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DIY Camera

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 22:45:11 No.2978057 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>2978494 >>2978511 >>2978599 >>2982305

Do any of you build cameras?

I'm currently prototyping a handheld 4x5. I've got a 90mm lens that covers 4x5. The lens is attached to a m42 focusing helicoid, but it looks like the helicoid is giving me some vignetting.

Do you know of any sources of helicoids that have a larger diameter than the m42 helicoids but aren't super expensive?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 002702-sm.jpg, 485KiB, 999x799

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 22:45:42 No.2978058 Report

Quoted By:

[2/3]

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO camera-test-sm.jpg, 780KiB, 999x799

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 22:46:48 No.2978060 Report

Quoted By:

[3/3]

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 23:07:19 No.2978081 Report

Quoted By: >>2978099

Cool, how hard/expensive is it?

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 23:26:07 No.2978099 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978081
The planning is the hard part of this kind of build. I'm going to probably put some plans together when I'm done. The lens is maybe $40, helicoids for m42 maybe $20. Everything else, at least for the prototype is black foamcore and electrical tape.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Dec 2016 23:55:36 No.2978120 Report

Quoted By: >>2978486

Have you considered building bellows into your next one? How would a different helicoid reduce vignetting? Are you sure the lens covers 4x5 at infinity?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO polaroid.jpg, 243KiB, 1000x834

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 03:53:36 No.2978228 Report

Quoted By:

I love DIY cameras. I'm still working on this Polaroid Pathfinder 110A/B that I converted to shoot Instax. I'm trying to resist the urge to pick up another one to put a graflok 4x5 back on. Handheld 4x5 anyone?

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 03:59:20 No.2978231 Report

Quoted By: >>2978489

building a sophisticated bellows system seems like a pain in the ass
I mean your cardboard box is neat and all but i'd really want something to scheimpflug with if I was gonna spend money on 4x5 film

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 10:48:03 No.2978408 Report

Quoted By: >>2978491

I haven't but I'm thinking of building an ultrawide MF camera (so I can just use an external finder & scale focus) using 3D printing and shutter/light meter using an Arduino. We'll see.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:01:48 No.2978486 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978120
I don't want to use a bellows because I want the camera to be as easy to build as possible. Bellows means rack and pinion etc.

Yes the lens covers 4x5 at infinity. It's a pretty standard Schneider-Kreuznach Angulon 90mm f6.8.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:03:39 No.2978489 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978231
The final version will be built out of laser-cut-plywood.

Shrug, 4x5 isn't that expensive because I end up shooting a lot fewer frames of it.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:05:01 No.2978491 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978408
I have thought about building MF cameras, but building film transports and a pressure plate is just more of a pain in the ass than dealing with 4x5. With 4x5 you just stick the film to the back of the camera.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:07:10 No.2978494 Report

Quoted By: >>2978497

>>2978057
>building a film camera
even a hobo can do that.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:08:54 No.2978497 Report

Quoted By: >>2978503 >>2978505 >>2978511

>>2978494
I'd love to see some hobo-cameras.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO miroslav_tichy.jpg, 356KiB, 460x686

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:15:48 No.2978503 Report

Quoted By: >>2978505

>>2978497
Ask and you shall receive

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO miroslav_tichy2.jpg, 187KiB, 710x410

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:16:56 No.2978505 Report

Quoted By: >>2978535 >>2978537

>>2978497
>>2978503

grant

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO Front_view_5in.jpg, 17KiB, 307x256

grant Tue 06 Dec 2016 15:22:28 No.2978511 Report

Quoted By: >>2978552

>>2978497
Bostick and Sullivan used to sell one called "The Hobo". Some kook took it to the next level with 11x14
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cameras/hand-held-11x14.html

>>2978057
try to get a medium format helicoid, should have more room for image circle projection. If you're willing to sacrifice a 4x5 holder, cut one up and make a ground glass viewer out of tracing paper. Try to get the lens to sit at infinity at the top of your cone and use the helicoid to focus nearer than that (looks like you did but just in case). I would add a bubble level (http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/86444551?mkwid=txg6YEZy&cid=PLA-Google-PLA+-+Test&gclid=CPnZ37Tv39ACFZWCswodpZ8BNA) would do the trick. just glue them on.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 16:21:25 No.2978535 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978505
His photos are surprisingly nice. One of the articles said that he ground his own lenses. That's totally insane.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO H1007-L83545564.jpg, 141KiB, 750x500

