ULF for WPC

[AlexGard]

My uncle that was building me an 11x14 (or 10x12, never confirmed) camera is having some major health issues and it seems he may not finish that project.

As such I was looking for recommendations for makers of cameras for ULF around the 11x14 mark for WPC. Studio cameras, although lovely, would probably be impractical for me as I seem to be doing 99% of my stuff outdoors now, so portability is important. I don't know much about tailboard designs (or anything for that matter) so am open to suggestions there..

I did see an 11x14 folding field camera on ebay a couple of months ago but for the life of my could not remember the name of the maker. It was a white/cream body and a red bellows from memory (B&J?)

These types of cameras don't pop too often on that particular site, anyway.

I am more worried about the wooden cameras from a silver perspective. My cherrywood 8x10 Tachi has held up well to my wet plate abuse over the last 6 months since I started. I am getting less sloppy now so I think I should be ok, losing resale value of any WPC camera is an inescapable fact I suppose, although hopefully would never sell it and it would be a lifelong investment.

Do most 11x14's come with backs that can be used in both portrait and landscape perspective?

11x14 will probably be as big as I want to go as far as ongoing costs will go, at least in the foreseeable future... I think that will be limits of my budget at the moment, and probably the end of practicality/sensibility for me, also I already have two lenses that cover this format.
I am open to any discussion or suggestions/advice from those of you who shoot 11x14 and bigger. If this Is a bad idea etc... I have a few months to chew on this but it's been on my mind for a while now. I no longer use nor own 4x5 camera, only 8x10 now.

The obvious list of Ritter, Canham and Chamonix are first on my mind... and recommendations of these I am open to. As far as movements go, I am not incredibly adventurous. Rear movement is not of much importance to me, neither is front/rear swing. Pretty much only front rise/fall and front/rear tilt (although I rarely use tilt)

[Corran]

Kodak, B&J, Korona, and other folding/field 11x14 cameras come up on eBay fairly regularly - maybe once or twice a month? I mean, not as regularly as common 35mm SLRs obviously, but not once a year or anything. Before I popped on an 8x10 camera years ago I was looking at some cheaper 11x14 cameras. I seem to remember a nice looking Korona or Kodak with a couple holders selling last month for under $1500. I think you could put together a kit for around that, if you're lucky. Shipping will be a bear though. A nicer camera vetted here will be more expensive I presume.

I've never been interested in tailboards so someone else will have to chime in there. However, regarding the silver nitrate, a friend of mine has a Jody Ake holder, which I have used and it doesn't leak at all. I think that's one of the big selling points for his design. His website is here: http://incameraindustries.com/

[plaubel]

What's about the german Reisekameras?
Ok, they are metric; my one has 30x40cm, this are 12x16", but it has a changing back, some movements, nearly 100cm bellows, and for this it folds very small, it has less weight, and I can see some possibilities to work on 11x14" - or 30x40cm, why not...

Ritchie

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I am currently building a 14 x 17 for a friend of mine. My design is like the Chamonix but with no back movement and is made with an Aluminum frame. Now the back is made out of wood as is the front lens board. It is a very solid and light weight design for a field camera. Don't know how it would work for wet plate. I've only built film cameras so far.

[StoneNYC]

Here... All aluminum body.

It will cost you, but they are super light and not wood. And made from 4x5 up to 16x20

http://www.gibellinicamera.com/#!n-series/c1dae

[Steven Tribe]

What's about the german Reisekameras?
Ok, they are metric; my one has 30x40cm, this are 12x16", but it has a changing back, some movements, nearly 100cm bellows, and for this it folds very small, it has less weight, and I can see some possibilities to work on 11x14" - or 30x40cm, why not...

Ritchie
Reisekameras also exist in the 24x30cm size.
I have both a 30x40cm and the old 15x12" UK type camera - the reisekamera is a lot heavier and robust than the UK design.
Note that both these types of cameras have sets of book plate holders which are useful for WPC AND are easily modified for small plate sizes through use of simple cardboard frame inserts.

