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I’ve collected cameras since the early 1970’s and have over 100 on shelves and in drawers around the house. This interest in old photographic gear eventually led me to modifying and restoring several into functioning cameras; all the while, looking for bigger and bigger formats. My “bigger is better” stage culminated with a year-long project of building a 12x20 banquet camera from scratch. This list is of the cameras I still use, though the Tachihara will be my camera of choice for most future photo expeditions. Film sizes compared at the right. 4x5 (smallest), 8x10, 12x20. |
From smallest film to largest: | ||||||||||||||||||||
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8x10 Bender View Camera Modifications: I built this from a kit, and made many modifications to it over the years, most to “beef” up the camera to make it more solid and stable. The old fixed rear standard is now movable along the rail. The back is rotated by a system of brass fasteners modeled after the Tachihara listed to the left. Brass "Lid Supports" hold the back stable, a big improvement over the single turn knobs on each side. Film: 8x10 sheet film (with adapters for 5x7 or 4x5) Lenses: • 159mm Wollensak (23mm equiv) • 210 Schneider (28mm equiv) • 305 Nikkor (44mm equiv) Although I sold the 12x20 several years ago, here is a photo of it next to the 8x10 Bender, so you can see the size differences. The 12x20 weighed 23 pounds and was almost two feet across. |