Product Description
FOREWORD
Deardorff Cameras and all Deardorff Products Shown and Described in this Catalogue are wholly American Made by L. F. Deardorff & Sons, Inc., 11 South Des Plaines St., Chicago
GENERAL INFORMATION — CONSTRUCTION — VIEW CAMERAS
The design incorporated in all Deardorff Precision Cameras embodies most extreme movement of the Back and Front, long square Bellows, extra large Lens Boards and a rigidity of Construction that makes possible perfect reproductions of all scenes and objects both in the studio and out of doors.
They are strongly built and especially designed for precision photography, yet the weight is always kept at the minimum consistent with good engineering practice. The materials used in the construction are Central American Mahogany, Brass, Steel, Aluminum Alloy, and all springs are made of Phosphor Bronze. All lock nuts are of Brass fitted to Steel screws, which reduces wear. The Bellows are hand-made from genuine leather cemented to light-proof linings with water-proof cement. The extra quality Cabinet Work is a mark of distinction.
The rigid construction and unique locking devices assure no movement during or between exposures and, therefore, all Deardorff Cameras are ideal for Direct Color, Color Separation, and Black and White photography.
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GENERAL INFORMATION — CONSTRUCTION — STUDIO CAMERAS
The exacting requirements of all Illustrative Photography demand the use of the Deardorff Precision Studio Cameras, as these cameras are furnished with extreme double swing Back and double swing Front. These swings are easy to operate and are most necessary for making reproductions showing three sides of every conceivable kind of subject under all conditions. They fit into the studio practice of every photographic activity, including Models, Angle Shots, Closeups and Record Photography. Included in the movements on these Cameras is a Sliding Front Panel, which permits the lens and lens board to be quickly moved to any position, including the four corners of the front of the camera.
The extra long Bellows, 50” in the 8x10 Studio Camera and 75” in the 11x14 Studio Camera permit the use of extra long focus lenses for making actual size reproductions of very small objects without distortion of any kind. Therefore these cameras excel in making reproductions for Maintainence and Repair Manuals and also for making photographs used to help speed assembly work.
The Bellows are hand-made of genuine Vinylite and are square, furnished in 25” sections, two of which are removable on the 11x14 Camera and one on the 8x10 Camera. The Cabinet Work is of extra heavy Central American Mahogany and the Metal Work is the same as described for the View Cameras but of very heavy gauge for great strength and maximum “rigidity.
GENERAL INFORMATION — CONSTRUCTION — COPYING CAMERAS
The Enlarging Reducing and Copying Cameras, Stands and Revolving Adapters are illustrated, complete with specifications and other details which will assist those interested in high grade precision equipment of this type. These Cameras, Stands, Revolving Adapters and Reducing Backs, together with their specifications, are shown on pages 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20 and 21.
THE “WHY” OF STUDIO STANDS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
The best studio practice demands the use of the Deardorff Precision Studio Stands. They are rigidly constructed of heavy materials, and are unlimited in their action. The moving parts are finely balanced which allows this outstanding camera stand to be actuated with speed, precision and assurance of correct results. The counterbalanced Bed makes it possible to move it and the camera quickly up or down to any position.
Two worm gears, operated separately by hand-cranks, give microscopic adjustment as to the position of the camera from the floor to top of stand and the tilting of the camera upwards or downwards. The Camera may be revolved completely around 360°. The extra heavy locking devices will secure the stand itself to the floor as well as hold the camera and bed of the stand in the desired position without vibration.
THE “WHY” OF SWINGS FOR CORRECTION OF PERSPECTIVE AND “DEPTH OF FIELD”
Tilting the bed of the camera either upwards or downwards demands the use of Deardorff Cameras. These cameras permit, through the use of their back swings, control of Vanishing Points; through the use of their front swings, control of Depth of Field; and through the use of a lens of proper focal length, control of Image Distortion. Illustrations of small objects made actual size or enlarged on the negative and the matching of artists’ sketches to size and perspective are easily accomplished with Deardorff Cameras.
DEARDORFF PRECISION VIEW CAMERA — 4/5*— 5/7 — 8/10
* The 4x5 model is furnished with vertical swing front
* The 4x5 Special model is furnished with double swing front
This series made for many years has always led the field in perfection of design, compactness, rigidity, light weight, and ease of manipulation for making perfect reproductions.
The leading Commercial and Illustrative Photographers throughout the United States and Canada not only welcomed this Camera but proclaimed it as the Standard of perfection. The possibilities for making reproductions showing detail, drawing, and perspective not possible heretofore, and also permitting special lighting effects, have improved immensely this field of photography and have made this Camera the most successful instrument ever offered to the “photographic fraternity”.