[AlexGard]

I should have mentioned price. Gibellini did get in touch with me after I posted an ad on social media asking for a beater. His cameras, although beautiful are rather expensive... and his suggestion was to use an 8x10 body and throw and 11x14 rear standard on it. Chamonix and Ritter looks like I could get a camera and plate holder for around $5k shipped.

Jim, are you making cameras regularly for others or for friends only? Would you be interested in continuing a conversation further privately? As far as I can tell, just about any field camera can be used for wet plate, eg, my 8x10 Tachihara. I just purchased a wet plate holder from Hugo Z, or could have just turned a regular sheet film holder into a plate holder. I'm just not sure about older 11x14 cameras and newer/newish film holders matching up...

Corran... I have looked on ebay regularly for 11x14 cameras regularly and have not seen one since the one I described earlier.

thanks all for the replies

[ghostcount]

Try Black Art Woodcraft (http://www.blackartwoodcraft.com/wet-plate-cameras/) you might be able to absorb the long lead time for your project (maybe).

[AlexGard]

Reviewing the tailboard designs over the last couple of days.. I think the size of them makes them a little impractical. The cheap price tag of a Star Camera Company tailboard camera is very appealing... but I do travel a lot with them and my van/mobile darkroom is full of lots of odds and ends that could cause damage. I think a folding field design like most modern LF cameras is the most appealing to me at the moment, Although the rigidity of the front standards of the tailboard designs is quite appealing for my heavy lenses, which my Tachihara cannot handle without a Manfrotto lens support undernearth the lens.

[plaubel]

Reisekameras also exist in the 24x30cm size.
I have both a 30x40cm and the old 15x12" UK type camera - the reisekamera is a lot heavier and robust than the UK design.


I have a german 30x40 camera, and I have had a german camera in 24x30cm, too.
100 years ago, there has been a lot of producers of this cameras; mostly little companies.
So there are different designs and of course some special orders from the early customers.

Some producers builded heavy, some with a lot of movements, some builded lightweight.
My 30x40 is less heavy then the 24x30cm, and compared with my russian 30x40 camera, she is ultra lightweight.

So Reisekamera may be totally different.

Ritchie

[angusparker]

Key difference between an old camera from 80-100 years ago and a new one is the max bellows and whether the camera will go portrait & landscape orientation. Chamonix cameras are great in ULF although not super light. Ritter cameras are super light but will vibrate with wind. The Gebillini looks very interesting...

[AlexGard]

I ended up going with the Chamonix 11x14. Seemed like the right choice. Any larger camera from here for me will probably be a Black Art Woodcraft or similar affordable tailboard design.

Gibellini camera looks interesting, and he seemed very eager to make a sale with me flexing his price a little but I think for what I want it for it is a little out of my price range, although I'm sure they are amazing.

[angusparker]

I ended up going with the Chamonix 11x14. Seemed like the right choice. Any larger camera from here for me will probably be a Black Art Woodcraft or similar affordable tailboard design.

Gibellini camera looks interesting, and he seemed very eager to make a sale with me flexing his price a little but I think for what I want it for it is a little out of my price range, although I'm sure they are amazing.

Wise choice. Gibellini look nice but functionally I doubt they are an improvement over the Chamonix.

[pound]

Wise choice. Gibellini look nice but functionally I doubt they are an improvement over the Chamonix.
I have seen a Gibellini 8x10 in real life. If the Chamonix 11x14 is built like the Chamonix 4x5 then it is much more better than the Gibellini in built and price.

[Taija71A]

... Gibellini look nice but functionally I doubt they are an improvement over the Chamonix.

At the very least, Chamonix View Cameras are a 'Known Entity' and have a pretty good track record...
Whereas, the Gibellini Cameras could possibly just be -- "Here today, gone tomorrow".