News — studio equipment

Metallic Replacement Silver Recovery Units. MRUs use a chemical process to recover the silver in the fixer solution. This process involves the use of canisters ranging in sizes from 5 to 20 gal containing either steel wool or wound screen. These units do not need a power source and are only connected with hose attachments. There is a bypass tube that is connected at the top of the cartridge, which allows the fixer solution to go directly to the drain instead of through the cartridge if the cartridge becomes plugged. These systems are extremely efficient, with recovery of silver up...

The lens is the most important piece of equipment one needs to purchase, even more so than the camera. Typically the better quality the lens, the better quality the final image. Without doubt the beginning photographer has browsed every online forum that could be found, and kicked-tires on EBay looking for the coveted Dallmeyer, Darlot or Voigtlander, and observed prices that  are worthy of a holiday in the tropics. It would seem the shinier the brass, the higher the cost. a Darlot petzval lens from 1862  You have also seen words attached to those lenses that seem a foreign language:...

Living quite a distance removed from the North American major population centres is a mixed blessing.  It also comes with challenges, such as accessing goods and services required for making wet plates. With that in mind I set out to design a head brace that was not only functional, but would also be light enough to not require a second mortgage in shipping costs.     Our head brace went through several versions before I was finally happy with the product. It is a head brace I have tested and use in my studio. The first realization was that if...