Difference between revisions of "Tailboard camera"

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'''Tailboard camera''' is a common term for a [[view camera]] with [[bellows]] and rear focusing. That means that focusing with such a camera is carried out by adjusting the [[ground glass back]]'s position forward or backward until the image on the matte screen is sharp.
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A '''tailboard camera''' is a [[view camera]] with [[bellows]] and '''rear focusing''': such a camera is focused by sliding (or racking) the rear standard forward and backward on the base, until the image on the [[ground glass]] screen is sharp.
  
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The ''cat tail theory'' says that a cat holds its tail upright or horizontally behind itself. That would mean that the term tailboard camera originally meant a kind of rear focusing [[field camera]] like the one that was marketed as [[Reisekamera]]. This camera type has a hinged baseboard which completely covers the back of the folded camera (tailboard upright) and is the base on which the camera back is moved to unfold the bellows and to focus with the matte screen (tailboard in horizontal working position). That definition would make the tailboard camera the ideal counterpart of the [[folding bed camera]].
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The term is used to refer to both folding cameras (also called [[Reisekamera]] in German) with a hinged baseboard which completely covers the back of the folded camera (tailboard upright) and is the base on which the camera back is moved to unfold the bellows and to focus with the matte screen (tailboard in horizontal working position), and non-folding cameras like that illustrated here.  
  
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But the fact is that the term tailboard camera is also used for rear focusing view cameras which simply have a frame as base instead of a board. Does the term tailboard mean the opposite side of the lens board? Does it mean the frame that alternately holds plate holder or focusing screen? That would be another theory. Probably the cat tail theory is true, but the classic camera experts haven't found a better term than ''tailboard camera'' for briefly naming all old wooden rear focusing bellows view cameras.
 
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Thus three main kinds of tailboard cameras can be distinguished: The ones with a hinged baseboard that has the same width as the camera (see [[Reisekamera]]), the ones with a narrow baseboard, and the ones with a baseframe.
 
  
 
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[[Category: Camera architecture]]
 
[[Category: Camera architecture]]

Revision as of 16:37, 30 August 2012

4870161849_6a27a28453.jpg
Marion & Company full plate tailboard camera
image by Peter Bliss (Image rights)

A tailboard camera is a view camera with bellows and rear focusing: such a camera is focused by sliding (or racking) the rear standard forward and backward on the base, until the image on the ground glass screen is sharp.

The term is used to refer to both folding cameras (also called Reisekamera in German) with a hinged baseboard which completely covers the back of the folded camera (tailboard upright) and is the base on which the camera back is moved to unfold the bellows and to focus with the matte screen (tailboard in horizontal working position), and non-folding cameras like that illustrated here.



Glossary Terms
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