Building a 4x5 camera for portraits

salvatori · Nov 9, 2017

Shooter of many years here. Thanks for having me

I've always shot 35mm or 645 and have never shot large format. I'm interested in shooting 4x5 for studio portraits. I want to build a camera for this - my main interest in LF is simply to have a larger negative to work with. I only shoot b/w.

For this first foray into LF, I want to build as simple a camera as possible. I've been reading about the unique features of LF (tilts, etc) but want to do something more straightforward for my first attempts. I'm thinking of something like a pinhole camera with a hole drilled and a traditional lens installed. I understand that I won't have a viewfinder or the ability to focus, but I think some trial and error will work to establish how much DOF I have and I can meter exposure separately.

I should say that these are 'art' portraits, meaning that I'm not looking to do them for clients, so a bit more experimenting is fine with me.

All ideas are welcome

hsandler · Nov 9, 2017

Welcome to the forum. You will need to focus on a ground glass if it's anything but a pinhole camera. A good portrait lens for 4x5 is 210mm or more. Depth of field is typically an inch or so at f16. You should look for an inexpensive used view camera or a speed/crown graphic.

jim10219 · Nov 9, 2017

The most simple way to do it would be a light tight, cardboard box. Tape the film to one end, poke a pinhole in the other. It may be a good idea to make a large hole and use a piece of metal for the pinhole, as the cardboard won't likely punch cleanly. Then just load and unload in a darkroom, or changing bag. Use a piece of black electrical tape for your shutter.

Next, you could try a lens and shutter in a cardboard box. Use two boxes, that fit snuggly into one another for the bellows. Tape the negative just like before to one end, and mount the lens and shutter through a hole on the opposite end. Measure the distance between the two box ends and focus the camera using some math. You could even mark distance scales on the boxes.

Beyond that, making bellows is pretty difficult, as is making a film holder or a spring back to hold the film holder in place. Unless you're doing an odd size or just want to build something, I'd suggest looking for a used 4x5 monorail. That would likely be cheaper than the raw materials needed to build one yourself.

Alan Gales · Nov 9, 2017

You can pick up a nice Cambo, Calumet or Toyo monorail for less than $200. I've actually seen older monorails sell for as little as $50 on Ebay. You don't have to use movements if you don't want to.

I see you shoot 35mm. You probably own a 50mm and an 85mm to 100mm lens for portraits. For 4x5 you could pick up a 150mm and a 240 to 300mm lens to do the same.

salvatori · Nov 9, 2017

I guess I should have clarified some things in my initial post. I actually like building stuff, and I'm a dedicated minimalist in most all ways. The idea of doing something really basic, myself, is part of the idea behind this 'project'.

Thanks to all for your thoughts, I really didn't want to buy an existing camera. I should also mention that I used to shoot with an old movie film camera and learned the DOF by using a measuring tape to measure camera to subject distance, trial and error, that kind of thing. I really just want to set the camera up, and after doing some test rolls for focus distance, know that I'm good to go.

Richard Man · Nov 9, 2017

If you like building stuff, build a monorail as it will be more precise than a field camera design. For portraits, you do not need movement, so literally just two standards, bellow, lenboard holder and film-holder / ground glass holder.

ced · Nov 9, 2017

Check out many on Ytube you may be inspired and or see the pitfalls, depends on your supply of tools and skills in woodwork.
Sometimes you can build a hybrid with the use of some old folder types like Linhof and others that copied Linhof, using the rail, the movements and add bigger wooden sections around it.
Here is an example I had a bash at, along with an image taken with it, had lots of fun doing that (sorry to take one to another site to see).
http://objectif-rixensart.skynetblogs.be/archive/2015/10/11/la-lasne-8512010.html#more

Alan Gales · Nov 9, 2017

I own a Wehman 8x10. I've got a 4x5 reduction back for it. Bruce Wehman took a Sinar back from a Sinar monorail camera and attached it to a custom back to fit the 8x10. If you find the camera back too difficult to make then you could do something like that. I would make the front of the camera so that it could take Technika style lens boards which are small and easy to find.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 9, 2017

If you have some basic woodworking experience, you could buy a 210 or 240 lens and construct a flatbed telescoping-box type camera. A simple back to accept a focussing screen as well as a standard 4x5 filmholders would be most practical. Very strong plywood, dimensionably stable, from 2mm and up in thickness is available from aircraft material suppliers.

Rick A · Nov 9, 2017

If your intentions are to build one for portrait work, make sure to have extra bellows length so you can use longer lenses in close conditions.

Eric Rose · Nov 9, 2017

Sounds like fun! Keep us updated with photos etc. I will be very interested in what you come up with.

BrianShaw · Nov 9, 2017

I won’t repeat what Alan Gales said in post 4...

But if you build a camera, build a 4x5 TLR!

John Koehrer · Nov 9, 2017

The sliding box camera that E. Van Hough suggested would be easiest and with the front box in different
lengths it could accommodate any focal length you would ever want to use.

Rather than building a complicated back take a look at some of the commercially
made pinhole cameras.

ciniframe · Nov 13, 2017

Sorry so late to the party, just saw this thread. You mentioned minimalist, and that made me think of plus diopter close up lenses. That is what I use on my 'minimalist' 4X5 cameras. I happen to have a series 6, plus five diopter, or 200mm lens that I've adapted to 4X5 use. However those are hard to find. A more likely solution would be to look for a older close up set with a +1, +2, +3 diopter and then combine the +3 and +2 to get +5 strength, 49mm filter thread size sounds about right. I'd use black mounting board for a lens board, cut a hole with a razor knife, push the lens stack through the hole and use the +1 diopter ring, with the glass removed to retain the lenses. This lens board is attached to the front of your sliding box camera. you will have to stop down the lens or the image will be really wonky. Use black construction paper for that, it can be placed between the two lenses. A 1/2 inch hole will be about f16 and a 3/8 in hole will be about f22. You will have to use a lens cap as a shutter for exposures that in room light will still be really short, like 1 to 6 seconds on ISO 100 film at f22. Have you thought how you will develop this film? For B&W DIY is really the way to go. Personally I use photo paper as a negative. If you do that you will have to deal with two main problems, ISO speeds of 6~12 and hard to control high contrast. The benefit of paper is handling under safelight and it's cheap to shoot and the equipment to process it is simple and easy to obtain.
Just a few ideas.

removed account4 · Nov 13, 2017

i like building stuff too
making cameras is a lot of fun
good luck with your project !

EdSawyer · Nov 13, 2017

Look up a Cambo Maxiportrait. It's about the simplest portrait camera, and also one of the best. Not too easy to find, but lightweight, portable, and does exactly what you would want.

bdial · Nov 13, 2017

Another to look at might be the Hobo, they were entirely made of wood, intended to be a simple, no focus, hand-held large format camera.

Building a 4x5 camera for portraits

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