MPP Micro Technical is based on the wr time production Linhof Technika, and the Microcord the Rolleicord, all part of war reparations, AGI made a Reflex Korelle copy, Reid ad Leice III copy. etc.
David did mention maybe getting an Intrepid, my suggestion is a more rugged MPP or something similar, and yes first because it has a spring back or later versions a Graflok back,DDS ilm holders are easy to find, development can be in daylight tanks rather than trays or a Paterson Orbital. The disadvantage of the Victo or similar is a limitation with book form /plate holders slowing down the LF learning curve. I'm thinking interms of the number of plate holders etc.
I'm also suggesting that what's learnt from a more modern camera can then be used with the Victo with it's slower way of working.
Ian
| Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here. |
PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:  |