Omega 45E 4 X 5 View Camera

I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5 Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

I have the same camera. I found a book called "Using the View Camera" by
Steve Simmons (Amphoto, 1987) is a very user friendly book. I also
regularly read "View Camera" magazine.
When I received it, my camera was equipped with not only regular film
holders, but also a Polaroid 645 4x5 sheet film holder. Since I don't have
either tanks or an enlarger capable of processing or printing 4x5 at home, I
often use Polaroid type 55 B&W negative/positive film. I can then contact
print the negatives. I am experimenting with emulsion transfers a bit and
I'm using some of the color Polaroid films for this purpose as well.
Enjoy!
"Stephen M. Gluck" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5 Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

I have the same camera. I found a book called "Using the View Camera" by
Steve Simmons (Amphoto, 1987) is a very user friendly book. I also
regularly read "View Camera" magazine.
When I received it, my camera was equipped with not only regular film
holders, but also a Polaroid 645 4x5 sheet film holder. Since I don't have
either tanks or an enlarger capable of processing or printing 4x5 at home, I
often use Polaroid type 55 B&W negative/positive film. I can then contact
print the negatives. I am experimenting with emulsion transfers a bit and
I'm using some of the color Polaroid films for this purpose as well.
Enjoy!
"Stephen M. Gluck" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5 Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

I have the same camera. I found a book called "Using the View Camera" by
Steve Simmons (Amphoto, 1987) is a very user friendly book. I also
regularly read "View Camera" magazine.
When I received it, my camera was equipped with not only regular film
holders, but also a Polaroid 645 4x5 sheet film holder. Since I don't have
either tanks or an enlarger capable of processing or printing 4x5 at home, I
often use Polaroid type 55 B&W negative/positive film. I can then contact
print the negatives. I am experimenting with emulsion transfers a bit and
I'm using some of the color Polaroid films for this purpose as well.
Enjoy!
"Stephen M. Gluck" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5 Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

"Stephen M. Gluck" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5
Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or
flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and
movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will
be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and
sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed
film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local
community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives
that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to
manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase
DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know
about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not
coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a
reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

Ilex has been in the lens business since 1921 so its
possible its an old, uncoated lens. However, Ilex made a
line of professional lenses for view cameras after WW-2
which are all coated. These are Tessar types, approximately
paralleling the Kodak Ektar line. These are very good lenses
although not up to Ektar quality (not many lenses are). If
the reflections from the glass surfaces have a color tint
the lens is coated. Uncoated surfaces are very bright.
There are several good books on using view cameras. Don't
overlook the one Kodak publishes through the Silver Pixel
Press. It is very to the point and has little fluff. It
shows exactly how to use the movements for increasing DOF of
tilted surfaces and for correcting perspective. A 7.5"
Tessar has enough coverage to allow considerable movement on
4x5 plus is long enough for portrait work.
Look through the lens with a flashlight to see if there is
any haze on the internal sufaces of the front cell. Ilex
lenses seem not to get this haze but if its there it will
come off with plain window cleaner or lens cleaner. Since
Ilex cells have threaded back caps its easy to open the cell
for cleaning.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

"Stephen M. Gluck" wrote in message
...
I just purchased the above camera on Ebay. Here are the
specs: Omega 4x5 monorail View Camera, 45E, with F:4.5
Ilex lens,
191mm, E.F. 7-1/2". Mint condition, no wear, holes or
flaking on
bellows. Frame has no wear marks or dents. All gears and
movements are
smooth with full extensions. Included with the camera will
be a custom
made focusing cloth, 30" x 60", with corner weights and
sewn inch
scale, five (5) film holders, negative sleeves and exposed
film
envelopes, shutter release, flash adapter and filters.
I did this while taking a large format class in the local
community
college and falling in love with size of the negatives
that large
format produces. I also like the thought it takes to
manipulate the
bellows to produce parallex correction and to increase
DOF. Being a
relative newbie are there any tips or tricks I should know
about ?
Yes I know the Ilex is a pretty old lens, is probably not
coated etc.
It will do until I can find a Schneider Kreuznach at a
reasonable
price. Thanks for any advice.

Ilex has been in the lens business since 1921 so its
possible its an old, uncoated lens. However, Ilex made a
line of professional lenses for view cameras after WW-2
which are all coated. These are Tessar types, approximately
paralleling the Kodak Ektar line. These are very good lenses
although not up to Ektar quality (not many lenses are). If
the reflections from the glass surfaces have a color tint
the lens is coated. Uncoated surfaces are very bright.
There are several good books on using view cameras. Don't
overlook the one Kodak publishes through the Silver Pixel
Press. It is very to the point and has little fluff. It
shows exactly how to use the movements for increasing DOF of
tilted surfaces and for correcting perspective. A 7.5"
Tessar has enough coverage to allow considerable movement on
4x5 plus is long enough for portrait work.
Look through the lens with a flashlight to see if there is
any haze on the internal sufaces of the front cell. Ilex
lenses seem not to get this haze but if its there it will
come off with plain window cleaner or lens cleaner. Since
Ilex cells have threaded back caps its easy to open the cell
for cleaning.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA