DIY Camera Question

[Pseudonomic]

Hey guys! So I am building a 6x17 camera because, like most of the people who want one, I can't afford to buy one! So I have everything all designed and ready to go except one critical component!!

I do not know where to cut/drill the holes for the frame count window on the back. I need to know where to put the darn holes so I know how far to wind the camera between frames! Anyone have any idea(s) about where I might want them? I can't find any resources on the web about this. I would appreciate any help you might be able to give!

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Simplest would probably be to sacrifice a roll to the lords of experimentation and measure the numbering and location on the paper backing itself. That way you have your own physical measurements with which you can be assured.

 

[q_x]

If you don't have any duplex paper from an old roll to measure it out carefully, just look at any 6x6 or 6x9 camera. Borrow and measure yourself. It's not as trivial, as people may seem.

My pressure plate (Moskva 5) is 90.8 mm x 62.9mm, holes have 12mm diameter with red windows closer to 10mm diameter.
If I start measuring from the corner of the plate where my winding knob is (top right part of the camera looking from the lens side or "front"), I'm getting the following:
6x6 hole center: 36.3 mm horizontally, 31.6mm vertically
6x9 hole center: 76.5 mm horizontally, 49.3mm vertically
possible error would be up to 1 mm, but I hope it's close enough.

 

[j-dogg]

subscribed out of pure interest.....what you using for a lens?

 

[bdial]

Sounds like an interesting project.
If you pm me an address, I'll send you a backing paper so you don't have to sacrifice a roll.

 

[Jim Jones]

According to an old ASA drawing, the window location for a 6x9 camera as viewed from the back is 1.378" to the right of the aperture centerline and .771" below the centerline.

 

[q_x]

According to an old ASA drawing, the window location for a 6x9 camera as viewed from the back is 1.378" to the right of the aperture centerline and .771" below the centerline.

It's also quite important in which direction the film moves, and I'd say it moves to the left in this drawing. It confuses me more and more.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

The way the printing on the backing is oriented, I would think it would NEED to move to the left or else it would be inverted. Of course, having it inverted would be quirky, a non-reflex exposure counter.

 

[Jim Jones]

Yes, I didn't think to indicate that the film does indeed move to the left.

 

[LJH]

Hope these help.

As you are looking at the photos, the 6x17cm window is the top left (closest to the rule).

You need to shoot on frame indicator 2, 5 8 and 11. Seems to me that the height from base is the more important than distance from the side. There is "adequate" room on the film leader to allow quite a degree of lateral location go the viewing hole; however, you need to be reasonably accurate vertically so as to be able to see the film's backing paper.

Let me know if there is any other photos required.