ULF equipment question

I made quite a score yesterday, an 11x14 field camera (no idea on the
make, all ID plates are gone), 1 film holder, an ancient Voigtlander &
Sohns lens and a 9" lens extension board. All for 150$.

The film holder is marked "Eclipse Holder". It is natural wood with
reddish dark slides. There do not appear to be flaps that open up to
slide the film in, as on a modern holder, but looks like film is
loaded from the large opening that the slide covers. There is a sticky
substance on the septum I assume was for holding the film flat. Am I
on the right track here?

When the lens is focused on infinity it measures about 14" from flange
to GG. Serial # is 26706. It has a slot for waterhouse stops, but the
stops are missing. The glass is quite clean and does not appear to
have any seperation between the elements. The aprature is about 2" so
im guessing in the neighboorhood of f7 or so.
The whole operation was mounted to a metal rack and set up for 1:1
macro when I got it, so Im not sure if the lens will cover 11x14 at
infinity. Any ideas on preformance? Is it possible and/or practical
to make stops?

TIA
Brook

On 1/28/2004 8:30 AM brook spake thus:

I made quite a score yesterday, an 11x14 field camera (no idea on the
make, all ID plates are gone), 1 film holder, an ancient Voigtlander &
Sohns lens and a 9" lens extension board. All for 150$.

Is it possible and/or practical to make stops?

Regarding that last: is it possible we Americans have degenerated to the point
where people have to wonder if we can still make *holes* in things?


--
It's stupid, moronic and too fcuking obvious, as obvious as counting your
fingers, so TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW or just shut the fcuk up.

- "jjs" in extremis on rec.photo.darkroom

brook wrote:
I made quite a score yesterday, an 11x14 field camera (no idea on the
make, all ID plates are gone), 1 film holder, an ancient Voigtlander &
Sohns lens and a 9" lens extension board. All for 150$.

The film holder is marked "Eclipse Holder". It is natural wood with
reddish dark slides. There do not appear to be flaps that open up to
slide the film in, as on a modern holder, but looks like film is
loaded from the large opening that the slide covers. There is a sticky
substance on the septum I assume was for holding the film flat. Am I
on the right track here?

Since the holder lacks flaps and this outfit is likely quite old, there is a
good chance that it is a glass plate holder rather then a film holder. The
sticky substance might be someone's effort to convert it to a film holder. If
the ground glass hasn't been adjusted, there is a risk of a focus error -- you
should check that the film and ground glass are in the same plane.


When the lens is focused on infinity it measures about 14" from flange
to GG. Serial # is 26706. It has a slot for waterhouse stops, but the
stops are missing. The glass is quite clean and does not appear to
have any seperation between the elements. The aprature is about 2" so
im guessing in the neighboorhood of f7 or so.
The whole operation was mounted to a metal rack and set up for 1:1
macro when I got it, so Im not sure if the lens will cover 11x14 at
infinity. Any ideas on preformance? Is it possible and/or practical
to make stops?

Performance is unlikely to be today's state-of-the-art, but then you are
unlikely to be enlarging 11x14 negs so extreme sharpness isn't needed.
Many of the older lenses didn't have wide coverage and 14 inches is less than
the diagonal of 11x14, but there is no way to tell without testing or having a
better id of the lens.

Why not try making waterhouse stops from black poster board or the like. Later
you can try brass -- look for something like flat shim stock. You could either
paint the brass or use a chemical blackening solution.

--Michael

Brook:

Go for it!!!

You can make chromes like this:
http://www.hemenway.com/USS-Salem-Schneider360.jpg

Jim - http://www.hemenway.com



Michael Briggs wrote:

brook wrote:

I made quite a score yesterday, an 11x14 field camera (no idea on the
make, all ID plates are gone), 1 film holder, an ancient Voigtlander &
Sohns lens and a 9" lens extension board. All for 150$.

The film holder is marked "Eclipse Holder". It is natural wood with
reddish dark slides. There do not appear to be flaps that open up to
slide the film in, as on a modern holder, but looks like film is
loaded from the large opening that the slide covers. There is a sticky
substance on the septum I assume was for holding the film flat. Am I
on the right track here?


Since the holder lacks flaps and this outfit is likely quite old, there
is a good chance that it is a glass plate holder rather then a film
holder. The sticky substance might be someone's effort to convert it to
a film holder. If the ground glass hasn't been adjusted, there is a
risk of a focus error -- you should check that the film and ground glass
are in the same plane.


