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

[fdonadio]

One thing that really drew me to the Wirgin was the lever advance

Oh, I see. I pretty much agree with you that a good advance system (even better when coupled to a shutter) is a great thing to have, but I’m more worried about overall camera reliability. The Nimslo is mostly (fully?) made out of plastic, so it seems to be… let’s say, fickle. I think metal cameras tend to be more reliable. Maybe a better question for someone that wants to make a camera like yours is: which cameras (besides the Nimslo) should one avoid?

Also, for a 24x85 mm frame, I would consider lenses that cover 6x9 cm (2-1/4x3-1/4”), in the 47-90 mm range (wide to normal). A small and light lens would be a great choice, I think… but which?

 

[fdonadio]

in the 47-90 mm range

Sorry, I meant 65-90 mm range. 47mm is a bit too wide for a panoramic camera, I think.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Sorry, I meant 65-90 mm range. 47mm is a bit too wide for a panoramic camera, I think.

Interesting. So you'll know, in the right situations my 47 SA gives good results on 2x3, which can be cropped to 24x100 if desired. Short lenses aren't always right for scenics because shots taken with them are all foreground.

 

[Donald Qualls]

a full 20mm WIDER than an XPan. With a considerably smaller price tag.

Not to mention no unrepairable electronics to fail without warning...

 

[fdonadio]

Interesting. So you'll know, in the right situations my 47 SA gives good results on 2x3, which can be cropped to 24x100 if desired. Short lenses aren't always right for scenics because shots taken with them are all foreground.

I googled for “small light lens 6x9” and found one of your posts on LFPF where you sent this link:

https://galerie-photo.com/telechargement/dan-fromm-6x9-lenses-v2-2011-03-29.pdf#page11

 

[dirkfletcher]

I really like the 65mm lens for something like this. Like Dan said above, the 47mm can be two wide depending on how/what you shoot. If you look at Andrew Bieber’s custom cameras on Flickr, he (in addition to having some really cool cameras) has mad a couple Wirgin conversions using a 65mm f/6.8 Angulon which is a really nice little compact lens. Dirk

 

[fdonadio]

I really like the 65mm lens for something like this. Like Dan said above, the 47mm can be two wide depending on how/what you shoot. If you look at Andrew Bieber’s custom cameras on Flickr, he (in addition to having some really cool cameras) has mad a couple Wirgin conversions using a 65mm f/6.8 Angulon which is a really nice little compact lens. Dirk

Thanks for the Angulon 6.8/65 tip. I’ll be looking for that one, in addition to the 6.8/90, that would be awesome on my 6x12 Holga Pinhole mod.

At the moment, I don’t have space to work on my projects and still haven’t finished my first one… I wish I could put my hands on an SWC body, like you did.

 

[dirkfletcher]

This is the first camera conversion that I’ve made using laser cut parts. Both wood and acrylic for the nose piece were used. It looks SO much better than my first couple attempts at the front plate. I’m super excited how the entire camera turned out.

14 shots per roll of 35mm with a film gate of 35mm x 85mm. A bit wider than the traditional 3:1 aspect of a 6x17 camera and a full 20mm WIDER than an XPan. With a considerably smaller price tag!

 

[Barry Kirsten]

A quick pic of my current home-mades. L_R (back): 5x12 curved film plane pinhole; 5x7 folding field camera with extensive movements, and 4x5 reducing back; 5x7 sheet film pinhole. Front: 6x6 rollfilm pinhole; 2x3 sheet film pinhole.

 

[MattiS]

I want to use a Horsemen 612 rollfilm back in my RSS 4x5. The extra problem next to the short fixing screws - it does not fit at all:

So a bit of machining was needed:

Screws replaced by longer threaded rods, now the roll film holder fits:

 

[awty]

A quick pic of my current home-mades. L_R (back): 5x12 curved film plane pinhole; 5x7 folding field camera with extensive movements, and 4x5 reducing back; 5x7 sheet film pinhole. Front: 6x6 rollfilm pinhole; 2x3 sheet film pinhole.

Beautiful work Barry. Specially like the 5x12, do you have any examples of pictures from it?

 

[awty]

I want to use a Horsemen 612 rollfilm back in my RSS 4x5. The extra problem next to the short fixing screws - it does not fit at all:

View attachment 305509



So a bit of machining was needed:

View attachment 305510




Screws replaced by longer threaded rods, now the roll film holder fits:

View attachment 305511

View attachment 305512

Cool, can you still use the film advance ok?

 

[Barry Kirsten]

Beautiful work Barry. Specially like the 5x12, do you have any examples of pictures from it?

Hi Paul, here are a couple, both done on Kodak 5x12 x-ray film (expired 2009). The shot of our local library building (done on WWPD this year but not submitted) shows how image geometry is affected by the film plane curvature. It surprised me as I'd only done landscape shots before where the effect is not as noticeable. I included front rise and fall because when the camera is tilted up or down the horizon line curves. I haven't had to use this yet.

