Building a polaroid

Hello all,

I've never built a camera before (other then a pinhole shoebox), but I would really like to try and build a camera that can shoot the Fuji FP series of film. I honestly have no clue how to go about this! I do have access to a host of tools in my university's sculpture studio. I have a working graflex 101mm optar f/4.5 lens, I believe these were originally for the 2x3 graphlex cameras. I would like to use this lens if possible, but, if image coverage would be a problem I have a wollensack optar off of a graphlex 4x5.

What I need in the finished camera:
1) A viewfinder/rangefinder with which to focus and frame the image.
2) Some sort of speedgrip or someway to trigger the shutter other than the release on the actual lens.

What would make this camera amazing:
3) An interchangeable back so I can shoot 120.
4) GG focusing option.
5) View camera-esque movements that I can lock down for handheld shooting.

With this being the first large building project I'm undertaking I would like to take the simplest way. Being a college student I would also like to take the most economical route.

I have a Polaroid back which we had at work. It was part of an Olympus microscope system. It takes the standard pack film (i.e. Fuji FP) and has a dark slide so you could remove it and put a ground glass on for focusing.

If you want it, you can have it for the cost of postage.

Same as this: http://www.recycledgoods.com/zoom_39257_6.jpg.ashx



Steve.

Thanks Steve, that would be fantastic! I will PM you now.