Give my creation... LIFE!!!!

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 4, 2006

Howdy Folks,

Some of you may know that I've been working on a 7x17 camera based on an ARCA-SWISS F-Line monorail for the past several months. Well as of about two hours ago, the Franken-ARCA LIVES!!! (bonus points if you can name the source of the quote I borrowed for the title of this thread - come one, it's an easy one).

Sorry to be such a tease, but I won't be posting any photos of the creature until next week. It will make it's public debut at the Large Format Conference in Rockford later this week. Hope to see many of you there. If not, watch this space next week for some digisnaps of the Franken-ARCA.

Kerry

naturephoto1 · Jun 4, 2006

Kerry,

By chance does the quote come from Young Frankenstein?

Rich

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 4, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
Kerry,

By chance does the quote come from Young Frankenstein?

Rich

Ding, ding, ding... we have a winner. Too easy, I suppose, but one of my favorite movies.

Kerry

naturephoto1 · Jun 4, 2006

kthalmann said:
Ding, ding, ding... we have a winner. Too easy, I suppose, but one of my favorite movies.

Kerry

Kerry,

You have to admit that Mel Brooks did have a number of classics.

Rich

Dave Wooten · Jun 4, 2006

Way to go Kerry! Congratulations..

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 4, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
Kerry,

You have to admit that Mel Brooks did have a number of classics.

Rich

Yes, but unlike Blazing Saddles, I don't mind if my kids go around quoting Young Frankenstein (for the most part).

Kerry

naturephoto1 · Jun 4, 2006

kthalmann said:
Yes, but unlike Blazing Saddles, I don't mind if my kids go around quoting Young Frankenstein (for the most part).

Kerry

That may be true, but I still remember when Mongo (Alex Karris) punched out the horse.

Rich

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 4, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
That may be true, but I still remember when Mongo (Alex Karris) punched out the horse.

Rich

Mongo only pawn in game of life.

Kerry

Terence · Jun 4, 2006

Is that really the analogy you want to make? The first attempt created a monster. only after the brain transferance did everything work out. Of course, asymmetric tilts in you spine might be beneficial . . .

Donsta · Jun 4, 2006

12 months and you will have something bigger - you don't even realize it yet - this is a nasty, expensive habit...

Zebra · Jun 4, 2006

My wife's 93 year old Great Grandmother called me Mongo from the time AFTER she met me until she died at 98. She never did know it wasn't my name. I did but enjoyed the reference to my man that rode the Yes/No Bull so much I wouldn't let anyone correct it.

aka

Monty

congrats on the 7 x 17 making it cross country. Look forward to seeing it in action later this week.

waynecrider · Jun 4, 2006

Congradulations.

Did you spend more money on building the camera or buying the film holders?

colrehogan · Jun 4, 2006

I'm looking forward to seeing it in person.

blaze-on · Jun 4, 2006

I can "see" Kerry tap-dancing on a stage with Franken-arca propped by his side..."Me....and my shaaaadow".....

naturephoto1 · Jun 4, 2006

blaze-on said:
I can "see" Kerry tap-dancing on a stage with Franken-arca propped by his side..."Me....and my shaaaadow".....

Ya, but I want to see the camera with a top hat and cane.

Rich

cdholden · Jun 4, 2006

walk this way

kthalmann said:
Howdy Folks,

Some of you may know that I've been working on a 7x17 camera based on an ARCA-SWISS F-Line monorail for the past several months. Well as of about two hours ago, the Franken-ARCA LIVES!!! (bonus points if you can name the source of the quote I borrowed for the title of this thread - come one, it's an easy one).
Kerry

Kerry,
You'll need to provide each of us with one so we can "walk this way."
Chris

donbga · Jun 4, 2006

kthalmann said:
Howdy Folks,

Some of you may know that I've been working on a 7x17 camera based on an ARCA-SWISS F-Line monorail for the past several months. Well as of about two hours ago, the Franken-ARCA LIVES!!! (bonus points if you can name the source of the quote I borrowed for the title of this thread - come one, it's an easy one).

Sorry to be such a tease, but I won't be posting any photos of the creature until next week. It will make it's public debut at the Large Format Conference in Rockford later this week. Hope to see many of you there. If not, watch this space next week for some digisnaps of the Franken-ARCA.

Kerry

It must have an enormous schwanzstucker!

Michael Meacham · Jun 4, 2006

Big Knockers too

Mike

Donald Qualls · Jun 5, 2006

Donsta said:
12 months and you will have something bigger - you don't even realize it yet - this is a nasty, expensive habit...

Healthier than smoking, though, and not much (if any) more expensive...

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 5, 2006

waynecrider said:
Congradulations.

Did you spend more money on building the camera or buying the film holders?

If you count the value of the lens I traded for the first two holders, I have more invested in holders than the camera. I also bought four more slighty used AWB 7x17 holders for a bit less than three new ones would have cost.

Since I already had most of the ARCA-SWISS parts, the conversion to 7x17 was quite cost effective. I did splurge on a pre-Monolith M-Line front standard ($335 on the German eBay) that gives me self-arresting geared front rise and axis tilt. Even with that, I've spent slightly less than the cost of a new 7x17 Shen-Hao on the camera conversion + six AWB 7x17 holders + 200 sheets 7x17 TMAX 400.

Nothing in this size is "cheap", but adding the conversion kit to a camera I already have made it much more affordable than buying a new camera. The cost of the 7x17 conversion is even quite a bit less than the cost of an 80-year old Korona or Folmer & Schwing - and I ended up with a much nicer (IMHO), more rigid, feature-rich camera.

Kerry

Ed Sukach · Jun 5, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
That may be true, but I still remember when Mongo (Alex Karris) punched out the horse.
Rich

Nothing will ever match the scene where Mongo lit his cigar by bending over into the fire and straightened up again, with both the cigar lit ... and his hat on fire!!

ReallyBigCameras · Jun 13, 2006

OK, now that the Franken-ARCA has made it's public debut at the conference in Rockford, here's some pics of the completed camera:

The camera with a 600mm Fujinon C focused at about 100ft. I have enough rail and bellows for about 6½" - 7" more extension.

The front and rear standards compressed onto a short 15cm rail section. Even with a lens mounted (240mm Computar) the thickness of the camera is about 5" (with the little rail section sticking out by about an inch).

The camera with a 305mm G Claron focused at about 20ft.

Kerry

Dave Wooten · Jun 13, 2006

That is one sweet camera! Looks like it has a bail? Really nice job Kerry.

Dave in Vegas

David A. Goldfarb · Jun 13, 2006

Looks fantastic Kerry! That Sinar 7x17" conversion is looking more and more tempting...

pelerin · Jun 13, 2006

kthalmann said:
OK, now that the Franken-ARCA has made it's public debut at the conference in Rockford, here's some pics of the completed camera:

<snip>

Kerry

Kerry,
If you have time could you post a note mentioning where you sourced parts (not the rail, function carrier etc, but the "franken" parts) for your camera. As an example, was the little dovetail that allows the rear standard to mount the function carrier salvaged, obtained from ARCA, or purpose mfg'ed? I wanted to say "it certainly looks very factory" but having seen all those cinematic iterations of the mad doctor's lab I not sure that you would take it as a compliment!
Celac.

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