[Leica] IMG: The Biggest Camera I Ever Used

[George Lottermoser]

On Jan 8, 2015, at 1:41 AM, Mitch Zeissler wrote:

> 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.

My DuoStat stat camera took 16 x 20 film and paper and had a copy table which took 20 x 24 material.
I still have a bunch of aluminum from that beast;
and recently sold the copy table's 80 lb solid lead counter weight as part of my "scrap" sale.

I photographed with a 12x20 Banquet camera in the field for a couple years.
Stunning contact prints.
I adapted an 11x14 back to use on the 12x20.
I still have a ancient mahogany camera with a 20x20 back on it.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 

http://www.imagist.com
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