Hey guys, I picked this up for peanuts today. My current backpack and tripod are not really up to the task - any suggestions?
I really only wanted the 19 inch rd artar on it but had to take it all:)
It's one of those days
Erik

Hummmmmm??????? Mule comes to mind, but you might have a hard time getting it to stand still long enuff to take a pic!

For a tripod, you might mount a trailer hitch on a bull bar on a Ford F550.

Not sure on the backpack. Have you considered a small dirigible?

I have a tripod which would take it easily, but the combination would make a backpack irrelevant.

Nice find. It looks like it's in good shape. Was this a process camera, designed to ride on rails?

If you want to use it as a portrait camera, I'd look for an old studio stand with two pillars, a tilting stage between them, and a heavy iron base. In the meanwhile, something like a Black and Decker portable workbench might do. I know someone who used one to take his Lotus 20x24" into the field, where the rolling cart was a bit impractical.

I was thinking about just leaving it in the back of my truck and composing with the rear view mirror, but I would really like to take it into the backcountry:)
Seriously, is there anything useful that can be done with this thing? It has a film holder and the ground glass is
about 19 inches by 23 inches. I was thinking about making an enlarger, but my space is way to limited. Anyone want to make anything out of it? I just couldn't
pass up the lens, I have a bad habit of picking up a lot of "stuff" that one day I might be able to do something with. One suggestion by a friend was to make
a coffee table out of it:)
regards
Erik

Nice find. It looks like it's in good shape. Was this a process camera, designed to ride on rails?

If you want to use it as a portrait camera, I'd look for an old studio stand with two pillars, a tilting stage between them, and a heavy iron base. In the meanwhile, something like a Black and Decker portable workbench might do. I know someone who used one to take his Lotus 20x24" into the field, where the rolling cart was a bit impractical.

David, I was being a smart a$$. The thing is huge, about 6 or 7 feet long and I would guess about 175lbs give or take. The thing is immaculate however and operates smoothly with cranks in the rear to control front rise/fall and front swing and also has rear tilt. I made a low ball offer for it and to my surprise they said yes:)
regards
Erik

I know you were joking about the tripod and backpack, but figuring what you might do with it, other than using it as a process camera, setting it up as a portrait camera could be interesting.

Erik,
That certainly is a nice piece of machinery. I'm really envious. I have been using a Deardorff similar in construction but smaller for over 20 years. Mine was built for 11 x 14 and has an 8 x 10 reducing back on it. Makes an excellent copy camera or macro camera. I built accessory boards to take Cambo backs and lensboards. 5 feet of bellows lets you use long focal length lenses for macro etc etc. Either have fun with it or send it to me. ; )

Erik,
what part of the world are you in?


erie

Richard, yea it is kind of good looking - still don't know what to make of it.
Erie, I live in Grand Junction, Colorado
regards
Erik

Erik,
I can give you a quote on a custom tripod and matching crane.:D:D

Does the camera have a nameplate, or any other piece of identification.

In it's former lives, do you know what was it used for?

It looks really neat.

Mick.

There are 2 cameras in town,both at a government office,that must look like this one.I've never seen them but they fit your cameras discription.They were (are?) used to reproduce old maps at a 1:1 ratio.

Will it shoot in RAW?

I think its best to give that thing its own four legs and teach it walk.
It might be able to carry you to the photoshoot.
And even learn some tricks and acrobatics and scare off the little brats.

That dinky little lens on such a huge camera camera reminds me of something I heard a comedian talking about a few years back. It's like a body builder on steroids, in that the only muscle that really counts (penis) becomes comparatively smaller as the other muscles get bigger.

Murray

I think its best to give that thing its own four legs and teach it walk.
It might be able to carry you to the photoshoot.
And even learn some tricks and acrobatics and scare off the little brats.

Good idea, mount a seat on the back and have it take me to the shoot, rather than the other way around:)

That dinky little lens on such a huge camera camera reminds me of something I heard a comedian talking about a few years back. It's like a body builder on steroids, in that the only muscle that really counts (penis) becomes comparatively smaller as the other muscles get bigger.

Murray

:):)

Does the camera have a nameplate, or any other piece of identification.

In it's former lives, do you know what was it used for?

It looks really neat.

Mick.

Mick,
It is labeled Multi Lith Camera model 1450
Addressograph - Multigraph Corporation Cleveland Ohio
Made by Repro - Art Machinery Philadelphia, PA
regards
Erik

That dinky little lens on such a huge camera camera reminds me of something I heard a comedian talking about a few years back. It's like a body builder on steroids, in that the only muscle that really counts (penis) becomes comparatively smaller as the other muscles get bigger.

Murray

Murray, the funny thing is that a 19" artar isn't all that small, about 2 1/2" in diameter and about as long.

erie

Very interesting camera, but I'm far more curious about the story you gave the wife.

For the life of me, I can't think of a single, credible explanation for bringing that thing home.

Pandino,
You mean "it was free, couldn't let a perfectly good (insert part here) go to waste!!".

(nice Chief Illiniwick avatar, where'd you get that?)

erie

How about "It followed me home"

I used "I won it on ebay for $1" once, for a devere 1010 enlarger, 3 hour drive, wish I'd of brought a bigger truck, could of had a lifetime supply of raw chemicals, another enlarger, probably a cube van full. Sad thing was the guy described some of the other stuff (dumpster full) he'd thrown out the week before, made me ill to hear about several cases of unused 8x10 holders tossed, 8x10 copy cameras, the list went on and on, he even had digipics of it.


erie