Building my own camera as alternative???

marciofs · Aug 2, 2017

Hi,

I was wondering why bellows with monorail cameras are so expensive? They look so basic...

So I am curious if anyone here have built their own camera. I was think about buying a bellow, ask a carpenter to make the ends where I can attach lenses and a 120 film magazine, and a monorail for it.
Than I could have a 6x9 bellow camera with a nice fuji lens.

Why not? right!?
It would be like 6x9 Arca Swiss but hopefully way more affordable. Wouldn't it?

btaylor · Aug 2, 2017

They are basic in concept, absolutely. Two ends with pleated leather between them. It's the details that get in the way. All of it must be extremely precise. If you're into camera building, take a look over at Large Format Photography Forum. There are a number of people there that have built their own cameras. There is much detail on some of the projects that you may find helpful. On the other hand, there are lots of nice 4x5 monorail cameras on eBay for $100- 250. Proven designs that will work right out of the box. In particular I have purchased a few Linhof Color series monorails for about $200 each. Elegant, precision cameras for very little money. Or check out the new Intrepid.

Or yes, build your own, why not? If you are into that sort of thing. It looks very satisfying. I prefer the picture taking/processing bit of the process.

Jim Jones · Aug 2, 2017

I agree with btaylor. Even if you have the necessary skill, tools, and plenty of raw material, a B&J or Graphic View may be cheaper and better than your first attempt at solving all the problems that others have mastered over the past hundred years.

Paul Howell · Aug 2, 2017

Getting the body and bellows is the easy part, you need a back, either spring for sheet film or machined parts to take roll film holder like a graphic. It has been done, if you look at Popular Photography from the 50s and 60s usually once a year there was an article for DYI 4X5.

eddie · Aug 2, 2017

There used to be ( maybe still are) 4x5 kits you assembled yourself. The finished product was pretty crude, though, and probably cost as much as you can get a more precise monorail for these days.

pdeeh · Aug 3, 2017

The op is in Germany, where lf monorails are likely not as plentiful or as relatively inexpensive as in the USA.
Importing one would near double the price.
Though a search on ebay uk might throw up one or two in the €150-250 region.
A cabinet maker good enough to make standards to the required precision won't be charging cents either.
But ... I've made 4x5 and 10x8 cameras out of foamcore (including the backs) using sliding boxes instead of bellows and whatever process lens I could find.
Can be fun and instructive to do. I certainly learned a lot about optics, image planes and coverage circles this way.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

btaylor said:
They are basic in concept, absolutely. Two ends with pleated leather between them. It's the details that get in the way. All of it must be extremely precise. If you're into camera building, take a look over at Large Format Photography Forum. There are a number of people there that have built their own cameras. There is much detail on some of the projects that you may find helpful. On the other hand, there are lots of nice 4x5 monorail cameras on eBay for $100- 250. Proven designs that will work right out of the box. In particular I have purchased a few Linhof Color series monorails for about $200 each. Elegant, precision cameras for very little money. Or check out the new Intrepid.

Or yes, build your own, why not? If you are into that sort of thing. It looks very satisfying. I prefer the picture taking/processing bit of the process.

Thanks,
Do you know if this Linhof Color series monorails have adapters to shoot 120 roll film.? (specialty 6x9)

removed account4 · Aug 3, 2017

the bellows don't even need to be pleated.
"bag" / "balloon" / "wide angle" bellows
are just fittings that attach to the standards
and a sac in between. as long as the sac
stays out of the image, you are golden

E. von Hoegh · Aug 3, 2017

marciofs said:
Thanks,
Do you know if this Linhof Color series monorails have adapters to shoot 120 roll film.? (specialty 6x9)

The Linhof Color will accept any standard 120 back for 4x5 up to 6x12cm. Probably one of the best values out there.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

pdeeh said:
The op is in Germany, where lf monorails are likely not as plentiful or as relatively inexpensive as in the USA.
Importing one would near double the price.
Though a search on ebay uk might throw up one or two in the €150-250 region.
A cabinet maker good enough to make standards to the required precision won't be charging cents either.
But ... I've made 4x5 and 10x8 cameras out of foamcore (including the backs) using sliding boxes instead of bellows and whatever process lens I could find.
Can be fun and instructive to do. I certainly learned a lot about optics, image planes and coverage circles this way.

Yes, in Germany I find plaint of very old middle format cameras, such Agfa boxes in bad condition, but in all it seems to have much less cameras around than I used to find in Ireland and UK, and it is also much more expensive I don't know why (maybe the higher taxes).

I have built some large format pinhole cameras so I also thought about just do the same with a lens and ground glass on the back, and find a way to make it hold a 6x9 120 roll back magazine.

But bellows we can do a lot more to the photos... I would be very happy if Fuji GX680 could shoot without the electronic stuff and if they were cheaper.
Serious, I don't see the point of autofocus, eletronic winder and metering in middle format cameras. It only makes the camera bigger, heavier and expensive.

So I wish I could have a simple and small monorail with bellows middle format camera to shoot 6x8 or 6x9. It would be the best and perfect camera ever for me.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
The Linhof Color will accept any standard 120 back for 4x5 up to 6x12cm. Probably one of the best values out there.

Perfect... I will look for it. Thanks.

Edit, I was doing a research and it is hard to find it in Germany and shipping from anywhere else makes ot almost double the price.

Edit 2. I actually have a Zeca large format camera... Is there any way I could adapt a middle format back on it?

