Newbie to Dag

[Bingtan]

Hi everyone,

My name is Bing Tan from the Philippines and have recently caught the Dag Bug…Just finding myself in a place where Dag is almost non-existent and having a tough time trying to get the right equipment for Dag making. I am a 5×7 and 8×10 shooter…

I was initially intending to make quarter plates and/or half plates to make the size manageable…I guess my choice would depend if and where I can find the right equipment.

1) I’ve tried looking around and have had a tough time looking for a mercury pot and fuming boxes..Had contact with a few of the members and unfortunately they don’t make equipment anymore Any lead would be helpful…

2) Could anyone lead me to some online info on doing a DIY plate film holder or would I be better off having if professionally modified?

3) Would there be any chance in ruining a large format camera that I currently own for film shooting if I were to use it for dag or would it better advice to use a separate camera for the process?

[newone2010]

Hi Bing Tan,

Please look over Cdags.org.You can find all the useful info you want.Making equipments is not too difficult.Just get a try and then change them better.

Good Luck,

Li

[Bingtan]

Thank you Li, I have been reading a lot of your posts among others…congratulations on getting started. Where in China are you? I was in Beijing last May…

[Andy Stockton]

Hi Bing Tan – Best of luck on getting underway. Equipment and supplies are a challenge for everyone. Most of us combine producing our own, contracting it out, and the occasional luck in buying something used.

Don’t worry about modifying your existing cameras to take dags. As long as you stick to modifying film holders, your camera will still be able to use film or whatever it handled before. Many people start with Becquerel Dags because finding or making a mercury pot is a steep challenge. Using small plates at the beginning is definitely easier.

[newone2010]

I had been in Beijing for more than 5 years until 2010.Now I am in Chongqing.southwest of China.I got many helps here.I think all the posts of mine here will help other beginers.As Andy said,Try becquerel dags first,thought I tried mercury process fist. I failed many times beacause of the difficult of the Hg process.I think becquerel process will be easier and it will help you understand how to prepare cooper,silver plating,exposure,fixing,etc.

Good luck

[Bingtan]

thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. I’ve been able to contact Takashi Arai and am now considering of purchasing stuff from him…the whole process is abit overwhelming, the whole process seems to be a lot more alchemy than photography but I am loving every minute of it…I will need to ensure safety first.

I am currently going to try my luck with small ones first, following Takashi’s 6×6 plates…I just won a few plate adapters on ebay for a Hassy..but I don’t have a Hassy .

I remembered as a kid, I used to polish coins to a fine mirror like texture taking out whatever embossed figure it had and I remembered it being a big pain…I hope 20 years after (at 33), I would still have the patience for this…

[70’s Dager]

Ok, you don’t have to own a Hassy to use the Hassy cut film adapter and cut film holders. But first let me correct you as to the size of the plate to fit the Hassy film holder; it is 2 1/2″ square, not 2 1/4″ square; I own the Hassy system and have made Dags with it. I rebuilt a Rilex 6X9cm camera to the Hassy basic film back, with a 75mm F1.9 lens.

But you can also use one of the Russian 6X6 Hassy copies to use the same film holders; these parts are interchangeable; and will fit the Kiev just fine.

You can check out my Rilex conversion posted here with Cdags.org.

Walter Johnson

Please check my web-page; http://www.walterisphotography.com; for many stories on and about Daguerreotypes and makers.

[newone2010]

Wow,Walter,your website is wonderful.I can find many interesting info from it.

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