I have but one dream, to build a Hobo style 8x10 point and shoot. I have no idea.

[camerabrain]

Hello, I have been looking for plans to build a camera very similar to the Hobo 8x10 point and shoot. I will be right up front in saying I don't really have any
skills in doing such a thing, unless I actually have a plan in front of me which I could roughly build or get the help of a friend. These days I have to be very frugal and selective with photography so this is a perfect camera for me. I would just like to ask if anyone has any plans or rough ideas to make one of these that they would share I'd be so happy. Kind of curious what lens I would need for this as well, just looking for something simple like this so I can still get the 8x10 joy I so love. Nowadays I do contact printing and it would be wonderful to do so with a negative other than a medium format negative which seems so pointless sometimes.

 

[Klainmeister]

Hello and welcome to APUG! Where are you located. The original branded "hobo" camera that was sold through Bostick and Sullivan many moons ago was an invention of a friend of mine...heck, he still might have some framing jigs left. Maybe I can put you two in contact?

 

[paul_c5x4]

Nothing wrong with smaller contact prints - How about this wet plate camera ?

 

[Dr Croubie]

I just googled and found this with pics of an original Hobo, I'd never heard of one, but it looks like a nice piece of woodwork.

How about an injection-moulded plastic camera based on the Dead Link Removed, just embiggened up to 8x10? Maybe you could convince the Wanderlust guys to make that their next project?

 

[camerabrain]

Well I am up in the lovely state of Maine where it is very chilly right now!

 

[ic-racer]

You have never built a camera before and never used a 8x10 view camera before? These 8x10 pinhole cameras are available for less then $200 USD. I don't see how one could build a Hobo style camera for less than that if you don't have a lens and have never built a camera before. If you like it you could then adapt a lens to the camera, which might be easier than making the whole thing from scratch.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

How's this one?

http://www.afghanboxcamera.com/

 

[ntenny]

The Hobo was intended to be handholdable, wasn't it? Pretty hard to achieve that with a pinhole or an Afghan box camera.

The Gowland Aerial would be the other entry in the same basic niche, I think, but there can't be too many of them out there (in any format, never mind 8x10).

-NT