I am using a 20”/24” ( 50cm/60cm ) German plate camera made around the turn of the last century ( 1900 ) mounted with its original GOERZ lens. ( DOPP � Anastigmat serie III Dagor F 480mm 1:7,7 C.P. GOERZ BERLIN ). For my close up work I also use a 135mm Rodenstock enlarging lens 1:5,6.

Either negatives or positives images can be produced on the glass plate. In this process each sensitive plates is prepared by the user immediately before it is required by coating a sheet of glass with a layer of collodion ( guncotton dissolved in ether and alcohol ) containing a suitable mixture of bromides and iodides. As soon as the collodion is set, the plate is immersed in a solution of silver nitrate, and by interaction between the silver nitrate and the ammonium and cadmium bromides and iodides there are formed in the collodion film silver bromide and silver iodide, whilst the ammonium and cadmium nitrates remain in the solution in the excess of the “silver bath”. After draining, the plate is exposed in the camera and taken to the darkroom. The image is latent and can be rendered visible only by the process of development. A solution of ferrous sulphate is poured onto the plate to reduce to the metallic state the silver of the silver nitrate impregnated in the film. After rinsing, the plate is immersed in sodium thiosulphate, the fixing solution. Once dried, it is varnished and... “Oh well let’ s do it again, looks no good at all, I should have kept the FP4, at least I would recognize the subject on the negative...”

“The Wet Collodion process isn’t “THE” answer but it simply is my favorite tool”