Seen any large format like this? I was brought up on 10"x8" cameras but found this.... 35"x45", now everything else is small format!

The camera is a 1920, Hunter & Penrose, 35" x 45" neg, WET PLATE.... it was a printer process camera (Gallery Camera). Standard lens (not the one in the photo), is a 1800 mm f18 (depth of field can be measured with a micrometer). Bought it for $100 - no joke. Also got two darkslides (one a vacum back for sheet film, and, Bellows draw of 12 feet... (takes 22 cow hides to make one set of bellows) All Spanish Mahogany....

This article and the photographs were kindly contributed by Sandy Barrie.

Honorary Life Member, Australian Institute of Professional Photographers. Valuer of Photography, appointed to Australian Federal Government Department of the Arts, Sport & Tourism. Researching Early Photographers. (Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland & Wales.)

All of the photographs in this article are copyright © Sandy Barrie 2002.

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