I have searched both this forum and the internet and can't find anything on the Seneca 8 x 10 field camera. Any experiences or opinions? Thank You

-- michael franc (quelong@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

I have no opinion on the Seneca, but you can get a good dose of it here. www.fiberg.com/cam/seneca.htm

-- Dan Kowalsky (www.dankowalsky.com) (dank99 @bellsouth.net), March 12, 2002.

Are you sure? I tried that and got "fiberglass baptistries" which was interesting. I din't know anyone made that. But nothing on cameras. Maybe different spelling? Thanks

-- michael franc (quelong@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

I think he meant this page:

http://www.fiberq.com/cam/fcam.htm

If that doesn't work, try the "Antique American Field Cameras" page.....

-- DK Thompson (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), March 12, 2002.

I have one, the Improved from the 1920s. What do you need to know?

-- Steve Gangi (sgangi@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

Thank You for the link. That helped. I am getting one--it is in the mail as we "speak." I got it for a very good price but didn't know anything about the brand. It is black; so, judging from that webside, it must be the improved also- -the only one that seems to be black. I will use it mainly for portraits so I don't need so many movements, just a decently strong body. I wanted to know how my camera rates between the worst out there and, say, Deardorff. Thank You

-- michael franc (quelong@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.

It should be fine. I have one -- it is definitely no Deardorff, F&S, or Korona. A little flimsy, but should be servicable for your needs. I wouldn't hang a 6lb lens on the front at any rate or try for radical movements.

-- Donald Brewster (dpbrewster@prodigy.net), March 13, 2002.

It should be fine. Mine felt a little flimsy too, but a pair of L- brackets in the corners of the focusing rail fixed that. It has front rise and rear tilt and swing. There is a large amount of movement, but for portraits you don't need much movement if any. It's probably on a par with the old Kodak 2D, definitely not up there with Deardorff (for a low enough price it's pretty good though). One very nice thing, for its size it is very light.

-- Steve Gangi (sgangi@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.

My last post should be corrected to say "there is NOT a large amount of movement...".

-- Steve Gangi (sgangi@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.

For Paradise on Earth for Seneca owners, try:

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/5907/seneca.html

or

http://ink.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=%22Seneca+camera%22&hc= 0&hs=0

-- Wayne Campbell (wtcamjr@aol.com), March 13, 2002.

Thank You for all the input. The above website is great. By the way, I have found a photograph: :Edward Weston, Self Portrait with 8 x 10 inch Seneca View Camera, 1923-26;" so I think I am in a good company. Thanks again.

-- michael franc (quelong@hotmail.com), March 14, 2002.