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I have 3 of these cameras and all work well, I have a paper cutter that I cut Kodak film down to the size. I'm also lucky to live in the USA Cali where it's easy for me to buy the film for these cameras too. I have two 9x12 and one 6x9. Thanks for posting.

The Tessar (and copies of it, like the Voigtlander Skopar) were very capable lenses from their introduction in the 1890s until the present. Modern glass compositions and recomputation to take advantage of those have made the newer takes (like the one in the SX-70 SLR cameras and the new Rollei 35 AF) even a little better -- and of course the films we have now blow away what was available in the early 1920s when your Ideal was made. I haven't used my own Ideals (one Ica, the other a Zeiss-Ikon) in a while (since I got my Speed Graphic) because there are more choices in 4x5 film in the USA and my plate holders leak light at the dark slide slot (decades idle with the dark slide in has deformed the velvet), but they're capable of this kind of work any time. It's unfortunate that there are only four emulsions available in 9x12 cm (two Fomapan and two Ilford), but these are no longer front line press cameras as they were when new. There are also a couple sources of modern dry plates -- Zebra in EU and J. Lane in the US (though J. Lane is on hiatus after a house move; takes a while to rebuild the lab). The emulsions on those are slow and either blue-sensitive (like 1880 all over again) or ortho (up to date for 1920), but they produce good images, for those who want to use these cameras the original way.

I've got one of these cameras that I've had for almost twenty years, as well as an example of the Zeiss-Ikon version. One of mine has the movement controls and a drop bed (which can be used to give a front tilt to shift the focal plane to, for instance, keep all of a field of flowers in focus, from foreground to mountains); the other doesn't; one has the 13.5 cm f/4.5 Tessar lens on a bayonet mount, the other has a 15 cm f/4.5 Tessar lens on a somewhat larger bayonet mount (so the two lenses don't interchange). I've also got a spare shutter for the 13.5 cm lens's mount, in which I've mounted a pinhole. Along with the two cameras, I have a dozen plate holders, all with film sheaths, and I recently learned how to disassemble the plate holders for cleaning and velvet replacement -- so I might well do that and be able to actually use these cameras (at least five of the plate holders leak light at the dark slide slot). Film sheaths for these are pretty hard to find, but if you have some, you can still buy 9x12 cm film from Fotoimpex in Europe, or B&H and Freestyle in America.

That old Tessar lens surely does a great job…. Dense, rich, and crisp…., I am impressed! The Fomopan also renders very nicely…. Of course it’s in the hands of a capable photographer! I appreciate your using period vintage cameras, which I collect and love! Thanks

Wow, amazing results using 50-60 year old plates… great job! Makes me want to get out my Ica Ideal, and have a go…. Thanks, nice video!

I just picked up a Vollenda 620 today, in dusty, but good condition….. all cleaned up, it’s quite a nice camera…. german, of course! Nice video, thanks, you got good results!

Very nice photos of this format. I've just got hold of exactly the same camera. Question: were did you find the 9x12 film sheaths to hold the film in the plate holder?

Some really lovely shots there, I must tryout one of those cameras some time.

Just a got a mint one with caps and case for £41. Looking forward to trying it. Great photos..

Nice images. I shoot 4x5, typically CatLabs 80 or FP4. I love a good contrasty black & white photo. 👍

Who rebuilt you're West light meter?

Yup. my Weston meters just fine. I like it's compact size. US meters all seem to have come with a leather case. Is that true for UK meters?

These are fun cameras to use. I have an ICA Ideal 111, the baby brother to your camera. I shoot with a film back which allows me to use 120. The Ideal 111 is in a 6.8x9cm format so 120 aligns well with the framing. Like your vid. Going to check out more.

