Pix of your home-built cams here please

[barryjyoung]

Barry you just killed pinholes for me. God why do you people have to be so damn technical about everything? To me the beauty of a pinhole is in the soft image not another technical excersice is getting the perfect super sharp image creating pinhole. I use a regular lens for that.

I just use a PIN and put a HOLE in some metal and put that on a box or a tube and have fun. Getting out the microscope to measure the hole just takes all the fun out of it for me.

I didn't say you had to. So poke holes in foil with a pin and have fun.

 

[robopro]

OR, if you want a 'perfect' hole -- and it just HAS to be, for example, .432 mm in diameter, just have it laser drilled in a piece of .001 brass shim stock.

 

[argus]

Endlich...

Let's stop talking pinholes over here and have a look at a camera with a real lens...

I promised not to build another camera after the summer of 2006 untill 1st january 2007... but I did
I only did the finishing touch last week. I was inspired to build it after I acquired a brand new Cambo 8x10 bellows for very little money... the rest just came by itself!
Total weight is about 6 kilograms.

So here it is, the Cambara 810.

Here shown with a classic heavyweight Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar 360/620mm f5.6 lens, fitted on a 6x6" (15,2x15,2cm for us decimal-guys) square lensboard.
(I also have the 300mm and 240mm variants, but this little baby is more impressive)

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We'll have a look at how much the camera wil groan at full extension with this 1820 gr. front weigth added.
Full extension at 770mm and it does not move a hair, partly thanks to the Wolf tripod and lightweight Gitzo nr. 4 head:

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Focussing is done by 2 systems:
- the front rails are slotted and have a tension lock;
- the rear reals have a delrin rack&pinion gear. I had some doubts about the robustness of the delrin gear, but 3 months of testing and adjusting took away all doubts.
I'm not a big fan of front movements, except for rise&fall, so I did not incorporate the others...

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I am in favour of rear movements, what is proven in the next few pictures:
- tilt, only limited by the bellows;
- 12 degrees of uncentered, individual left and right swing;
- 7,8cm shift in both directions, that means 13,6cm of travel along the horizontal axis.

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[Nathan Smith]

That is one beautiful camera! The bellows are incredible - did you make them yourself? If so, what materials did you use?
Thanks,
Nathan

 

[barryjyoung]

Let's stop talking pinholes over here and have a look at a camera with a real lens...

Very very nice work. I am assuming the metalwork is anodized aluminum. Did you do the anodizing yourself?

 

[argus]

Nathan,

I did not make the bellows, please read above.

Barry,

the metal is spray painted aluminium. I'm not into anodizing yet.
The paint will get damaged overtime, I'm aware of that.

Next thing to do is adapt the 7x17 to use the same base as this 8x10. The base and front standard will become interchangeable between both cameras.

Greetings,
G

 

[photomc]

Man, what a nice looking camera...If I understand correctly, you made it all except the bellows? WOW!!

Will be following the adapter progress with interest, would be nice feature.

Must keep an eye out for a cheap bellows now.

 

[poutnik]

That is a wonderful camera, argus. Really, must be a pleasure just to look at it. And touch it... And look into the eyes.. ah well I got carried a bit away, look into the GG I wanted to say

Jiri

 

[Dave Wooten]

Really nice!

 

[Ben Hopson]

Beautiful camera!

 

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Canbara 810

G, that is one nice camera! Man if I could only work as fast as you! Finally getting the back of the 8x20 done. To many other distractions to get in the way. You know the paying job, girlfriend, etc, etc. What inspiration!! Thasnks.

Jim

 

[Ian Grant]

Well Argus that Cambara 810 is the most impressive camera in this thread, it's outstanding.

Ian

 

[argus]

Well Argus that Cambara 810 is the most impressive camera in this thread, it's outstanding.

Ian

Thanks for the compliment but I do not agree.
I was personally blown away by Colin Grahams' camera, shown in this thread a while ago.

G

 

[Ian Grant]

Your right both of your cameras are execellent, I'd overlooked Grahams. In the end it all comes down to personal taste.

Ian

 

[amland]

DIY camera

This is may first DIY camera, although the second version. It started off as a fixed focus f32 for the 90mm lens set at the hyperfocal distance, after getting a 6x12 back and 75mm lens I took the saw to it so it would take both lenses.