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 16:23:45 No.2978537 Report

Quoted By: >>2978543 >>2982304

>>2978505
it should be noted that this guy wasnt your regular hobo. the guy went to art school

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 16:35:23 No.2978543 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978537
Not really worth noting, I guarantee a lot of hobos went to school and got a degree.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 16:54:24 No.2978552 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978511
Yeah I need to find a medium format helicoid. I've already cut up a film holder for doing tintypes, for this camera I've been using it as a makeshift ground glass.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 18:12:28 No.2978599 Report

Quoted By: >>2978642 >>2980301

>>2978057
I was thinking about building a legit 4x5 camera but I looked for information online and found almost nothing about building a camera

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 20:12:07 No.2978642 Report

Quoted By: >>2978709

>>2978599
There's a bunch of information out there. You might start here: https://jongrepstad.com/building-a-large-format-camera/camera-builders/

I've built a couple of 4x5 cameras at this point. Ask some questions if you have any.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 06 Dec 2016 22:05:50 No.2978709 Report

Quoted By: >>2980301

>>2978642
thanks anon, you're one of the only helpful people I've met on /p/

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Dec 2016 11:52:20 No.2979037 Report

Quoted By: >>2979085

Sort of. Built one out of a flatbed scanner ... just tossed it in the trash an hour ago. It was sitting around for a few years and had a good layer of dust on it, enough that you could probably just peel it off like a sheet of felt. Always wanted to revisit the thing, but figured I should just rebuild when that time comes.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Dec 2016 14:42:34 No.2979085 Report

Quoted By: >>2980284

>>2979037
I built a flatbed scanner camera years back. Got some interesting photos, but man it was a lot of work to make it happen in the field.

I've been lusting after a Better Light back for years.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 09 Dec 2016 11:12:50 No.2980284 Report

Quoted By:

>>2979085
Tried taking mine out to the park once, cumbersome even hooked up to my netbook. But it was too damn bright and I was trying to shoot things too far away. Up to then I had only shot things indoors.

One thing I always wanted to do was when the local cosplayers do some steampunk shoot. It would've been a weirdly fitting camera to try and shoot it with.

If I build another one, I'm thinking I can run it from a tablet computer to make things more portable.
>but why not just use the tablet's camera
yeah, stfu

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 09 Dec 2016 12:02:12 No.2980301 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978599
literally google the words "4x5 diy"

>>2978709
if you want people to help you out, stop asking stupid questions

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 9fff81e5-e2d0-4320-9b4d-4c4b9eaa (...).jpg, 200KiB, 768x1024

Anonymous Tue 13 Dec 2016 07:25:36 No.2982279 Report

Quoted By: >>2982302 >>2982305

built myself an 8x10 ill eventuality start rebuilding it to be lighter and easier to focus. im shooting xray film and almost doing successful carbon prints.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 13 Dec 2016 09:22:00 No.2982302 Report

Quoted By: >>2982305 >>2982313

>>2982279
That's cool and all, but what part of building it yourself with floorboards and brand spanking bellows was cheaper/easier/more usable than just buying a used one that started life as an actual camera?

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 13 Dec 2016 09:25:58 No.2982304 Report

Quoted By:

>>2978537
>the guy went to art school
Sounds like the average hobo to me
Also he mostly covered a normal camera with strings and junk to look like shit as a disguise

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 13 Dec 2016 09:31:34 No.2982305 Report

Quoted By:

>>2982279
>>2982302
>>2978057
Nice! The LF community is very small here but it actually produced a DIY camera maker who managed to go worldwide. Look up Argentum Cameras (especially take a look at the portable camera obscura)
I say take good pride in your works and try doing it as precise as you can, there is definitely enough need worldwide to get it out of the shed even as just a hobby.

Anonymous

Anonymous Tue 13 Dec 2016 10:04:58 No.2982313 Report

Quoted By:

>>2982302
excluding the lens and film holders the camera probably cost less than $150 to build. the bellows were used, i think they were like $80. finding a 8x10 in Australia for that price is not going to happen... cheaper cameras from overseas arent worth it because of postage being more expensive than the actual camera and ehh it works and i built is so thats good enough for me

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