Pix of your home-built cams, mods and creations here please (part 2)

Nokton48

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I'm building a Sinar Norma Handy Camera, from Norma parts I have acquired.

Here's the camera after the initial build. I used JB Weld to hold the parts together tightly, and it has worked very well. The metal epoxy is dry and the camera is very solid. To finish the camera, I will need a viewfinder (I ordered a Gaoersi 65mm/4x5, I hope it will work OK!), and add the cold shoe (I tapped both holes in the Norma Auxiliary frame to 1/4"). Finally, I'm looking for a 65mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon in #00 Compur. I have a 65mm F8 but it has Norma Rabbit ears, and no shutter (it works with the Norma Mechanical Shutter). So I am getting closer. I'm in no hurry to finish this. Oh Yes, I have to drill a hole in the grip for a long cable release. Also I will take the Norma parts completely apart and clean them, check light seals, clean helical, etc.

Norma Handy Initial Build by Nokton48, on Flickr

Norma Handy Initial Build 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr



Scan-120325-0002 by Andrei Badoiu, on Flickr

And here is the camera that inspired me to do this project. Above is a photo taken with that camera.

Nokton48;2732409 said:
LX3L7044 by Andrei Badoiu, on Flickr
Click to expand...


LX3L7053 by Andrei Badoiu, on Flickr
 
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Skiver101

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My meagre efforts seem insignificant after reading through this thread...

1)
Schneider G-Claron 210mm f/9-f/90 in barrel mount.
My recently accquired G-Claron; sits proud on a dedicated, home-made copper-fronted lensboard.

Lensboard is perfectly functional, and looks great - at zero cost !





2)
Front (Size = Copal 1).
Salvaged Copper plate from unwanted etching...
Retaining ring is not glued to front of plate - (simple, cut nails used); in order to be re-configured later, when I eventually accquire a shutter.





3)
Rear-face mount.
Hardwood sheet cut to fit 4x5 Crown Graphic insert - epoxied to rear side of copper sheet.
Cut nail-ends epoxied over; to firmly fix retaining ring.
Foam added to counter any possible light leaks.

Total build-time; approx 5 hours (+ drying time).





JP
 

Nokton48

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Here is my Frankencamera Sinar Norma Handy now with 65mm F8 Super Angulon lens from KEH. Once I get the optical finder that is coming from China I will be ready to start shooting. Oh Yes, I will drill out the handle to hold a long cable release. This is really kewl to look through (with the Sinar Norma era Reflex Viewfinder), I can see the screen edge to edge. Man is it wide! FUN is ahead!

Norma Handy with lens! by Nokton48, on Flickr
 

Nokton48

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AgX said:
Where does that wooden grip come from?
Click to expand...


Homemade by someone in the USA. $10 on Ebay

Sinar Handy Grip by Nokton48, on Flickr





Here is my home made Sinar Norma Handy camera, with a 6x9cm Graflex Back. Indeed in this configuration this camera is quite "Handy". Weighs almost nothing, balances well in my hand. The 65mm viewfinder from China is now in Chicago, so I should have it in a few days.

The Graflex back is loaded with 120 respooled 70mm Plus-X Aergraphic 2402, hand rolled by Bennini, and came all the way from Italy.

This will be a hoot to shoot with. I am going to drill out the handle and fit a long cable release to go to the 65mm F8 Super Angulon Compur #00 shutter. Then it is finally done.

Sinar Norma Handy 6x9 Graflex Back 70mm 2402 by Nokton48, on Flickr




Here's the new viewfinder coming from China. Sure hope it works out for me.

Sinar Norma Handy Viewfinder by Nokton48, on Flickr
 
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dirkfletcher

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After finishing my 520/15 Zeiss Ikonta with a fixed 47mm Super Angulon a couple years back, I almost immediately started building a companion camera with a less extreme 65mm in a focus mount. I had planned on using the original Zeiss focus mount for the 65mm f/5.6 Super Angulon but after taking it apart to clean out the 50 year old grease, I could not get it back together. I sent it to camera repairman extraordinaire Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works who thought it might ever so slightly bent as he too could not get it back together. Not wanting to use one of the cheaper plastic eBay helicals, I opted for a Fotoman helical which (despite it large size) is amazingly smooth and solid to operate. I originally planned a more compact (and attractive) spacer but the larger helical required a very functional albeit unattractive box style spacer to get the focus perfect. As always I enjoyed the process and the problem solving, especially glad I sent it to a leather guy and had the camera recovered after stripping the old paint and leather. Enjoy!
 

AgX

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What material did you use for the spacer box? And why did you made it from two pieces? Due to lack of a milling machine? Not having at hand thick enough plates?
 

dirkfletcher

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A little bit of both. The fotoman helical mounts with a flange and not a with a giant retaining ring like the Schneider helical. The helical is mounted to the first plate and then bolted to through the second plate to the camera.
Dirk
(PS) I would love to have a mill but I don't.
 