When the lens is focused on infinity it measures about 14" from flange
to GG. Serial # is 26706. It has a slot for waterhouse stops, but the
stops are missing. The glass is quite clean and does not appear to
have any seperation between the elements. The aprature is about 2" so
im guessing in the neighboorhood of f7 or so.
The whole operation was mounted to a metal rack and set up for 1:1
macro when I got it, so Im not sure if the lens will cover 11x14 at
infinity. Any ideas on preformance? Is it possible and/or practical to
make stops?


Performance is unlikely to be today's state-of-the-art, but then you are
unlikely to be enlarging 11x14 negs so extreme sharpness isn't needed.
Many of the older lenses didn't have wide coverage and 14 inches is less
than the diagonal of 11x14, but there is no way to tell without testing
or having a better id of the lens.

Why not try making waterhouse stops from black poster board or the
like. Later you can try brass -- look for something like flat shim
stock. You could either paint the brass or use a chemical blackening
solution.

--Michael


--

Jim - http://www.hemenway.com

Michael Briggs wrote in message

Since the holder lacks flaps and this outfit is likely quite old, there is a
good chance that it is a glass plate holder rather then a film holder. The
sticky substance might be someone's effort to convert it to a film holder. If
the ground glass hasn't been adjusted, there is a risk of a focus error -- you
should check that the film and ground glass are in the same plane.

From all I have found out this is the case. I am weighing my options.
One thing I am consideing is finding a modern 11x14 back that can
accept modern holders, the other is to shim out the GG on the
existing back to allow for modern holders.


Performance is unlikely to be today's state-of-the-art, but then you are
unlikely to be enlarging 11x14 negs so extreme sharpness isn't needed.
Many of the older lenses didn't have wide coverage and 14 inches is less than
the diagonal of 11x14, but there is no way to tell without testing or having a
better id of the lens.
I think I will mount this on my 5x7 and see how the image looks. I
have been wanting to try a bit more of a pictorolist look, so It may
be a candidate.


Why not try making waterhouse stops from black poster board or the like. Later
you can try brass -- look for something like flat shim stock. You could either
paint the brass or use a chemical blackening solution.

--Michael

I will do this. To determin focal legenth, I measure from the film
plane to where? Perhaps the middle of the barrel? I have to guess this
was fairly symetrical.

Thanks for the ideas

Brook

Jim Hemenway wrote in message ...
Brook:

Go for it!!!

You can make chromes like this:
http://www.hemenway.com/USS-Salem-Schneider360.jpg

Jim - http://www.hemenway.com



Wow, I never thought about 11x14 chromes. Where do you get your film?

Brook

"brook" wrote

Wow, I never thought about 11x14 chromes. Where do you get your film?

I was under the impression an 11x14 Deardorf loaded with Ektachrome
was the standard for taking Playboy centerfolds.

I am sure most of the centerfolds grew up to become battleships, though.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.

----- Original Message -----
From: "brook"
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 8:51 AM
Subject: ULF equipment question


(snip)

I will do this. To determin focal legenth, I measure from the film
plane to where? Perhaps the middle of the barrel? I have to guess this
was fairly symetrical.

Thanks for the ideas

Focus the lens at infinity (either use a very distant object or
autocollimate - google the archives for more info on this). Note the
extended position of the lens (measure the front standard extension from the
rear say). Now focus the lens at 1:1 magnification (use a ruler as subject
and use a ruler to compare image size, or two floppy disks, or two sheets of
paper etc). Use front movement to get image size about right and rear
standard to fine focus. Iterate until you have sharp 1:1. The focal length
should be the difference between the two lens positions. i.e. subtract rear
to front standard distance at infinity from rear to front standard distance
at 1:1

Mostly on ebay. It isn't made anymore but most sellers have kept it
frozen or at least refrigerated, so it's okay for now... as long as I
keep it frozen.

Jim - http://www.hemenway.com



brook wrote:

Jim Hemenway wrote in message ...

Brook:

Go for it!!!

You can make chromes like this:
http://www.hemenway.com/USS-Salem-Schneider360.jpg

Jim - http://www.hemenway.com




Wow, I never thought about 11x14 chromes. Where do you get your film?

Brook