[LargeFormat] magnola

[Clive Warren]

At 17:04 10/02/01 +0100, ffranta@volny.cz wrote:
>snip
>         The fields that I would like to cover there are mainly landscapes 
> & travel
>photography. As I have said, I don't have much funds available for LF (I
>must pour what I have into 35mm :( , so I have narrowed my options to an
>used field camera with one basic and one wideangle lens.
>         I have been considering the UK made MPP IV, which looked very 
> promising in
>the specs, but then I found an opportunity to buy very cheaply one 13x18cm
>(5x7") field camera, inspired my Linhof Technika I special. It's Meopta
>Magnola. It features all the movements I can dream of in a field camera,
>including bed fall, and movements on the back - it has sort of technikal
>back (like the MPP or Technikas). 13x18 is not a problem for me, actually
>it's better because I will be able to contact print all B&W stuff (and a
>good & cheap LF enlarger I can get with my budget is 13x18cm anyway, not
>4x5" only)

big snip


>Thanks a lot
>         Frantisek

The MPP is a good camera - they were provided for military use and plenty 
more ended up in colleges - so a lot of them had hard lives and 
survived!  A well built camera - I use an MPP VII which is close to the 
point of retirement but has served me very well.  The MPP has an 
International (Graflock style) back and so can take Graflex style roll-film 
holders should you wish to shoot using roll film.

A lot of peops on the list have done a good job of answering your other 
questions - thought you may like this description of the Magnola camera 
which I found at the following URL:

http://www.meopta.cz/cgi-bin/meopta/history.pl?cameras

Technical, metal camera for picture size 13x18 cm.
Lens: Belar 4.5/210. Shutter: central, pneumatic Compound with exposures 
1-1/100 and time shutters. Focusing: focusing screen, displaceable and 
versatily tippingable frame of focusing screen. Tilting base for 
pretentious photographic works. Three levels for accurate setting. Year of 
production: 1949/1953.


Priceless translation ;-)  Wonder how many photographers risked being 
pretentious and using the tilting base :-)


All the best,
                 Clive   http://www.f32.net
                         Large Format Travel and Stock Photography