6 X 12 panoramic film camera?

rrunnertexas · Aug 27, 2015

Does anyone use a camera like this - 6X12 format?

I see that Holga offers an inexpensive camera that shoots 6X12, however, the images are certainly soft. I was hoping for something nicer than that.

Is there another camera that does not cost big money that can do this? Or, a very simple way to make one? Wooden body type usually means pinhole?

Thanks,
David

John Koehrer · Aug 27, 2015

I've got the Holga and have been thinking about putting a real lens on it. Sounds like another project I'll start & get frustrated with...

Meanwhile back at the ranch...............B&H has the Dayi 6X12 at about $1k without a lens but with a mount for 75mm.

xya · Aug 27, 2015

I use one which is quite good, a cambo 4x5 inch with a 6x12 back, but even second hand it costs some $$. any 4x5 camera could do that, there are quite inexpensive ones on the market. look for one with a standard back. and there are cheap chinese 6x12 backs for 4x5 inch which will do their job after chasing some light leaks. not comfortable with their red window, but they do work. I tried the lomo belair, not that cheap, as a 6x12 it wasn't as good as I hoped (but it does a nice job with the instant back). be patient and have a look at the auction sites, there are bargains to find. good luck!

4season · Aug 27, 2015

rrunnertexas said:
I see that Holga offers an inexpensive camera that shoots 6X12

I scored a deal on a Noblex 6/150 which is plenty sharp, but mine was a fixer-upper special and while it can be used handheld, it's a beast.

Colin Corneau · Aug 27, 2015

Cheapest option may be to find a decent 6x12 back to fit onto a 4x5 camera.

Newt_on_Swings · Aug 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
Cheapest option may be to find a decent 6x12 back to fit onto a 4x5 camera.

I don't I have seen any cheap backs in that size haha

Tim Boehm · Aug 28, 2015

I don't know what you can afford, but I use
http://www.badgergraphic.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=2_82_177&product_id=122
on my Toyo 45AII. works well

trythis · Aug 28, 2015

Kodak 2c
http://www.brownie-camera.com/57.shtml

Designed for 130 film but with only adding spacers on the ends of 120 spools it shoots 6x12! I did not bother with making narrower film channels. It seems flat enough. I then calculated handle turns by sacrificing a bad roll of 120 and wrote that down on paper taped to the side since the counter window is in useless.

https://flic.kr/p/xSkPvG

This was printed 12 x 24 and came out very sharp to my eyes. You can see the rust texture on the rivets with the full resolution image I dont have a dark room yet and confess this is a scan.

Expired fp4 with an orange or red filter.

Sent with typotalk

xya · Aug 28, 2015

Newt_on_Swings said:
I don't I have seen any cheap backs in that size haha

Tim Boehm said:
I don't know what you can afford, but I use
http://www.badgergraphic.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=2_82_177&product_id=122
on my Toyo 45AII. works well

the first batch of these had some manageable light leak problems. found one on the bay for 150$.

Meyer Trioplan · Aug 28, 2015

You can also buy adapters that will let you shoot 6x14 format in a 122 format Kodak Autographic 3A camera. It won't cost big $$$.

Mark MacKenzie · Aug 28, 2015

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

Mark MacKenzie · Aug 28, 2015

Holgalon.

Dan Fromm · Aug 28, 2015

xya said:
I use one which is quite good, a cambo 4x5 inch with a 6x12 back, but even second hand it costs some $$. any 4x5 camera could do that, there are quite inexpensive ones on the market. look for one with a standard back. and there are cheap chinese 6x12 backs for 4x5 inch which will do their job after chasing some light leaks. not comfortable with their red window, but they do work. I tried the lomo belair, not that cheap, as a 6x12 it wasn't as good as I hoped (but it does a nice job with the instant back). be patient and have a look at the auction sites, there are bargains to find. good luck!

Yup. I got my SC for $125, paid roughly four times as much for a fixed format 6x12 Sinar roll holder. Cameras cheap, roll holders not.

