What is the largest camera you have used or presently own?

[GreyWolf]

I am just curious as to what most folks have had for an opportunity in regards to LF or ULF photography. The more time I spend doing this photography thing, the more I am getting an urge to own an 11x14 camera.

At the moment I am just weighing the facts out that if the wife gets half of everything I have, will I then have enough left over for 11x14 film holders and film. :wub:

Kind Regards,

 

[Lex Jenkins]

Well, I just noticed the thread title and poll don't read exactly the same way...

The largest camera I've used was a 4x5, back in school.

The largest I've *owned* is medium format.

Anyway, I clicked on the choice for 4x5 before reading the poll title, based on the thread title.

 

[Donald Miller]

I photograph with a 12X20. I can't comment on your domestic situation. In my experience cameras last longer then relationships (my Korona is about 85 years old).

 

[Annie]

7x11 the forgotten format.... Put me down for 1/2 an 11x14.

 

[Tom Duffy]

took most of the intermediate steps all the way up to an 8x10 (too many depth of field limitations), then decided 5x7 was my ideal format. I generally enlarge to about 10x13 which makes a nice, sharp print or a 13x19 when I want to see it really big.

just an observation, 11x14 seems to be becoming less of a "standard" format than 12x20.

 

[Alex Hawley]

Just bought the 8x10 and its enroute. Pleasantly surprised to see 8x10 in the early lead. Not counting cameras which haven't arrived yet would make me vote for 4x5.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

11x14" is the largest I have. I've been thinking about 7x17" as a nice portable format to investigate at some point. I think of 8x10" as my favorite all around, and 4x5" for when I want to shoot large format but want a little more speed and flexibility when photographing in the city, or the option of going handheld when traveling. I'll be spending a few weeks in Hawai'i in December, and I'll probably bring the Linhof Tech V, because it will stand up to the wind better than the ultralight Gowland 8x10", which I brought one year.

 

[lee]

I have use when I want to use it of a 12x20 camera but do not own one. Like David I would love a 7x17 camera for those panoramas. Just not yet.

Currently I use 4x5 5x7 and 8x10.

lee\c

 

[FrankB]

Hmmm... Putting this in the LF forum may swing the vote a touch. I'm in the 6x6 category through possession of a hand-me-down Lubitel II. Virtually all my stuff is on 35mm

Wot, no APS category?!

 

[karl]

I had an 11x14 Korona for a while. It was pretty rough, so I sold it help fund an 8x10 Canham woodfield. I would like to have another ULF camera, although I do enjoy the much more portable nature of an 8x10. I think my next big camera will either be an 8x20 back for the Canham or a 12x20. I figure if I'm going to go for the extra hassel and expense of something bigger than 8x10 I might as well go all the way.

I recently saw a show that had some of Jackson's and Watkin's prints from mammoth plate negatives, so now I want an 18x22.

karl

 

[SteveGangi]

My biggest camera is an 8x10. I salso have 35mm, 6x6, 6x9, 4x5 and 5x7.

 

[fingel]

The largest camera that I own is an 8x10, but the largest camera that I have ever used was a 36" NeuArc horizontal process camera back in school. They had an even bigger one that the bellows was about 8 feet tall, but it was not used for much of anything, needless to say they wern't very portible.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

That reminds me, now that I think about it, that in a high school photo class, I did once use the horizontal process camera for something. It had a special room attached to the darkroom with lights and vacuum copy stage on one side, and a door with a vacuum film easel on the other side. The school owned it because we had a vocational program in printing, and students in the printing program did a lot of the printing for the school system. I wasn't shooting large sheets of film though--probably 4x5", and I can't recall why. Maybe we were learning how to make dupes.

 

[Poco]

Put me down as a second 7x11 shooter ...and I guess if your wife got half of the 11x14, that would make you the third ;-)

 

[clogz]

Oh, yeah..the Minox owners are forgotten again. And how about the much missed 110 format?

 

[Jim Chinn]

I have used up to 12x20 but currently use an 11x14. I am presently building 3 11x14s (well, materials are cheaper if you buy them in bulk). One is going to a friend and I will be selling the other two. If any Apuggers are interested in 11x14 I would be more then happy to send you a camera with a couple of film holders and you can try it out for awhile. Full front movements, fixed rear standard, geared focus, 40" bellows draw, reversable back, 8x10 reducing back.

I would like to find one or two volunteers who have a lens that will cover and are familiar with using ULF and could evaluate the camera for me for a about a month.

 

[Jorge]

I have used up to 12x20 but currently use an 11x14. I am presently building 3 11x14s (well, materials are cheaper if you buy them in bulk). One is going to a friend and I will be selling the other two. If any Apuggers are interested in 11x14 I would be more then happy to send you a camera with a couple of film holders and you can try it out for awhile. Full front movements, fixed rear standard, geared focus, 40" bellows draw, reversable back, 8x10 reducing back.

I would like to find one or two volunteers who have a lens that will cover and are familiar with using ULF and could evaluate the camera for me for a about a month.

Unfortunatelly shipping to Mexico and back would be too expensive for me to try it, but I would love to see pics of the cameras when they are finished.

