New addition to the family (in more ways than one)

[cariadus]

I recently came across a Deardorff 10x8 on Ebay, complete with 5x4 reducing back, three 10x8 film holders and four 5x4 film holders. No-one else bid on it so, rather unexpectedly, it was mine!

It's not in pristine condition, but it's not bad at all. I had to wait to use it until a Deardorff/Linhof adapter arrived from the US - which very nicely matches the woodwork of the Deardorff.

Here it is in action on its first outing, with the 10x8 back and Fuji 250mm f/6.7 and with the 5x4 back and Super Angulon 90mm f/8. The amazing design of the Deardorff easily allows a 90mm to be used with masses of rise and fall available on the lens board. Although obviously this is a very heavy rig to be using for 5x4, it's still nice to have the option.



I still have my Intrepid 10x8 and may keep it as a lightweight option, we'll see. And I still have two 5x4 cameras (Ikeda Anba and Sinar Norma). No plans to sell those either at the moment but, again, we'll see. I have sold quite a bit of stuff over the last couple of weeks to partially fund the recent purchases though.

That's purchases plural because I've also bought a 6¼" Wollensak f/12.5 on a Deardorff board - just waiting for that to arrive from the US.

Oh, and the other addition to the family - literally this time: Daughter-in-law has gone into labour this morning with our second grandchild.

 

[Ian Grant]

The only British style field camera to survive and be manufactured for decades in the US.

The 159mm Wollensak f12.5EWA actually opens to f9 so isn't difficult to focus, some where later sold as f9. it is like the Dallmeyer wide angles f6.5/11. F6.5 for focusing but f11 is the recommended widest aperture for shooting. The Wollensak EWA is tiny compared to my 165mm f8 Super Angulon, and maybe a 1/10fh of the weight.

Very nice.

Ian

 

[cariadus]

Thanks for the info, Ian. I had read that it opens wider for focussing, and I believe that the f/12.5 version has greater coverage than the f/9. It's sometimes difficult to work out what is accurate, though, because there are often conflicting reports. Size was certainly a major factor, as was price. The Wolly in a Betax shutter was about £210 including import duty and VAT. It's a 1940s vintage though, so probably not coated. It won't have the quality of the SA 165mm but as I'm only likely to contact print that's not a major issue right now.

 

[Ian Grant]

I have two 159mm Wollensak EWA lenses an f9 and f12.5 actually they are identical it's likely the f9 version is just better natched elements/cells coverage increases as you stop down. Coverage is the acceptable image sharpness, and that's a loose undefined concept varies between companies and also with time, rather than the circle of illumination. As films became finer grained acceptable sharpness became more critical.

The Wollensak EWA is like an Angulon only two internal air/glass surfaces so has good contrast even un-coated I did some tests a few years ago with older LF lenses mounted on bellows and a DSLR and a 1913 12cm Dagor had excellent contrast not far behind a modern Multi Coated lens, a Tessar had a slight noticeable decrease, an Ihage-Goerz dialyte had quite a drop and a Meyer WA has very low contrast. I'd add that a coated Tessar has very good contrast. The differences are due to the internal air glass surfaces a Tessar has 4 a dialyte and the Meyer WA 6.

Ian

 

[cariadus]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[Marley]

That's a gorgeous buy ...

 

[thronobulax]

I recently came across a Deardorff 10x8 on Ebay, complete with 5x4 reducing back, three 10x8 film holders and four 5x4 film holders. No-one else bid on it so, rather unexpectedly, it was mine!

It's not in pristine condition, but it's not bad at all. I had to wait to use it until a Deardorff/Linhof adapter arrived from the US - which very nicely matches the woodwork of the Deardorff.

Here it is in action on its first outing, with the 10x8 back and Fuji 250mm f/6.7 and with the 5x4 back and Super Angulon 90mm f/8. The amazing design of the Deardorff easily allows a 90mm to be used with masses of rise and fall available on the lens board. Although obviously this is a very heavy rig to be using for 5x4, it's still nice to have the option.

View attachment 2579View attachment 2580View attachment 2581View attachment 2582

I still have my Intrepid 10x8 and may keep it as a lightweight option, we'll see. And I still have two 5x4 cameras (Ikeda Anba and Sinar Norma). No plans to sell those either at the moment but, again, we'll see. I have sold quite a bit of stuff over the last couple of weeks to partially fund the recent purchases though.

That's purchases plural because I've also bought a 6¼" Wollensak f/12.5 on a Deardorff board - just waiting for that to arrive from the US.

Oh, and the other addition to the family - literally this time: Daughter-in-law has gone into labour this morning with our second grandchild.

That's just an awful looking old piece of trash. Tell you what, to save you the humiliation and public scorn, I'll give you $100 USD and pay shipping to take it off your hands

Congrats on the camera and even moreso the grandchild ... they are the light of our lives ...

 

[cariadus]

That's just an awful looking old piece of trash. Tell you what, to save you the humiliation and public scorn, I'll give you $100 USD and pay shipping to take it off your hands

Congrats on the camera and even moreso the grandchild ... they are the light of our lives ...

Haha, nice try!

And yes, granddaughter born this morning - mum and baby doing well, hopefully should be home this evening.

 

[cariadus]

The 6¼" (159mm) Wollensak arrived today. Amazingly good condition considering the age of the lens.

Is there a trick to getting it to open up fully for focussing?

Only slight snag is that the lens board is slightly too big for my Deardorff, maybe it's warped slightly or expanded over the years. Time to get the sandpaper out I think!