Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

In our last episode I was trying to figure out what kind of film holders
would fit my newly-restored Rochester Optical Co. "Universal" camera. I
was operating under the assumption that it was a 5x7 camera.

It isn't. I know that for sure because today I the film holder I ordered
from Pacific Rim Camera arrived, and it doesn't fit. Too small, in both
dimensions. (The holder was actually a plate holder, with film sheaths
included, and was actually probably made for the Premo, not the
Universal, but in any case is the wrong size.)

So now I'm back to trying to figure out what the hell *size* my camera is.

Here are the dimensions again:

Film holder opening (exposure area): 5-1/8" x 7-15/16"
Film holder outside dimensions: 5-11/16" x 9"
Ground glass size: 5" x 8"
Ground glass viewable area: 4-3/4" x 7-3/4"

So does anyone here have any idea what size this camera is?

If not, any suggestions where to ask? I'm trying to find something like
a ROC society or something, but no luck yet. I'm also in touch with an
antique camera person (Rob Nierdeman) who seems pretty knowledgable.


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

David, if all else fails you can probably find a 5x7 back and adapt it
to the existing camera.

Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

On 4/7/2009 6:22 PM John J spake thus:

David, if all else fails you can probably find a 5x7 back and adapt it
to the existing camera.

.... or have one made ($$$), or even make one myself--not rocket surgery.
(Basically a flat wooden frame with locating pins, and a ground-glass
picture frame with a spring.) Only critical dimension is ground
glass-to-contact surface distance.


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

And with a modicum of woodworking skills, e.g. not cutting appendages off when working,
you can get well within the needed accuracy.


erie
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 4/7/2009 6:22 PM John J spake thus:

David, if all else fails you can probably find a 5x7 back and adapt it
to the existing camera.

... or have one made ($$$), or even make one myself--not rocket surgery.
(Basically a flat wooden frame with locating pins, and a ground-glass
picture frame with a spring.) Only critical dimension is ground
glass-to-contact surface distance.

Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

On 4/14/2009 12:23 PM RJM spake thus:

The Century Universal was offered in the followimng sizes: 3.25x4.25;
4x5; 4.25x6.5; 5x7; 5x8; 6.5-8.5; 8x10; 10x12; 11x14; 14x17; 17x20

Thanks. I finally discovered that information on my own as well.

I think the obvious answer is that you have a 5x8 camera. Especially
since that is the size of your ground glass. I'm not sure that 5x8
film holders were ever made. If they were, I haven't seen them. I have
2 5x8 glass plate holders in my "collection". I have made film sheaths
from brass plate stock for other odd size plate holders. I think I
used 15 mil brass. Sometimes you can watch on Ebay and finally come up
with the right size film sheaths so you can use film in glass plate
holders.

My current plan is to make a new back that will accept standard 5x7 film
holders, which will at least let me use a standard, non-weird size of
film. We'll see how that goes.


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)

Rochester Optical Company Universal view camera, cont'd.
 

On 4/14/2009 12:37 PM RJM spake thus:

Oh, I forgot to include the URL for the rochester Optical Company
Universal info:

http://www.fiberq.com/cam/roc/univ.htm

There are also these pages:
http://www.antiquewoodcameras.com/univ1.htm
http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bi...ogin=universal
http://www.dtristramludwig.com/collection.html (scroll about 1/3 down;
why the guy puts his pages in PDFs is beyond me)

as well as Rudolf Kingslake's history of R.O.C:
http://www.nwmangum.com/Kodak/Roches...ical%20Company


--
Save the Planet
Kill Yourself

- motto of the Church of Euthanasia (http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/)