Functional Scratch-Built "Kammotograph"

[yulia_s_rey]

Hello Everyone, its been a while since I last posted on apug. I finally got some time off work to tinker around over the weekend. Having read through the limited info online on Leo Kamm's "kammotgraph" (a precursor to the kinetiscope) I decided it should be easy enough to build one. After working out the math -each image being 4mm tall with 1mm pitch in between=roughly 64 images on a 4 inch photo paper disc. I used Agfa paper and developed in HC110 (I was out of dektol) As you can tell from the image (that's supposed to be a waving monkey puppet w/ a banana) the f1.4 lens I found has a limited DOF and my focus was way off! But somewhat satisfactory for the first test run. Some frames overlap due possible gear slippage. Although not exactly a kammotograph (as Mr Kamm's device moved disc horizontally as it spun to allow more images on the disc) I will most probably build a Model N. 2 that would do this to at least get 10 seconds. In total 60 frames @ ~16fps. Maybe my brother, who is a woodworker, should've helped me with this one! to watch, click on link:

Dead Link Removed

oops! I spelt it incorrectly: "kammatograph"

 

[holmburgers]

Simply put. This . . is . . awesome!

 

[brucemuir]

Yes, impressive indeed.
Keeps us posted on your progress.

 

[Jerevan]

Really cool stuff, man!

 

[yulia_s_rey]

thanks for the comments! I forgot to mention number 2 will use a red/green color wheel similar to Kinemacolor. Anyone recommend or know of a paper film or a good off-the shelf emulsion like "liquid light" thats panchromatic?

 

[Barry S]

This is fantastic in the true sense of the word. If the disc is 4" in diameter, I'd buy a box of 4x5 sheet film and a circle cutter. The actual measurements of 4x5 are a little smaller, but it may work. Easier still, I'd construct the next version to take a full sheet of 4x5 film and rotate it around the center point. A faster film (TMAX400?) will let you stop down your lens.

 

[holmburgers]

Unfortunately no off the shelf emulsions are panchromatic. You could experiment with making liquid light panchromatic but that'd be no small task. Or you could use an orthorchromatic film (like X-ray maybe) and use a blue and green filter, but I don't think the 2-color rendering would be nearly as good as green & red.

Having just read a book about Etienne Jules-Marey, this mechanism was quite appealing!

 

[yulia_s_rey]

thanks for the suggestions, I kinda figured as much when it came to off-the-shelf emulsions. I like the idea of using sheet film but wouldn't a drill press-type circle cutter shred it? Maybe a compass/blade contraption? i'll def try out the blue/green filter wheel since its just a matter of cutting out gels and pasting them on the shutter.
By chance, if your a cinema history buff check out Who's Who of Victorian Cinema ( http://www.victorian-cinema.net/ ) click "on machines" and to see a plethora of early cinema devices-its awesome!

 

[Barry S]

This is the circle cutter that you need.

 

[altim]

This is very cool, and now I know what a kinetoscope is

 

[vpwphoto]

I can't get your link to load on my apple w/safari ??
Cheers

 

[rjbuzzclick]

This is very cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

That is wonderful!

Jeff

 

[yulia_s_rey]

hi everyone, now that I have a bit of time on my hands I'll be building a far better "paper film cinematographe" for my spring project that can at least take 30 seconds of footage. I will keep everyone posted, as I hope to have it completed before the summer. I'm currently drawing up the schematics & working out the gear ratios to grind. Any suggestions on what type of hard wood to use? Cherry? Oak? I'm shooting for a dark lacquer finish with brass fittings.

 

[Jerevan]

Good to hear you are still on the project. I can only offer the thumbs up and I am curious to see the results.

 

[AlleluiaPTL]

Hi,
Leo Ulrich Kamm was my Grandfather.

Go to this link

http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/news/...226570_en.html


It's tremendous and exciting news that you should build a kammatograph.

Incidently my brother Blue (Laurence) has an original machine.

Stephen Kamm

 

[AgX]

Welcome to the club Stephen.

It is not the first time a descendant of someone of importance for photography shows up after his predecessor being talked about here. I like that.

 

[yulia_s_rey]

Hi Everyone! I've been MIA for awhile but will be posting more in the near future. Kammatograph N 2 is in the works!

 

[yulia_s_rey]

Camera Number 2

Hello, I’m back in school now and have had enough time to return to the Kammatograph project. As an update, I am still in R&D phase to build a true working model of a Kammatogrpah that uses 30cm glass disks and forms consecutive images in a spiral. In the meanwhile, however, I needed a platform to test various mechanical set-ups (lenses, intermittent mechanisms, etc. ). Hence this latest creation. I built it using some old gears I had around the house and plywood, stained "white oak" flavour. Essentially, it is a big brother to my original scratch-built camera. I’d like to thank Stephen Kamm (Mr. Leo Kamm’s grandson) for his previous post and also Barry S. for his advice on building a larger machine that eliminated having to cut the photographic paper. Tech Specs: f1.9/13mm Kodak Ektanon Lens with lens caps that have stops (not shown). ~90° shutter/ approx. 12 FPS/ 81 6mm x 3.3mm Images on 4x5 inch photo paper. Also, if anyone has any information on this particular lens, or where I can find out more about it, I’d be grateful. Total cost of project under $20.

link to camera tests (on youtube):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lp-5lKrJwE

link to see how it works: (a peek inside)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2XKuS1oEcE

 

[yulia_s_rey]

forgot to show inside the camera (how it looks when scanning)