11x14

[DrPablo]

Has anyone published, or made available design plans for building an 11x14 camera? I've looked around, but haven't found anything written or described in that size except anecdotally. And I can't even find an 11x14 in real life to go take measurements from.

 

[Curt]

At one time I was going to build an 11X14 camera. I still have a bellows, two holders, ground glass SN, lenses to cover etc. I never found any plans but I would say that if a person is absolutely dedicated they could start with the back and work from there. The holder and back, then everything else scaled for the optics.

 

[DrPablo]

I suppose that's true. Without much experience at this sort of thing, though, it would be very nice to be validated by some sort of plan, lest I spend a lot of time inhaling sawdust for naught

 

[Curt]

How detailed would the plans have to be? I prefer "complete" plans myself but having build a 4X5 field camera of cherry and brass mostly by hand with only a small table saw and a small drill press with files and hand tools at the time, 25 years ago, I have more confidence and improved skills. Now I have a shop full of cabinet grade tools but still think it all comes down to a good craftsmanship. I made a folding field camera like the clamshell designs without having seen one except in photographs. I used the technique of comparing measurements to a known dimension. Once I had the rear "box" and the spring back made all that was left was a base, front standard and the hardware. The wood, brass, and fasteners were all from a local hobby shop. I made the tapered bellows from an article in some magazine. It works great. The first one takes longer then you get the bugs if any worked out and from then on out you make the design to your own preferences.

Sorry for the ramble, it's just my opinion of course, I do have good wood working skills and metal working skills and the equipment to make it happen. I have mechanical and design skills too. In the end it was my desire to have a piece of equipment that at the time was too expensive to own so I made one myself.

 

[DrPablo]

I think a good start would be the measurements of each major component. The rear standard and the camera base are the part that would intimidate me the most. I can probably figure some of it out -- I mean if I want to shoot in either vertical or horizontal orientation, then the rear attachment for the bellows would need to be greater than 14x14. But I'm sure these measurements and knowledge is out there. I also don't know things like how I'd attach the bellows, the spring back and film loader, and how the lens boards would interface with the front standard. Designing in front and rear movements doesn't seem so hard, though making detents to zero the standards is a different story.

I'd make it from wood, and I'd probably choose a sort of folding camera design with a tracked base, and that allowed vertical or horizontal positioning of the back.

I've got minimal woodworking skills, but I have some friends who are very good at it, so I could run the procedural stuff by them.

 

[argus]

Paul,

you only need 2 dimensions:
- filmholder
- lensboards

Ther rest of your camera can be built around those. I made my first 4x5 without seeing one in real life before... My story is similar to Curt's.

For the most varied designs of homebuilt cameras, look at Jons list: Dead Link Removed

Greetings,
G

 

[pandino]

DrPablo,
These are really very simple contraptions. As noted, the most important things to consider are the filmholder size and preferred lensboard type. I would also add the focusing mechanism. The rest can pretty much be tailored to your skill and/or requirements.

If you have a good set or pictures and some reference dimensions, you can extrapolate most of what you need to make an approximate copy.

I have some pics of my B&J model here and can take down a few key dimensions for you if needed. It's pretty elementary in design.

 

[DrPablo]

Thanks, all,

It's reassuring to know how basic these things are. I mean, I should know from the 4x5s I've used. I just don't want it to look like my elementary school pottery projects, and I don't want to put in a lot of effort for some fatal flaw.

 

[Curt]

Paul, it's hard to have an unrepairable fatal flaw. For simplicity sake a view camera is real just a lens and a film holder. Everything in between depends on you and what your requirements are. If you don't need any movements then it is a box or two "standards" with a bellows in between. If you require movements then a movable "board" with pivot points are used. For 11X14 you can keep it fairly simple. Front rise/fall, Rear tilt, swing etc.. Focus by slide or rack and pinion or friction like on the Calumet 4X5 models. Use can use a rod or two rods or a rail. Again it's your choice. Make some sketches to get a design that you think will work for you. Make a folder in your Favorites and put pictures and sources for parts. The first one would be McMaster Carr. You can get fasteners, rack and pinions, rods, shafts and linear bearings which can be an option. Good luck, Curt

http://www.mcmaster.com/

 

[phfitz]

DrPablo,

Try this link for a visual of an 11X14:

11x14 Deardorff

For proper portrait lenses you would need approx 6 feet of bellow extention.

Have fun with it.

 

[smieglitz]

The only thing to really worry about with such a project is getting the film plane of the holder aligned properly with the ground glass surface (i.e., the "t" distance). That is critical. The other mechanics are subject to your design preferences.

You need the ANSI standard for film holders of the double lock-rib type ANSI PH3.108-1988.

Here's the info:
http://home.earthlink.net/~eahoo/page8/filmhold.html

Build the camera around the film holder. What sorts of things do you want to do with it? I have an 11x14 Burke and James because it takes 9"x9" lensboards and can hold large Portrait lenses, I don't need most movements for that and so the camera could actually be less complicated (and thus lighter weight). I sold a ROC 11x14 last year that was lightweight and much more portable than the B&J, but it had a small front standard and lensboards and required short focal length lenses due to a limited bellows extension. That would have been great for distant landscape work but not for portraiture. So trade-offs are in order with any design.

Good luck with the project. 11x14 is a nice format.

Joe

 

[barryjyoung]

I still sell a set of plans for an 8x10 camera that you could modify to 11x14.

Barry Young
Young Camera Company