Folding camera-Mods

Hey,
New to this forum, just got a cheap folding camera for £4 on ebay yesterday, its ok, but aperture is limited to f16 and f22, with three shutter speeds, just wanted to know if anyone know about taking of the leaf shutter lens, and attaching another one to the bellows, and if i used say a 43mm 35mm lens, but it was leaf shutter, anyone have any idea if this would work?

thanks

What make/model of folder? If a medium format folder, the lens from a 35mm camera, even if you could fit a shutter somehow and get the lens-film distance correct, would not cover the larger negative size. In any case, unless you want to muck about and just have a bit of fun, you would be better getting a folder with more speed and aperture choices - there are plenty out there.

Gut it and make a pinhole camera from it.

Before you start modifying it, you should at least put one film through it. You might actually like it how it is now.


Steve.

Adam Bell said:

New to this forum, just got a cheap folding camera for £4 on ebay yesterday, its ok, but aperture is limited to f16 and f22, with three shutter speeds [...]

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That's an interesting set of apertures---what is this camera?

If the lens really is limited to f/16, I would expect it to be a pretty awful lens, but give it a try before giving up on it. There are some surprising lenses out there, and plenty of good pictures have been taken with "bad" equipment.

just wanted to know if anyone know about taking of the leaf shutter lens, and attaching another one to the bellows, and if i used say a 43mm 35mm lens, but it was leaf shutter, anyone have any idea if this would work?

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No reason it wouldn't work, *if* (1) you can graft the new shutter in place of the old without causing light leaks or messing up the alignment, (2) the new lens actually covers the image area, and (3) you still have a focussing mechanism when you're done (e.g., front-cell focussing in the new shutter, or the camera focusses by moving the whole standard).

A 35mm lens probably won't cover the image (I suppose it might cover 645 if you're lucky).

The architecture of these old folders varies a lot. Some of them were designed for the shutter to be removed easily, some look like they'd require dynamite.

-NT

ntenny said:

Some of them were designed for the shutter to be removed easily, some look like they'd require dynamite.

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Most of them are retained by a ring on the back with a couple of slots. Ideally you need the proper tool to undo them but sometimes it's easier to get hold of dynamite.

A decent pair of pointed nose pliers usually works if it's not done up too tight.


Steve.

too vauge, not enough information given for anyone to make sence of--like me asking-

hey i have an old car and want to put a 250cc motorbike engine in it--will this work?