End of the glass plate negatives

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FatBear
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End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

Can anyone give me an idea when film replaced glass plate negatives?

Thanks.

--Brian

Ornello
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Ornello »

Early in the 20th century. I doubt that glass plates were in wide use after about 1920 or so.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_plate

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FatBear
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

Interesting. I think most of us here are somewhat anachronistic. Apparently my great uncle was, too. Here are some photos he took of his relatives in the mid 1930s. (My Mom and aunt are the two young children in some of them and they were born in 1935 and 1933.) These were contact printed from 5x7 glass plate negatives made by my uncle Orville Hoy who was an amateur photographer.

http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late02.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late03.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late04.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late06.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late07.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late08.//jpg//
http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late09.//jpg//

And here is one of his father, Jesse David Hoy, which was taken on a smaller plate. I think it was 4-1/4 x 5-3/4 or something odd like that. It was probably taken around the turn of the previous century when glass plates were the norm.

http://www.myflotsam.com/Images/Ancient ... late01.//jpg//

--Brian

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FatBear
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

So were special cameras required for shooting on dry emulsion glass plates?

--Brian

Ornello
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Ornello »

FatBear wrote:So were special cameras required for shooting on dry emulsion glass plates?

--Brian
View cameras of course.

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FatBear
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

Sorry, it was late. What I meant to learn was how the glass plate negatives were handled in the camera. With film we use "film holders". Before that did they just use similar "plate holders" with somewhat different dimensions? But don't worry, it was just idle curiosity. If I really want to know, I'll put Google to work on it.

Thanks,

--Brian

Ornello
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Ornello »

FatBear wrote:Sorry, it was late. What I meant to learn was how the glass plate negatives were handled in the camera. With film we use "film holders". Before that did they just use similar "plate holders" with somewhat different dimensions? But don't worry, it was just idle curiosity. If I really want to know, I'll put Google to work on it.

Thanks,

--Brian

Plate holders, similar to sheet film holders, I suppose.

Keith Tapscott.
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Keith Tapscott. »

FatBear wrote:Can anyone give me an idea when film replaced glass plate negatives?

Thanks.

--Brian
Brian, it would probably be easier to find an answer on the large-format camera forum.
Glass-plate negatives may still be available on special orders, but I honestly don't know.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/

foolscape
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by foolscape »

I just bought a couple of old glass plate holders, and I'm looking forward to coating some glass plates for them. I have some Liquid Light, and I seem to remember from somewhere that you have to coat them with gelatin first so that the emulsion will stick.

--Gary

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FatBear
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

foolscape wrote:I just bought a couple of old glass plate holders, and I'm looking forward to coating some glass plates for them. I have some Liquid Light, and I seem to remember from somewhere that you have to coat them with gelatin first so that the emulsion will stick. --Gary
Isn't Liquid Light already gelatin based?

Another alternative (and I really mean alternative) process would be to make your own emulsion like these folks do:

http://thelightfarm.com/Map/GlassNegati ... sPart1.htm

Their whole website is a wealth of information:

http://thelightfarm.com/

Makes me wish I still had my Linhof ...

--Brian

foolscape
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by foolscape »

FatBear wrote:Makes me wish I still had my Linhof ...

--Brian
Buy another one. It could be fun.

--Gary

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FatBear
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by FatBear »

Gary, that outfit - The Light Farm - appears to be over in Newport (Oregon) or vicinity. Small world.

Padan62
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Padan62 »

Can anyone give an idea about the glass plate negatives clearly?

Ornello
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Re: End of the glass plate negatives

Post by Ornello »

Padan62 wrote:Can anyone give an idea about the glass plate negatives clearly?
What do you mean? We have answered the question. Glass plates were available until relatively recently, but rarely used after the 1920s, for obvious reasons.

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