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Mine is a Voigtlander with a french compur 135mm. The bellows can be easily repaired because of the size, Groundglass can also be replaced in a DIY manner, i personally use a soft-green plastic sheet for super extra light focusing! The only real serious mechanical problem you could encounter is the lens itself, if the aperture ring is stuck it could be cleaned, but the shutter speed settings could prove problematic.
"The Medium is the Message"
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Finally picked it up. Considering ground glass replacement somehow. Biggest problem is getting film holders.
Also got some Europan 200 ISO 9X12 film second hand.
Any possibility of DIY solutions to film holders? Such as using a light proof cloth cover and insert a plate with the film mounted somehow?
How about developing? Can I process 9X12 film with film developing chemicals as though I were developing paper (in complete darkness) in paper trays for example?
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For the ground glass I use plastic (opaque).
Film holders I use some off ebay, most for sure wont fit, so I created 3x L shaped aluminum "bars", to extend the thickness at back of the plate holder (glued it with super metal glue 'UHU'):
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I develop my sheet films in normal jobo tanks 2x at a time sometimes.
"The Medium is the Message"
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 Originally Posted by Top-Cat
Finally picked it up. Considering ground glass replacement somehow. Biggest problem is getting film holders.
What did the lens turn out to be?
If you have something that can cut glass cleanly, it's not too hard to make a passable ground glass from the glass in a cheap picture frame. Stained-glass shops and auto shops sell abrasive "grinding compound" powders; you basically put some compound on the glass, get it wet, sandwich it between the glass to be ground and a glass scrap, and apply some elbow grease. It's kind of time-consuming but not difficult.
Any possibility of DIY solutions to film holders? Such as using a light proof cloth cover and insert a plate with the film mounted somehow?
I've never figured out a way to do it, but in principle anything that holds the film and fits properly on the rails should work. I suspect bending sheet metal would be the easiest way.
How about developing? Can I process 9X12 film with film developing chemicals as though I were developing paper (in complete darkness) in paper trays for example?
That's what I do. There are sheet-film daylight tanks, but a lot of them have a reputation for uneven development. A lot of people seem to like the so-called "taco method" as well.
-NT
Nathan Tenny
San Diego, CA, USA
Although the moon is smaller than the earth, they are about the same distance apart.
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On the lens itself it says:
Voigtländer Anastigmat AVUS 13,5 cm. 1:6.8 D.R.P. 291916. No227131.
Around the lens there's the writing:
Voigtländer Braunschweig D.R.P. No258646 D.R.G.M.
Compur
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The lens is basic but probably OK.
I may be able to help with a good bright screen, I have 5 9x12 cameras and a good screen makes a huge difference.
It's probable I have some adverts for that camera and lens, I'll look tomorrow.
Ian
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Originally Posted by Top-Cat
On the lens itself it says:
Voigtländer Anastigmat AVUS 13,5 cm. 1:6.8 D.R.P. 291916. No227131.
The serial number puts it in late 1924 or early 1925, as far as I can tell. From looking at the Vade Mecum, I'm not totally clear on what type of lens it is; "Voigtlaender Anastigmat" in the interwar period seems to refer to a triplet, but there's a one-liner that describes the "Avus" lens as "a reversed Skopar type design with 4 glasses, ie a 'rasset' type design". To complicate matters, it also says that Voigtlaender appear not to have made "a 4-glass triplet" (meaning a Tessar design) until 1927, which is too late for your camera.
So on balance I'd say the lens is likely a triplet, or just maybe an early version of the Skopar. It should work fine; you'll see some light falloff and softness in the corners of the image, especially wide open, but in the center and stopped down, a good triplet should be quite adequately sharp, and many of us like their character. Good catch!
-NT
Nathan Tenny
San Diego, CA, USA
Although the moon is smaller than the earth, they are about the same distance apart.
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Well by 1926 the Skopar appears alongside an f6.3 Voigtar on the Avus cameras, the Voigtar is considerably cheaper and comes in two shutters the best an Ibsor.
Ian
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Damn, when I thought I could stop and start making photos, I found I missed a film holder. And instead of having the patience to look out for a film holder I bought a whole Glunz 9 X 12 camera with film holders, film and glass plates in one.
Analog photography is starting to become a real spending spree OCD for me.
Anyway, what's the "taco method"?
I'll probably be able to take my first pictures sometime during late march, early april. Any good "introduction to large format on the cheap" instructions? I already have a tripod, light meter and a D-word camera for planning out. As well as I'm considering trying it out in studio with studio flash lighting as well.
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X-Ray film, to soften the learning curve.
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