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

jnanian said:
the bellows don't even need to be pleated.
"bag" / "balloon" / "wide angle" bellows
are just fittings that attach to the standards
and a sac in between. as long as the sac
stays out of the image, you are golden

I know, right!?
I could even use the fabric from those changing film negative bags.

Now, would you know a kind of affordable and yet good lens to start?

monst · Aug 3, 2017

Have a lookout for a Plaubel Peco Junior, they shoot 6x9 with the old RADA film holder. Beautifully made little monorail camera.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

monst said:
Have a lookout for a Plaubel Peco Junior, they shoot 6x9 with the old RADA film holder. Beautifully made little monorail camera.

Out of my budget according to what I found on ebay.

But I found there there is a radar plate for my Zeca camera.

monst · Aug 3, 2017

I found the ones on ebay are highly priced and have been there for ages, you can drop lucky sometimes. Thats great that the back is available for your camera though.

Dan Fromm · Aug 3, 2017

marciofs said:
Hi,

I was wondering why bellows with monorail cameras are so expensive? They look so basic...

Hmm. 2x3 (6x9) monorail view cameras are scarce and can indeed be expensive. Especially recent ones. Some 4x5 monorail view cameras (Cambo SC and derivatives, Sinar) are common and relatively inexpensive. If you want to play with 2x3 (6x9 in metric) and a view camera, there are relatively inexpensive 2x3 (6x9 in metric) roll holders that fit 4x5 Graflok (International in metric) backs.

That you're in the EU makes everything offered in the US more expensive for you than for us. Shipping, import taxes, VAT, ...

RichardJack · Aug 3, 2017

You can build anything you like. You might find a 120 film holder/back from a Speed Graphic or Horseman helpful. It might be cheaper and easier to just buy a 4x5 camera like a Burke & James for under $200 (sometimes less) and use a back and lens of your choice.
Is this what you really want to lug around while there are so many used 6x6 and 6x7 SLR's out there? I wouldn't.

btaylor · Aug 3, 2017

Available in 6x9 format, Linhof Color. I don't know about availability in Germany, it was of course manufactured there. I have the 4x5 version, compact and lightweight. Graflok style back, so roll film holders are easy to find, takes Technika style lens boards natively.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

btaylor said:
Available in 6x9 format, Linhof Color. I don't know about availability in Germany, it was of course manufactured there. I have the 4x5 version, compact and lightweight. Graflok style back, so roll film holders are easy to find, takes Technika style lens boards natively.

I guess I will have to save money to get one of these. The price range on Ebay is about €500. For me who live with a minimum wage job it is a lot of money.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

RichardJack said:
You can build anything you like. You might find a 120 film holder/back from a Speed Graphic or Horseman helpful. It might be cheaper and easier to just buy a 4x5 camera like a Burke & James for under $200 (sometimes less) and use a back and lens of your choice.
Is this what you really want to lug around while there are so many used 6x6 and 6x7 SLR's out there? I wouldn't.

But I would be happy with a 6x9 which makes gorgeous contact print and it is on the door of large format.

I have a Bessa I but the viewfinder ir not that precise and it is very easy to miss the focus on close up shots.

I just think that if combined the best of the large format (shift and tilt) and the best of middle format (roll film), to shoot a 6x9 which is the largest middle format frame that suits portraits shots. It would be the best camera ever (for me). I wouldn't want anything else.

I know there is Fuji GX680. But it is big, heavy and expensive. It would be the perfect camera without the any "auto" things that makes it big and expensive. But it would be the perfect camera ever for me if it could at least shoot 100% mechanically (no batteries).

btaylor · Aug 3, 2017

Sorry to hear the Linhof color 6x9 is so expensive. I have seen the 4x5 versions going for $200-250 in the past, but maybe people got wise to the fact that they have all the functionality of a Technika for way less money, they just don't fold up! Keep your eyes peeled for a Super Color or 45s in 4x5, I see them on eBay for $200-300. They accept Graflok roll film holders easily.

marciofs · Aug 3, 2017

btaylor said:
Sorry to hear the Linhof color 6x9 is so expensive. I have seen the 4x5 versions going for $200-250 in the past, but maybe people got wise to the fact that they have all the functionality of a Technika for way less money, they just don't fold up! Keep your eyes peeled for a Super Color or 45s in 4x5, I see them on eBay for $200-300. They accept Graflok roll film holders easily.

Those that you find in America Ebay would cost me about €100 shipping I suppose. But if the end price including shipping become no more than €300, I sure can have it. (I don't have this money now but I will have in a couple of weeks from a side job ).

I believe it will be more than worth because I can't see me want anything else if I can shoot 120 roll film (6x9) with tilt and shift system.

John Koehrer · Aug 3, 2017

FWIW, there's been a 6X9 Galvin on the Chicago Craigslist on & off for the last few months .
As I remember they're asking $250 for it. No lens & don't remember if it had lens boards.

Also there are a number of how to instructions online on bellows folding

btaylor · Aug 4, 2017

I had forgotten about the Galvin 6x9. I had one for years, sold it a couple of years ago for about $250. Solid, compact camera. The bail back could easily handle a holder or a roll film back. I used an old Graflex 6x9 roll film back and it worked fine under the groundglass.

henpe · Aug 4, 2017

Hi !
You may want to take a look at the site https://jongrepstad.com/building-a-large-format-camera/. The creator of that site has built a number of LF-cameras and written a book about it. The book reads well and is basically a building instruction with drawings etc; the book is is available for free download.

Best regards
Henrik

Building my own camera as alternative???

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