SPECIFICATIONS
The Lateral Swing of the Back is 20° each side of center.
The Vertical Swing of the Front is 30° each side of center.
The Lateral Swing of the Front is 20° each side of center.
The front and rear Turntables and the front Standard are made of heavy gauge Stainless Steel.
The Front raises and lowers from 1-11/16” to 3-1/4” from center according to size of camera.
Bed is made in four sections. Tongue and Grove construction with grain in two directions. The Box and Back are made with interlocking corners and are further reinforced with Metal.
The Front Board is square and reversible all the way around.
Lenses with focal lengths from 3" to 30” can be accommodated according to size of camera.
LOOKING DOWN (page 4)
The camera looking downward with the bed tilted at an extreme angle. The back swung vertically to parallel the vertical lines of the subject, and laterally to control convergence of horizontal lines. The lens swung vertically and laterally to control depth of field in a plane between the vertical and the horizontal planes to permit “taking apertures” one or more sizes larger than would otherwise be possible.. See Photo 3 above.
LOOKING UP (page 5)
The camera looking upward with the bed tilted at an extreme angle. The back and front are parallel to each other and to a vertical plane. This correction controls maximum sharpness and definition in that plane. The lens board raised to the limit, the lens is opposite the top of the negative. The lookup position is for photographing tall buildings, or illustrating subjects from a low angle of view, and also for photographing an object completely above the camera. See Photo 1 above.
WIDE ANGLE
Its modern design permits ultra short focus lenses to be used with correction for extreme wide angle photography. The bed is tilted upward, and the sliding lens panel raised to the limit. The back of the camera swung vertically and laterally. The Front Standard tilted backward permits the back to be brought close up to the front, allowing the use of both back swings, and the balancing of the camera on the Tripod. The sliding front panel allows either look-up or look-down photographs to be made although the bellows is tightly compressed.
CLOSE-UPS
COPYING
The triple extension bed is composed of a main bed, a front extension and a rear extension. Each extension is fitted with rack and pinion focusing and suitable locking nuts. The tripod socket is located in the center of the main bed. Extending the front and back extensions balances the camera very easily. The design of the camera permits its extra long bellows to be folded and the camera closed when it is not in use.
LOOKING DOWN
Close-up illustrations require extreme bellows capacity, versatility through camera swings and stand adjustment, and the use of extra long focus lenses, those whose focal lengths are much longer than the lenses used for normal photography. The movements of the Deardorff Precision Studio Stand are easily controlled through fine adjustment devices. The Camera and Stand Table, being counterbalanced, may be rapidly raised or lowered after releasing the clutch, or very slowly by the fine adjustment mechanism when the clutch is engaged.
Deardorff Precision Studio Cameras and Stands are standard equipment for making Advertising Illustrations, reproductions of Parts, for Repair Manuals, and Record pictures. In the hands of the Master Artist the Human Figure is reproduced without image distortion and with glamour heretofore impossible with less versatile equipment.
STUDIO STANDS
Illustrations from high elevations control Image Distortion. Long bellows extension allows the use of the proper focal length of lens to produce the desired image size. This type of photography is easily accomplished with the Deardorff Precision Studio Cameras and Stands. Both the camera and stand are fitted with substantial locks which hold each rigidly in position regardless of operating position and without fear of upsetting.
ENLARGING REDUCING
AND COPYING CAMERA
This illustration shows the Model C Camera with bellows extended and placed in position on Movable Carriage. This model is fitted with rods and gears for moving the lens board frame up and down and laterally, and for focusing the front and center sections. These movements are controlled from the back of the Camera bed with a crank. See illustration page 15. The back Frame is controlled through a hand operated focusing wheel.
COPYING STANDS
The E R C Camera Stands are made of angles and bars. They are diagonally braced, are extremely rigid and light weight, and may be easily moved. The Carriage upon which the camera rests is 4" long. It is made of hardwood with locking corners and a center brace. The Carriage is fitted with wheels which roll on the tracks of the stand, and is also fitted with a positive pressure lock which holds the camera in the desired position. All sizes of the E R C Camera Stands are fitted with a tilting Copy Board, size 30” x 40". This board may easily be removed when necessary.
CAMERA BACKS AND PACKARD SHUTTER ADAPTERS
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free access documentation
very usefull documentation
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Valuable resource for Deardorff Cameras
This is a valuable resource on Deardorff Cameras for anyone interested in vintage large format wooden cameras and camera accessories. Easy to download the .pdf file — a real service to the camera collector and photography enthusiast.
