[Leica] IMG: The Biggest Camera I Ever Used

[Mitch Zeissler]

The largest camera I ever worked with was a NuArc horizontal process camera, with which we used pin-registered 8x10 or 11x14 Kodalith film.

Closest thing I found on the interwebs were these photos:
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo6.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773693 <http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo6.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773693>
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo5.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773692 <http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo5.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773692>
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo1.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773704 <http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo1.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773704>
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo2.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773703 <http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/photo2.JPG?auc=955302&docid=7773703>

Compared to the camera in the photos, ours had a 12 foot range of horizontal travel and was all in one room, like this one:
http://www.osti.gov/home/sites/www.osti.gov.home/files/imported/60th/1970/p7hg_img_1/fullsize/1970s_darkroom_camera_fs.jpg <http://www.osti.gov/home/sites/www.osti.gov.home/files/imported/60th/1970/p7hg_img_1/fullsize/1970s_darkroom_camera_fs.jpg>  

It was a beast.  20”x24” rotating film board with vacuum back; 30”x40” rotating copy board; four 800 watt lights.  When we were putting together a multi-image presentation, we would shoot Kodalith negs for days on end — 300-400 8x10 sheets was pretty typical for a big show.  You had to use ear plugs because the vacuum system was so loud.

Mitch Zeissler
===
   Website: http://exploratorius.us/

> On Jan 7, 2015, at 7:51 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:
> 
> Edward Weston had a 5x7 which he called his "mini".
> I've always loved the format and the print size.
> My portfolio now is 5x7.
> I wish they were contact prints.
> 
> 
> On 1/7/15 1:10 AM, "Alan Magayne-Roshak" <amr3 at uwmalumni.com> wrote:
> 
>> Coincidentally with the discussion on formats, I came across the negatives
>> of me with the biggest camera I ever used.  In 1972 I was running a
>> darkroom in the student union when the Craft Centre director discovered we
>> had access to government surplus for the facility.  He and I went to the
>> surplus warehouse in Madison and with very little cost secured a Fairchild
>> F-56 aerial camera with 20" f/5.6 lens.  It came in a case with a vacuum
>> back for 9" wide roll film, but also a Grafmatic-type back for multiple
>> sheets of 5x7 film.   This is the back I used to take vistas around town,
>> since the lens was fixed focus at infinity.   The camera is most likely
>> still lurking in some basement corner in the union.
>> 
>> I shot a box of 25 sheets, but only got around to processing about eight
>> (in a tray).   I've had the exposed film in a freezer since 1972  ;~)
>> 
>> <
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/Portraits/Self-Ports/1972
>> 0704_MR_Mine_30A.jpg.html
>>> 
>> <
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/Portraits/Self-Ports/1972
>> 0704_MR_Mine_33A.jpg.html
>>> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Mark William Rabiner
> Photographer
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
> 
> 
> 
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