The continuing story of the 8×10 Deardorff Camera
After I picked up my Deardorff from having it repaired I was eager to get it out for a test. That was about the time that wildfires erupted in the West. Smoke presented a setback for a landscape photographer, so the summer passed by without much to show for it. Finally, in September, I took it out for a spin near Bingen, Washington.
Readers on my website know that I adore the Eastern Columbia Gorge, so it was good to be out there again. I wanted to photograph an old livestock chute in a grove of white oaks.
©2021 Gary L. Quay
I was out in the Eastern Gorge doing a test with the Deardorff 8×10 in September. I got it back from repair in June, but wildfire smoke kept me from doing a lot of the protography I like to do, so my first real test was in September. One of the negatives has evidence of a light leak, and the other one came out fine. I will have to run some more tests. This is the one that turned out fine. If there is more light leaks in that camera, I think I’m done with it. I will replace it with something more modern and reliable.
Camera: Deardorff 8×10
Lens: 240mm Nikkor-W
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed in Ilfotec HC
I actually get the camera out in June, but I don’t consider it to be a real test because the light was a little dim, and it did not present a light leak threat like some bright sunlight would.
©2021 Gary L. Quay
I got my Deardorff back from being repaired in June, and wanted to get out to take some pictures with it. Unfortunately, the day I picked was gray, and slightly smoky (as it is wont to be in the American West these days), but I didn’t want it to be a total bust, so I stopped in the shadow of Rowena Crest, and pointed my camera to the other side of the road where some white oak trees were growing along the rim of a small valley. I was testing for light leaks. I do not appear to have any. This is good. The camera seems to be repaired thanks to Blue Moon Camera and Machine in Saint Johns, Oregon.
For this picture, I wanted what Ansel Adams called “A soft, enveloping light.” I’m not sure that I acheived it, but it certainly is soft.
Camera: Deardorff 8×10
Lens: 19″ Goerz APO-Artar
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed at N+1 in Ilford Perceptol
I have to do some more tests. I will be loading a film holder with some photo paper, and putting it into the camera the next time there is a bright day. If there are light leaks, I have been looking into other cameras. If money was not a barrier, I would buy an Arca-Swiss F-line camera. Since that is not the case, I am looking into Richard Ritter’s cameras. They seem to be well built, and about 7 pounds lighter than the Deardorff.
On a side note, I still haven’t learned much about Hugh Ackroyd, the former owner of the camera. His heyday was before the internet, so there are no available pictures of him using my camera. Still, it is reported to be a famous camera. I’m still looking for information about it.