It is nice to come across someone interested learning and using the old technology. I started in B&W photography in the late 1960s, teaching myself the Zone System from Adams books at college in 1971 and used it for the next 20 years. I apprenticed and assisted Monte Zucker (check his Wikipedia ) and then worked as a lab technician at National Geographic where I did photo reproduction (halftone / color separations) using analog methods (i.e. contact halftone screens) on 20”x24” and 40” x 48” film back copy cameras and also taught reproduction (photo lithography) at a college. I used Weston, Gossen Luna Pro and Honeywell 1° spot meter similar to those you have. The ideal way to use a wide reflective meter like the Weston or Gossen is with a Kodak 18% gray card because meters prior to the switch from ASA to ISO were calibrated to an 18% mid-point for exposure which is to say of you metered any flat surface like a white wall the reproduction goal for negative development and printing was for the print in that area to reflect 18% of the light - middle gray. B&W negative film was manufactured and ASA rated so that if one got the middle 18% value correct at the nominal ASA rating of the film there would be sufficient density in the shadows to record detail. Thus the most consistent way to use a Weston / Gossen meter in reflected mode isn’t to meter off the scene but rather an 18% Gray card or as Adams did the palm of his hand. When using the consistent baseline of metering off the 18% card one then examines the negatives of actual scenes in the shadow to see if the nominal ISO is in fact recording density just above film base on the negative. If not the ASA setting of the meter is adjusted down for more exposure or up if the nominal exposure is producing too much density in the shadows. The incident metering dome is white and dome shaped for reason which isn’t obvious until explained. The correct way to use it for exposure metering is not to point it at the light source but rather to face the camera in the same light hitting the scene on the camera axis with dome pointing back at the camera so the dome in the meter gets the same ratio of highlight and shadow as the scene. The technique of pointing directly at the source with incident metering is used when setting lighting ratios with studio lights and in the studio setting the exposure reading must be taken standing in subject position with dome pointing back at lens so key and fill lights hit the dome the same way they will the 3D subject. Prior to around 1930 all B&W film was orthochromatic - not sensitive to red light - which meant in the darkroom glass plates and sheet film could be developed by eye under red safelights similar to prints. What Adams, Weston and their contemporaries did was expose for the shadows using a gray card / palm in reflective mode or incident as described above, adjusting ASA setting on meter until desired shadow density was exposed on the negative and then pulling the film out of the developer, by experience and visual inspection, when the densities in the brightest parts of the scene match the fixed contrast range of the paper they used resulting in prints with stunning full range tonal rendition of the scene regardless of the contrast of the lighting. The switch to Panchromatic film in the 1930s required development in total darkness. The process of metering and exposing for the shadows was the same but photographers could no longer develop negatives by eye in a tray to fit a single grade of paper! The Kodak approach which allowed the masses to take photos on roll film in Brownie cameras in different contrast lighting was to standardize on an outdoor Sunny 16 exposure of 1/ASA @ f/16 and then base the development time of the film on getting the highlights correct for a cross-lit sunny scene using #2 grade paper. From the baseline of that development time to fit sunny scenes to the contrast of #2 paper the lab making the prints dealt with other than sunny scene highlight densities on overcast / open shade or higher contrast snow / beach lighting by altering the paper grade. What the lab did is measure the density of the negative with a densitometer in shadows and highlights areas and based on that density range would know what paper grade to use for that frame on the roll of film. Adams took a different approach based on a desire to make all his prints on #2 grade paper because of the how it renders shadow detail on the toe of the response curve. That requires very precise control over exposure to get “Zone 1” shadows rendered with densities just above the film base and changing development times based on scene contrast so that the brightest non specular white areas in the scene (Zone 9 objects) are reproduced with a very light gray tone on the print preserving the paper base with no density for the Zone 10 specular highlights on those Zone 9 white objects. There is a lot of misinformation and confusion about the Zone System, much of it created by Adams himself by using the term “Zone”. I learned from a 1968 edition of his books and in the Negative he acknowledged that confusion telling reader to mentally substitute the term “PRINT VALUE” when reading “ZONE” in the book. Also back in 1968 Adams System only had Zones / Print Values 0 (max black) to 9 (solid white) with no Zone designation for the specular highlights (Zone 10 in later editions of his book). Zones = Visual Tonal Values not exposure f/stops. Zone 0 - black void (Max black exposure of print on film border), Zone 1 = being able to see a black object in deep shadow, Zone 2 = being able to able to see texture on black objects in deep shadow ….. Zone 9 = highly reflective white object (e.g. white car) reproduced on print with light gray tone with Zone 10 being the specular reflection on that Zone 9 white object reproduced with the paper base. Getting a negative that prints perfectly on #2 paper requires very precise control of shadow exposure via adjustment of ASA / ISO setting on meter and precisely measuring the brightness range of the scene (with a spot meter) or being able from experience and testing to guess what it is by eye under various lighting conditions. I was fortunate to learn Adams System in 1971 when the Honeywell 1° spot meter became available. I adjusted ASA on the meter base on reading a shadow in the scene where I wanted to see detail and texture (Zone 2) and got that on my #2 paper grade prints. Negative development times were based on spot metering a solid non-specular white object in the scene then shooting 3-4 sheets / rolls of film developing for different time then printing on #2 paper to find the development time needed to maintain the separation on the print between the Zone 9 white objects (reproduced as very light gray) and the paper base of the print paper which reproduced the Zone 10 specular highlights on those Zone 9 objects. The test for scene range measured from Zone 2 - Zone 9 was first done on a “Normal” cross-lit sunny scene then repeated in open shade, partly cloudy, overcast, etc. With the spot meter being able to precisely measure scene in terms of EV / f/stop range it was relatively easy to find the development times to fit ranges of 8,9,10,11… stop scene ranges to the #2 print paper with a high degree of precision to create prints with the same stunning tonal ranges those of Adams. When I was shooting with my med. format with B&W I’d use the Adams method of tailoring development to spot metered scene range but for my 35mm photojournalism I spot metered to measure the Zone 2 - 9 scene range but then used than information to know what Polycontrast filtering to use when printing.