Materials for the model pictured:-
Ikea pen holder and magazine holder
Model making ply 3mm & 1.6mm
Decorator caulk
M6 threaded inserts
M6 thumb screws
Blackboard paint
Elastic cord
Neilsen picture frame Aluminium section & clips
Satinsnow g'glass
Length of wood

See my website for example image:-
Sunset, Longdendale

Currently getting materials together to make a focusing model based on Fotomann helical mounts bought from the States while exchange rates are good.

 

[phfitz]

Hi there,

Needed a test bed to check bellows draw for some old brass cannons at portrait length, down to 1 meter, so I bought a 6ft x 12in x 3/4in pine plank and 2 shelf brackets at Lowe's. Decided to make it foldable and bought a 12in piano hinge at Ace. The bellows is 2 aluminium angles and a dark cloth, actually works. Total cost $20USD.

The moving focus carriage is from an Ansco 5x7 studio portrait camera, the back assm. is from a Agfa/Ansco 8x10. The angle brakets will go from back to front for carrying and latch it the frame with 2 thumb screws for use. 45 inches bellows draw yet to be made. Total weight w/o lens = 12lbs.

Yes, it's the ugliest box of rocks posted yet. :rolleyes:

 

[Frank R]

This is may first DIY camera, although the second version.

I think you did a good job on your first camera. Quite a clever use of existing materials.

Have you thought about sealing the wood and then painting it all black?

 

[Dan Fromm]

<snip>

Yes, it's the ugliest box of rocks posted yet. :rolleyes:

What do you mean, ugly? I think its pretty damn cute.

 

[phfitz]

"What do you mean, ugly? I think its pretty damn cute."

Why, thank you Dan. It's also rather handy for it's intended purpose. I have found:

44" of bellows is enough for any lens at portrait distance

the new-to-me 1860 Voigtlander petzval portrait is 18" f/4 and was sent back to the Wollensak factory to be refit into a Studio shutter in 1926 for the reason I suspected., it's a 'mojo master' from way back. Damn it has a look to it.

the B&L Universal Portrait #3 is a
16" f/4 petzval in standard set-up
18" f/4.5 petzval in reverse set-up
28" f/7 port-lan meniscus in converted set-up (really fine look to it)

the 'Extra Rapid Lynkeioskop' is 18.5" f/6.3 so I can finish the waterhouse stops

if I put the front cell of the B&L 14x17 f/6.3 on the 'magic lens' it's a 32" f/10 with monster-sized coverage. Now to find 40" film.

I did find the right fabric for the bellows at 'Jo-Anne's', folded it's 16 x 12 x 24 inches. Now to find the balance point for a tripod mount.

Too many project, not enough time

 

[eclarke]

Nathan,

I did not make the bellows, please read above.

Barry,

the metal is spray painted aluminium. I'm not into anodizing yet.
The paint will get damaged overtime, I'm aware of that.

Next thing to do is adapt the 7x17 to use the same base as this 8x10. The base and front standard will become interchangeable between both cameras.

Greetings,
G

Check out anodizing, here in the US it is pretty cheap. I always get them to throw in my odd parts when they are running big lots....EC

 

[amland]

I think you did a good job on your first camera. Quite a clever use of existing materials.

Have you thought about sealing the wood and then painting it all black?

I did think of using some outrageous wood dye but went for the easy option of wax applied with wire wool and polish it up with a cloth.

I droppped it in a stream a few moths back it didn't suffer from the experience!

 

[ragc]

My meager efforts pale when I see all of the true camera building posted,
but here they are (and I have bored all by posting these before, so I'll be brief):

A lensboard that allows my 5x7 Korona to have swing and tilt on the front standard.

A tripod platform with dual spirit levels for my Asanuma King 1

5x7 B&J back adaptation on the AK1 (originally Half-Plate)

4x5 back on the AK1 - spring is B&J.

The AK1 is my shooter now, in two formats plus the original half-plate (if I ever find book form holders for it). It has new bellows by Mark Kapono and Satin Snow glass screens by Dave parker in both backs.

 

[seananton]

My 1/2 plate sliding box camera

The lens is an 1862 Dallmeyer 2B Quick Acting Portrait lens, the camera a 1/2 plate sliding box made in 2004 for wet collodion work.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Wow...nice camera and nice 1st post...welcome!
Dave in Vegas

 

[seananton]

Then there's the 10x8

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Then there's the 10x8, a wet plate camera in cherry. The lens is a 3B Dallmeyer Patent Portrait lens. This was based on an E & H.T.Anthony design of the 1870s.