Large format cameras for wet plate collodion are all handmade and custom. Typically a wet plate photographer will have a camera that can be fitted with various backs to create different sizes of photographs. For example, we use a Primer camera that has a maximum size of 12×12 inches. We have made various “inserts” that allow us to make smaller wet plate images – 8×10, 10×12, 5×6 and 4×5 are our most used. We recently 3D printed a holder for 6 inch round images. We will cut glass to 6 inch circles – at least that is the plan!

Here is a video of the 3 hour print of the 6 inch holder. The outside is 8×10 inches and it will fit in a previously made 8×10 holder. The print was with PETG which is a polymer resistant to the wet plate chemicals.

We’ll follow up with a post on cutting the round glass and also our first Ambrotype images

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