 

[Michael Mutmansky]

Size? Size doesn't matter, unless you shoot big, then you can tall everyone how much work it is to use these big cameras, and maybe get a sympathy sale or two...

The largest I've use in the field is a 12x20, but for active shooting like I typically do, a 7x17 is a better choice. If I need to go light, I'll use an 8x10!

Jim,

If you need a tester, I would be willing to work with the camera for a while and let you know what I think.

---Michael

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Jim, I'd be willing to test as well, though I'm content with my 11x14" camera, so if you would rather have someone who might be interested in purchasing a camera do the testing, that's okay too.

 

[Thomassauerwein]

8x10 which I don't do any more, 4x5 sometimes mostly 6x8 which has most the functions of a veiw camera but much less weight. I am the proud father of a new Xpan also (she's adopted) we'rer having a great time together.

 

[Jim Chinn]

Actually David I was hoping to find someone who already is using 11x14 so they are already familar with using the bigger camera and neg. So you and Mike sound like the candidates. I will probably have the cameras done sometime in December and we can discuss it then. Thanks for offering to provide some input.

 

[George Losse]

The poll needs more answers. You left out most of the ULF sizes.

I have been shooting 8x20 off and on for about 12 years. This past year it has seen a lot of action again. I also shoot an 11x14, but not too much lately.

Most of the time I like to shoot with a smaller more mobile 8x10 camera.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks, Jim. I suppose that for testing purposes that makes things easier, since I've got lenses, holders, an appropriate tripod, film, and a system for processing it already.

My lenses are on Sinar sized boards, so if you could design the front standard to take them, that would be handy. My American Optical 11x14" camera actually took smaller boards originally (4" if I remember correctly), but there was enough room to enlarge the opening for Sinar boards (which my Gowland 8x10" uses) using a router. Ideally, if I were designing a new ULF camera, I would design it to take Deardorff boards, and then you could make a Deardorff-Sinar adapter, have more room for a Packard shutter behind the lens as an option, and you would be able to handle some larger portrait lenses that don't fit easily on a Sinar board.

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

I clicked the 6x6 but honestly that was a brownie class thing I was given when I was a kid/teen.

That 'I' have purchased, all were 35mm.

Jorge O

 

[GreyWolf]

Hello Jim68134,

Regarding" Apuggers are interested in 11x14 I would be more then happy to send you a camera with a couple of film holders and you can try it out for awhile". I would dearly love to try one of your cameras. I presently have not gone past 4x5 yet but wish to enter into Pt/Pd printing by year end or perhaps with the coming of the new year. My intention is to work with my 4x5 negs for Pt/Pd as an entry level project and hopefully work up to 8x10 or if possible 11x14 as my final accomplishment.

The opportunity to try a camera prior to making a purchasing arrangement is almost too good to be true. As such if you should consider my request (slowly working it's way up to a plea) I would be willing to contribute a rental fee for the privelege. Perhaps things might eventually become a sell/purchase arrangement.

I will be attending Les McLean's workshop in a couple of weeks in Calgary and hope to meet another photographer there who is presently involved in Pt/Pd printing. I hope that he might also share any knowledge he has on larger format cameras and such. In our area it is rare to even have the opportunity to see a ULF camera let alone the idea of actually using one. If not I'll probably be purchasing one from Eb*y and just take the chance that I select an appropriate camera.

In that regard, might I ask all of you who have had first hand experience in ULF cameras for your constructive suggestions in selecting a camera? Fortunately for me, I presently own two lenses that will cover 8x10, one of which will probably cover 11x14. The way I am rationalizing my desire to acquire an 11x14 is as follows.

1. I most certainly will be doing Pt/Pd in my near future. (camera selection is holding me back as well as buying wisely the correct camera)

2. I find a print from an 11x14 (even trimmed or selectively framed in the print) to be my preffered enlarging format. I seem to like a longer print to height ratio.

3. I recently acquired an 11x14 print washer specifically because the majority of the printing I do gravitates so much to that size and I hope to somehow do 11x14 Pt/Pd printing even if it is digitally enlarged negatives

4. I frequently trim or "long frame" my 8x10's to obtain a more panaromic print

5. My photographic ambition lies mostly in landscape / outdoor photography and perhaps older things such as buildings /dams /stock pens etc.

6. I hesitate to buy an 8x10 with film holders etc and then find that I should have invested wisely in an 11x14 camera instead (stall point for me at this moment. A revelation someone pointed out to me recently that I view things in a more panaromic fashion. I also am very drawn to the softness of the highlight tones of a PT/Pd print. This seems to be something that I am unable to capture in a conventional silver enlargement)

7. Money most certainly is a concern but I would rather "buy once" and spend what is needed than do a buy --> sell 8x10 gear --> buy 11x14 camera again cycle.

8. I wish the heck there was somewhere to rent this stuff in my area so that I might try before I buy. (none that I am know of and probabaly wishful thinking practically everywhere)

Well that's my dilema and as such I hope to solve it soon and get started in Pt/Pd.

Any thoughts?

Kind Regards,