 

[MattiS]

Cool, can you still use the film advance ok?

No, I have to take the holder out of the camera to advance the film.

 

[EnCavale]

I've only seen this mentioned once or twice before, so in case it's useful to some people: here's how to adapt a Sinar Copal shutter to a view camera, behind the front standard. That makes it a lot easier to use old heavy barrel lenses in and outside the studio.

I've used a Luland Sinar shutter adapter (from eBay) to hold the front of the shutter to the front standard of the camera, and a Sinar lens board allows me to fix the bellows to the back of the shutter.

This is a prototype, not meant to be pretty. I managed to put that together using only the existing screw holes that held the bellows to the front standard, and everything can be reverse if needed.

Cheers!

 

[Fragomeni]

Just made a short video showing my 20x24 camera build for anyone interested. The YouTube video is here. This has been a really fun build and I'm very happy with how it's turned out! Still have to do some finishing touches (been dragging my feet) but it's almost ready to use!

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

I built this new to me 8x10 Norma (my second one) which I configured from pieces I recently acquired. An F Front Standard, and a Norma 8x10 Rear Standard. A great location combination. I got this idea when my Wife and I went to the Wexner Center at O.S.U. and see Annie Leibovitz's photos on exhibition. This camera was shown in a photo Annie snapped was a wall-sized B&W, of Richard Avedon's equipment closet. I thought it rather strange at the time, an F attached to a Norma. I think it will make a very good field camera. Shown with the 360mm Schneider Symmar in Norma Iris mount, and the Norma Shutter. So a 60's era speedy location camera. I've tested the camera in the studio and it's a winner.

 

[Nokton48]

18x24 Mammo Shortie Sawed Off Norma by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is a test shot (my Shorty Norma) French Kodak 18x24cm Mammo Film, processed in D23 1:1. Taking camera is my new Annie/Avedon inspired 8x10 Norma. I applied 30 degrees of front and rear swing, the Norma original recessed lensboard is sharp all the way across the field. I like how the DOF drops off with the 360mm f5.6 Norma Symmar. There appears to be highlight blooming, which I find kind of attractive. Best thing about this film was that it was not at all expensive. And I have a lot of it

My "Shorty Sawed-Off Norma" has a basic rail cut down, to just accomodate a 120mm lens. Here it is shown with the 47mm f8 Super Angulon, which I am looking forward to using a lot with 2x3 and 6x9. This is not a telephoto camera, but I can easily lift and carry it with one hand without strain. The lowly Star-D tripod is sturdy enough with this setup, given proper time to settle down. I cut both ends off a basic Norma rail with my Lil Machine Shop Bandsaw. So it is now simply a hollow tube perfect length for Field and Architecture.

 

[Ian Grant]

A quick pic of my current home-mades. L_R (back): 5x12 curved film plane pinhole; 5x7 folding field camera with extensive movements, and 4x5 reducing back; 5x7 sheet film pinhole. Front: 6x6 rollfilm pinhole; 2x3 sheet film pinhole.

I recognise the Film Holder adapter, I've made a few of those for British Half Plate cameras

Ian

 

[fpd2]

Bay 1 to Cokin A-series adapter/lens hood and 90 degree angle cold shoe extension for an additional light meter (or anything else). 3D printed at home.

 

[dirkfletcher]

Couple conversions I've recently completed. The smaller one on the right is a 6x9 w/ a 47mm f/8 in a focus mount. Enjoyed playing with silver accents on this one including taking down the Arca plate to silver with black detail.

The Wirgin conversion has a fixed focus modern 47mm f/5.6 SA with an 18mm Voigtlander finder that is masked down to match the field of view of the camera. This is the third Wirgin conversion that I've built and the first one where I rolled the left side of the Arca plate to match the curve of the camera body. It wasn't sitting flat so I added a shim on the bottom so the camera doesn't sit at an angle when you set it down. Each time I build one, there are little improvements that I realize would be helpful.

 

[Moose22]

Each time I build one, there are little improvements that I realize would be helpful.

It shows. I've been watching this thread for quite a while now and your work keeps getting more refined.

These look fantastic.

 

[OAPOli]

Here's my Wirgin build with SA 47mm f5.6. I coupled the lens to a Zorki RF. The latter expects a 52mm lens but it works ok.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2nvkRjS] DIY Wirgin Panoramic verywiiideᵀᴹ by Olivier, on Flickr[/URL]

DSC-05213 stitch by Olivier, on Flickr

 

[nosmok]

Here's my Wirgin build with SA 47mm f5.6. I coupled the lens to a Zorki RF. The latter expects a 52mm lens but it works ok.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2nvkRjS] DIY Wirgin Panoramic verywiiideᵀᴹ by Olivier, on Flickr[/URL]

DSC-05213 stitch by Olivier, on Flickr

That is very cool! Props to you.

 

[4season]

3D printed a 4 mm spanner in order to remove the self-timer lever of a Minolta SRT101 (worked great).