250swb · Aug 29, 2015

Making a Holgagon ( a 6x12 Holga with a 90mm Angulon and Copal shutter) is an easy and effective way to shoot 6x12. The camera ends up being very light with no downsides on image quality if used with some common sense to overcome the minor Holga traits of potential light leaks. Richard Ward has made this .pdf showing the parts needed and the work involved.

http://freepdfhosting.com/b316cbe2ff.pdf

Steve

Xmas · Aug 29, 2015

More than one way of ...

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-85548.html

David Brown · Aug 29, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
Cheapest option may be to find a decent 6x12 back to fit onto a 4x5 camera.

Would it be cheaper (depending on film costs) just to shoot 4x5 and crop?

All joking aside, I was considering an Xpan with a 45mm lens until I realized that I already had a 50mm lens for the 6x7 and if I just cropped the negative the field of view was almost the same. And close enough to not spend the money on another camera. YMMV

Dan Fromm · Aug 29, 2015

250swb said:
Making a Holgagon ( a 6x12 Holga with a 90mm Angulon and Copal shutter) is an easy and effective way to shoot 6x12.

Indeed it does, if you want to use just the one lens.

MattKing · Aug 29, 2015

There are a couple of pinhole cameras ....

farmersteve · Aug 30, 2015

Holgagon - I'm acquiring the parts now to do a build. There seems to be a run on Super Angulon lenses right now with the Travelwide coming out

devaljoshi · Aug 30, 2015

Depends on how much you shoot and how you intend to print or display your images. The original investment for a back isn't that expensive on 4x5. 120 is definitely more versatile that a sheet holder(you can use a split Darkslide). You lose the flexibility of weight and portability if you don't use a dedicated pano camera. I've never shot a pano handheld and I don't think I'd ever want to. But then again I'm a large format guy and have no interest in run and gun photography. Look on eBay and you will see some Chinese made cameras that use lf lenses. Nice thing is you use large format lenses which afford a nice image circle.

If you are only shooting bw and you make wetprints, (and you already have a 4x5 enlarger carrier) then it makes sense to use sheet film and mask it off.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

250swb · Aug 30, 2015

Dan Fromm said:
Indeed it does, if you want to use just the one lens.

You think of a 6x12 as a multi lens format? I think given the inherent constraints of lens coverage and portability you have a unique conundrum that requires some give and take. For instance it is the ability to 'see' in the format (6x12) that most people appreciate, not that you can avoid walking closer, or further away, by putting on a different lens.

Steve

Dan Fromm · Aug 30, 2015

250swb said:
You think of a 6x12 as a multi lens format? I think given the inherent constraints of lens coverage and portability you have a unique conundrum that requires some give and take. For instance it is the ability to 'see' in the format (6x12) that most people appreciate, not that you can avoid walking closer, or further away, by putting on a different lens.

Steve

Absolutely. The concept of a fixed lens format is alien to me. I'm familiar with fixed lens cameras but there are interchangeable lens cameras for nearly every format I'm acquainted with. The exceptions that I'm aware of are subminiature formats. If you know of others, please tell us about them.

There's no reason why 6x12 should be limited to a particular focal length or, if you will, horizontal angle covered. All it needs is a lens that covers the format. Its true that the shortest (as far as I know) lens that covers the format, the 35/4.5 Apo Grandagon, is larger and heavier than my smallest lightest 90 (90/6.8 Beryl in #00 Prontor Press) and that the longest lens I have that can be used on my 6x12 rig is a gross monstrosity. But that's no reason to use only a 90 or, for that matter, only a lens normal for the format (125 mm, there are many smallish lightish 127s that will cover).

I think you're making a virtue out of a constraint that isn't binding.

Cheers,

Dan

rrunnertexas · Aug 31, 2015

Thank you for all the great ideas! Apparently there are more ways to get this wide format that I imagined.

The post regarding using an older camera, maybe a Kodak folder with an obsolete large film size, sounds nice. Using a film adapter to allow 120 roll film to be used would be simple and give the desired result.

This is a great forum and with a lot a help - great members!

David

Meyer Trioplan · Sep 1, 2015

David,

I elected to do the obsolete camera format method and had relative success. I do look forward to doing more with this method as it is quite a bit of fun. Here is an article I wrote up with some samples:

http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2015/05/an-autographic-experiment-part-2.html

6 X 12 panoramic film camera?

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