Thanks for this video! I just got a physical light meter to use for my Pentax Spotmatic IIa ◡̈

Really lovely video and it’s scratched an itch for me to have a go with dry plates. (The background water sound made me want to go for a wee 😆)

i have this one too! great camera and built like a tank!

Great vid mate, I can highly recommend the Rolleiflex pano head for landscapes it works a treat. Also the Rolleiflex Rollinars and Mutar lenses expand the cameras ability 👍

Taking out my Rolleicord quite a lot recently with the 24 exposure kit for panoramic frames. Nice to see someone enjoying it too 😊 Very nice frames this video again. The foliage of the first two came out pretty well!

I've got two of these wonderful cameras, a 3.5T and a 3.5 F. They are great to operate and the image quality is excellent. Nice video.

You're welcome for telling you this was the one to go for.

Super video & easy to understand. Which lightmeter, you are using?

Nice video and photos!

Great camera I've been using one off and on for a few years now.

Watching this has given me a Contax high.

Fomapan seems like the next B&W film stock I try! As always, excellent video!

Never shot Fomapan 200 in 135 but got some pleasent results in the 120 formats. Does look fine here so will try it also in 135. Thanks for sharing Hayden!

Good one Hayden. I shoot a lot of Fomapan also.

Just acquired an ICA Ideal 385 (13x18cm glass plate)and look forward to my efforts in a few weeks.

Your "old school photography" is fantastic! Its nice to see a "new generation" artist carry on a forgotten art of image making. Thank you for carrying it on.. beautiful work!

Kudos to you for even attempting this genre of photography. Unbelievably impressive images and excellent video. Atb.

These cameras are fun to use and the images produced are outstanding.

Box.

Most images seem to have some sort of banding going on length-wise; looks to me like a development thing (only agitation in one way), or maybe it's a scanning thing?

certainly interesting that brought back a memory from the late 1980s when we owned a hour photo lab in Australia. An elderly lady brought in a box brownie camera to ask about values and I noticed it still had a film inside that I developed and printed the photos in my darkroom . It turned out the photos were of her husband who died some years before and until that day she had no photographs of him ; nothing at all ! There are times like that day when asking for or wanting payment was not required or even seemed important . The photo ended up the local news paper so that free advertising and the warm fuzzy feeling covered all costs and time . Certainly no desires here to get into a dark room again

That little thing is really neat! Great compositions!

Great pictures! What a cool camera too. I've never heard of Bilora making a box camera. I have to look for one now.

Awesome!

Pretty cool what you could still do with that old camera. Looked like a lot of fun to me.🙂

is it 6x9 ?

At first I thought: what a crap camera, what a crappy tripod… But the pictures - oh boy, breathtaking!!! Guys like You can make good pics with a kelloggs-box…

thank you for sharing and showing true photography where quality comes long before quantity . It's one film camera I have not used ---- not sure I was ever good enough for the discipline required . I often say photography as photography has not changed since the very start ; although it has become easier learners still make the same mistake I made ---- worrying too much about gear and not real photography Beautiful images

Hi Hayden, beautiful camera. I have a Zeiss Ikon Maximar 207-7 that looks like your ICA Ideal and many others from the same era. You mention that you can load film on the plate holder. Would you show us how you do that? I have only two film holders and 6 plate holders but would very much like to use the plate holders for film also. Thank you mate. Cheers

Very nice shots in what looked like a bland area. The vignette on the first one was a bit heavy for my taste but otherwise really good.

Nice work Hayden. Well considered. I'm enjoying the stroll.

Beautiful images.

Very nice!

I just picked up one of these cameras, can you tell me which plate holder you’re using?

I just bought one of these cameras, can you tell me which dry plate holder you have?

Got that meter gifted to me recently, your’s looks in better condition but mine too still measures fine.