Steve Smith

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dirkfletcher said:
I almost immediately started building a companion camera with a less extreme 65mm in a focus mount.
Click to expand...

When I was planning out my 6x12 camera with a 65mm Super Angulon lens, I put the lens on an old 6x6 folder body to measure the film to lens distance. I quite liked it and it seemed a bit of a shame to remove it to put it on the intended camera.

If I was doing it again, I wouldn't bother with a focusing helical. Hyperfocal is easily sufficient for a 65mm lens in my experience. Especially one which starts at f8.


Steve.
 

wombat2go

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"In focus across the frame" is a challenge for me with the Super Angulon 1:5.6/65mm.
as is shown here in early morning with FujiPro400, hand held, probably at f/11.

https://app.box.com/s/e6483vt67rbjg6usby0h3slnel81m2tf

This lens is on the 2x3 Century.
https://app.box.com/s/w0h8kc5zkjtjshpxv9qzop5nljqxvksq

I learned that it is critical to have the lens parallel with the film plane,
and I seem to have side-to-side right but not sure I have tilt correct yet.
In the above photo, I backed off about 0.5mm from infinity.
The middle distance white building seem in focus at top of frame, as are the close leaves on right side.
But other parts on both sides lower down are not sharp, and the red building most distant is not sharp.

The Century has only rise and back tilt available with the SA65.
So next time I will try with some pre set back tilt.

I have not yet tried rise to correct the building distortion,
on the above image I applied a little bit of perspective correction in darkroom.

To use the ground glass and tripod out in field is out of my pay grade,
what I did was set the camera in the yard on the moon before taking it out.

At this time I am thinking that either the lens is not assembled axially properly,
or else I am trying to use it improperly, maybe at wider ap than designed.

Any comments will be appreciated, maybe Dan can comment.
Thanks
 

Dan Fromm

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Wombat, short lenses severely punish users who can't keep their cameras level. Pay grade or not, you really should use a tripod, level y'r camera, and focus on the GG. How did you focus it without using the GG?

Re back tilt, if you set the standard so that it is as untilted as possible the front standard should be parallel to the film plane. The cameras are designed to do that.

You'll have to drop the bed, making sure that the front standard is on the inner bed rails, or you'll get bed rails in the shot. I take it that y'r example was taken with the bed dropped. That or you cropped some.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan
 

wombat2go

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Hi Dan,
It is not possible to drop the Century bed down with the Super Angulon 65 because at inf, the front std is straddling the two hinges.
That photo was with the bed horizontal.
I think I have the side -to side parallel with the jigger design you provided.
But I think the lens may be tilted down a bit ( for unknown reason).
I agree that this lens is much more difficult to use than say, the RB67 50mm or the Takumar 6x7 55mm on the modified 4x5 Graflex,
and I have used both of those hand held.
How was the S.A.65 traditionally used?
And can any of the above Super Angulon users post some photos?
Thanks
 

Dan Fromm

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Wombat, the Century Graphic antedates the Super Angulon. When it was new, the recommended 65 mm lenses were the 65/6.8 Angulon and 65/6.8 Raptar/Optar, both of which make infinity in the inner bed rails. I expect that users shot them hand held even though that's a sin.

The image you posted is horribly soft. I suggest that you grit your teeth, mount the camera on a tripod and find out where the lens' infinity position really is. Mark it for easy setup and then, if you must, shoot hand held. But take a couple of trial shots from tripod to check whether the lens is in good order.

Cheers,

Dan
 

Nokton48

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Sinar Handy with Strap and Cable Extension by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the final version of my "Sinar Norma Handy". Took it out to the local "crystal palace" botanical garden a month ago, and fired off eighteen shots in a afternoon. Haven't had time to develop them yet, though. Extremely "Handy". They named it right.
 

OeT

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Converted a Kodak No. 1A Autographic to a 6x12





 

AgX

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But was not the Kodak No. 1A Autographic 6x12 before ?
 

Dan Fromm

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AgX said:
But was not the Kodak No. 1A Autographic 6x12 before ?
Click to expand...
2.5" x 4.5", 63.5 mm x 114.3 mm. Not exactly 56x112. And they didn't use 120 film, they used, if I'm not mistaken, 122.
 

AgX

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Yes, I was just wondering about OeTs wording as the main modification seem to be that he exchanged lens and shutter and turned it into fixfocus.
Original type was 116. Thus I would like to know whether new film guides where necessary to guide the smaller type 120 film. I guess well, and then actually the format would have changed to a few millimeters more narrow.
 
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MattKing

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I run 120 through a 616 camera (same as 116, except for the spools) in much the same way. The rails aren't a problem because the camera has a full pressure plate. Any minor curl at the edges is likely to be in the same area as the film rebate.
 
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