Clyde with his 6x10 view camera

In 1996, when Ron Wisner was still building large

format cameras, I asked him to build me a 6x10

back that would adapt to his 4x5 view camera. He

accomplished the request, and then found that others

liked that proportion too, so he build a few more.

There aren't many out there...if you own one it would

be great to hear from you.

I love the proportion of 6x10 and also the fact that

the camera would be much lighter to carry. My

8x10 Deardorf, without lens, weighs 16 pounds.

The 6x10 Wisner, without lens, weighs 7 1/2 pounds.

Plus, I can carry it in my backpack open with my

wide-angle 120mm Nikor already on it. This means

my set up time is reduced considerably.

Because I mostly use wide-angle lenses I had to

take a couple of inches off the back standard of

the 4x5 Wisner before the camera would work for me.

My first photographic use of the camera was in 1997

when I was Artist in Resident at Rocky Mountain

National Park. I was excited about the images...

except for one thing. The film holders leaked.

(Thank heavens I had taken more than one camera

with me on that trip!) When I inquired as to when

the film holders could be corrected, I found

out the company who made the holders

was no longer creating them.

So, for the past 14 years the camera has sat on my

shelf patiently waiting for me, until I me Richard

Ritter who builds and repairs large format

cameras - www.lg4mat.net - in Vermont. Richard

told me about Alan Brubaker who builds large

format mat camera equipment including film

holders - www.filmholders.com - in California.

Last week I received the film holders. It felt

like Christmas! I am, once again,

excited about using my "new"

6x10 view camera! The film holders are

beautiful...a piece of art.

I will be leaving for California in a few days for

my 50th High School Reunion, the opening

at the Annenberg Space for Photography, and

a couple of weeks in Yosemite. Taking the

6x10. Will let you know how it goes...