Deardorff 8x10

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Warren D

Warren D

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After 2 years, I finally finished the restoration of this old Deardorff 8x10 view camera. Had to get the new bellows from England, no one left in the USA making them. I checked the ground glass calibration and things look very good. A quick check for light-leaks (there shouldn't be any!) and it will be ready for some film. The old finish was stripped off, all sanding by hand, no power tools. The mahogany wood was in great shape, a quick coat of stain and on to 5-6 coats of polyurethane. Lots of sanding in between coats! Metal parts were cleaned and polished with some NOS parts to replace those corroded beyond saving. It has an adapter lens board so I can use the lenses already mounted in Wisner 4x5 boards.
I probably won't be using this for diving osprey........LOL!

Deardorff 851_4483.jpg
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jeffnles1 said:
wow, that is a work of art. So cool you gave it new life. Hope you will post some photos taken with it.
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Thanks. I had one years ago, almost pristine original condition that I sold to fund a D2x. I started missing it less than a month later.
Charles Loy said:
That's a nice work of art. I used the cameras back in the 80's, what a hoot. btw - Looks so green there
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Thanks, we just had 2" of rain and things are popping!
Butlerkid said:
It is a work of art in itself! Nice job with the restoration!
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Thanks!
 
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Jmaes said:
You did a great job with that, Warren (y)
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Thanks!
Mal Paso said:
Nice! My mentor had one back in the '70s. What lens? I can read Acme on the shutter but that' it.
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The lens is a 190mm Wide Field Ektar, one of the early lenses to have coatings to improve light transmission and reduce flare and reflections. On 8x10, 190mm is roughly like a 32mm on FX.
Ibrahim said:
What film will you use?
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I have some B&W T-Max and some Ektachrome 100, might have some Velvia left.
 
JoelKlein said:
Thanks.
Why don’t we use it today?!
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It is still a thing. The bellows allow flexibility for focusing but also so the front and rear can be tilted, rotated, shifted, to change the plane of focus and perspective.

photographylife.com

Why Shoot Large Format Film in a Digital World?

For the past year or so, my main camera for landscape photography hasn't been one of the newest high-resolution mirrorless cameras that I spend so much time writing about. Nor has it been an ol’ reliable DSLR. Instead, I’ve been using large format film, especially a 4x5 camera.
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Large Format Photography Forum

A discussion forum on large format phtography http://largeformatphotography.info
www.largeformatphotography.info
 
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Warren D said:
Thanks!

The lens is a 190mm Wide Field Ektar, one of the early lenses to have coatings to improve light transmission and reduce flare and reflections. On 8x10, 190mm is roughly like a 32mm on FX.

I have some B&W T-Max and some Ektachrome 100, might have some Velvia left.
Click to expand...
I have the Nikkor 600-1200 convertible which covers 8x10 but I use it on 4x5, too much bellows draw for most field cameras. 16 and 30 inches from lens to film at infinity focus. They did make extension tubes though, a wooden box that attached to the camera back moving the ground glass further from the lens. I use a "modern" mostly aluminum Cambo SF.

4x5 and 8x10 view cameras were used for high end advertising until digital cameras achieved enough resolution to compete which was not that long ago.
 
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Warren D said:
After 2 years, I finally finished the restoration of this old Deardorff 8x10 view camera. Had to get the new bellows from England, no one left in the USA making them. I checked the ground glass calibration and things look very good. A quick check for light-leaks (there shouldn't be any!) and it will be ready for some film. The old finish was stripped off, all sanding by hand, no power tools. The mahogany wood was in great shape, a quick coat of stain and on to 5-6 coats of polyurethane. Lots of sanding in between coats! Metal parts were cleaned and polished with some NOS parts to replace those corroded beyond saving. It has an adapter lens board so I can use the lenses already mounted in Wisner 4x5 boards.
I probably won't be using this for diving osprey........LOL!

View attachment 59866
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What a beauty, perfect for the summer landscape.

Oliver
 
Member's gallery
Warren D said:
After 2 years, I finally finished the restoration of this old Deardorff 8x10 view camera. Had to get the new bellows from England, no one left in the USA making them. I checked the ground glass calibration and things look very good. A quick check for light-leaks (there shouldn't be any!) and it will be ready for some film. The old finish was stripped off, all sanding by hand, no power tools. The mahogany wood was in great shape, a quick coat of stain and on to 5-6 coats of polyurethane. Lots of sanding in between coats! Metal parts were cleaned and polished with some NOS parts to replace those corroded beyond saving. It has an adapter lens board so I can use the lenses already mounted in Wisner 4x5 boards.
I probably won't be using this for diving osprey........LOL!

View attachment 59866
Click to expand...
Wow! Looks so clean and pretty! You did an amazing job! I dream about one too!
 
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