PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Mar 30, 2006 8:56:02 GMT -5
Hi all, Came across an old forgotten half used box of Ilford 'Medium Pan' glass quarter plates (3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches) dated 1955 and started to wonder. The speed was given as H&D (Hurter and Driffield) 500, which is about 20 ASA. I didn't expect to get any results from them but I thought I'd try one in a 1920s double extension un-named quarter plate camera with an f/8 Rapid Rectilinear lens, and set an old pocket watch near a window. I guessed that the speed would have dropped, so as my meter suggested between 1 and 2 seconds at f/8 I put the thing on B and judged about 5 seconds. I developed the plate in an old Envoy plate tank giving it 12 minutes at 20 degrees C in ID11 because I thought the contrast as well as the speed would have dropped. Surprise, suprise!! I got a quite nicely exposed neg with only a trace of fog!! . The only thing I got which I didn't want was a slight reflection from the watch glass. I scanned it in, and here it is, untouched except for sizing: Pocket watch in a paired silver case from the mid 1800s, made by Nevren in London but repaired at some time by a German watchmaker in Dortmund who put his repair paper inside the outer case. Unfortunately he didn't date the paper. 1955 Ilford 'Medium Pan' plate in an un-named 1920s quarter plate camera. Generously exposed and developed. Thought you might be interested. Peter
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Post by John Parry on Mar 30, 2006 15:25:37 GMT -5
Peter,
You never cease to amaze me - this would be superb on Ilford HP. Given the medium, it's stunning ! Well done !
Regards - John
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Mar 30, 2006 17:08:11 GMT -5
Thanks, John. Probably more luck than judgement! I love experimenting with ancient equipment and other bits and pieces, but I'll let you into a secret if you promise not to tell anyone. I never show my many dismal failures Like the time I once got hold of some of the Kodak colour couplers and attempted to process out of date Kodachrome at home. I got transparencies, but the people had green tinted faces and the green spring foliage looked like autumn. Or the time I tried to make an Ambrotype and bleached the image clean off the film as well as staining my fingers bright yellow with nitric acid. Well, you can't win 'em all. Peter
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