1920s 9×12 camera, 135mm/f4.5, 1/20s, Ilford MGRC paper in a glass plate holder, digital positive
Including the springs in the plate holder that would hold a glass plate in place. Focusing remains a problem. As does holding the thing straight.
I measured the shutter timing yesterday and learned that it’s not working as well as I thought it was. The Compur has two mechanisms, one for fast and another one for slow times. The fast one is working alright, 1/200s is more like 1/125s, but the rest is spot-on, down to 1/20s. The slow mechanism has problems – 1s is pretty close but especially 1/10s and 1/5s seem to not engage something and both clock in at 1/60s. From the serial number, the shutter was built some time between 1914 and 1920 but closer to the 1914 end. I don’t think the rest of the camera is that old, but maybe it is.
Getting faster at using the camera too, but it’s still a bit of a process. Everything in the picture has to either be dead or very patient, that’s for sure.
I’m trying to build my own film holders but that will take a while. Unfortunately it’s not quite clear to me if cheap 3D printers can print down to the needed accuracy (<0.1mm), otherwise this would be a great excuse to get a 3D printer. But I’ll try other methods first.
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