The SK Grimes lens is the one on the upper right. It doesn’t look like much, but the focal length is 760mm. On an 8×10 camera it requires almost a yard of bellows draw. I refer to it as “SK Grimes” because they built the lens, possibly out of an old Nikkor copy lens. SK Grimes is a machine shop in Woonsocket, RI. They specialize in placing old optics in new lenses (barrels). Since their logo is on it, they get the credit.
St. Johns Bridge, Spring 2012
©2012 Gary L. Quay
It’s a slow lens. The widest aperture is f14. It’s razor sharp, though. It’s also uncoated, which means that it needs a lens shade, and has lower contrast, which can be a plus with modern, high contrast films. It covers 8×10 with room to spare, so camera movements, such as tilt and swing, are possible.
Jake, the owner of Blue Moon Camera in Saint Johns, told me that I was likely the first person in 40 years to photograph the bridge on 8×10 with a lens with a focal length that long. I like that.
Camera: Kodak Commercial Studio 8×10.
Lens: 760mm SK Grimes.
Film: Ilford Ortho + developed in Kodak HC-110.
From Crown Point # 3
©2012 Gary L. Quay
The lens brought the Gorge up close and personal.
Since I had two negs to process, I tried two different methods to get the sky to print easily next to the shaded foreground. The first method was to try divided D23: 4 minutes in the developer and 3 minutes in the alkalie bath. The negative came out splotchy, and completely unusable. Since one was ruined, I had to try something more fool-proof. I used Kodak HC110 and semi-stand development. This seems to largely have done the trick. The sky requires a little burning in, but not much.
Camera: Deardorff 8×10.
Lens: 760mm SK Grimes with red # 25 filter.
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed in Kodak HC110 semi-stand at 22:15 minutes.
Blue Heron and West Linn Power
©2010 Gary L. Quay
I like old time industrial images like this. I took this one back in 2010, sometime in the fall. I usually keep records of my large format film exposure details, but I can’t find this one, so I don’t know the exact date.
Camera: Eastman Kodak Commercial 8×10
Lens: 760mm SK Grimes
Film: Ilford FP4+ developed in Kodak HC110
