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

[awty]

Managed to fit a super 90mm, hopefully will be more sharper, also tightened up a few things. Fitted a cable release. Need to film test.

 

[Dan Fromm]

It looks like a fixed focus camera. Is it?

 

[awty]

It looks like a fixed focus camera. Is it?

No. Ballows slide forward using the focus slide.
Is just set to infinity in photo. Rangefinder isn't very accurate be ok around f16.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[awty]

Thanks for the explanation.

The forward standard moves less than 1cm to go from 1mtr to infinity. For close critical focus you would be better off with a 4x5 view camera. I have a linhof technika press, its considerably heavier and more awkward to use than this camera......but a camera is only as good as the operator, best see how it functions.

 

[dirkfletcher]

I've wanted to do a Polaroid 250 conversion for years since first seeing the Sabre made by Chaminox.

There were several challenges that I wanted this camera to address to insure its usability and integration into my digital setup.

In addition to lightweight and hand 'holdability' I really wanted to be able to (quickly) change film holders with one hand and comfortably carry over the camera my shoulder when I'm not shooting. As cool as the Sabre is, it's reliant on either a Grafmatic or special holders that are screamed in place. After trying a bunch options, I ended up using friends CNC mill to cut a flange that held the film holder and allowed for a 1x1x1/8 inch angle aluminum frame to be built around it. This keeps stray light to a minimum and makes for a really robust standard. Modified springs from Nielson frames were installed to keep the film holder firmly in place while making it really easy to 'one-hand' them.

The camera uses one of my favorite little (and super affordable) lenses the 125mm f/5.6 Fujinon? Using a custom cam provided by Swiss camera builder @oscaroweson (builder of the super cool @panomicron) the Zeiss rangefinder is dead on.

Weighing in at just 1010 grams or 2.22 pounds it's lighter then my last lightweight 4x5 but with a fully functioning rangefinder! I can't find the weight of the Sabre anywhere but I'd be curious to see how this compares.

 

[awty]

View attachment 231073 View attachment 231071 View attachment 231072
I've wanted to do a Polaroid 250 conversion for years since first seeing the Sabre made by Chaminox.

There were several challenges that I wanted this camera to address to insure its usability and integration into my digital setup.

In addition to lightweight and hand 'holdability' I really wanted to be able to (quickly) change film holders with one hand and comfortably carry over the camera my shoulder when I'm not shooting. As cool as the Sabre is, it's reliant on either a Grafmatic or special holders that are screamed in place. After trying a bunch options, I ended up using friends CNC mill to cut a flange that held the film holder and allowed for a 1x1x1/8 inch angle aluminum frame to be built around it. This keeps stray light to a minimum and makes for a really robust standard. Modified springs from Nielson frames were installed to keep the film holder firmly in place while making it really easy to 'one-hand' them.

The camera uses one of my favorite little (and super affordable) lenses the 125mm f/5.6 Fujinon? Using a custom cam provided by Swiss camera builder @oscaroweson (builder of the super cool @panomicron) the Zeiss rangefinder is dead on.

Weighing in at just 1010 grams or 2.22 pounds it's lighter then my last lightweight 4x5 but with a fully functioning rangefinder! I can't find the weight of the Sabre anywhere but I'd be curious to see how this compares.

Great work, very innervated. Do you have full coverage for 4" height? How does the cam fit? do you have any pictures? These old land cameras are very light and versatile, think I need to pick up some more before word gets out and the price goes up.

 

[EdSawyer]

Chamonix claimed the saber was 850 grams (https://web.archive.org/web/20130303120054/http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/saber.html), I'll weight mine when I get a chance.

 

[dirkfletcher]

Wow! 850 grams!! That's quite impressive. Thanks for sharing.

By pushing out the rear standard you do get full coverage. My first attempt was not a full frame camera as I wanted to keep the camera smaller and folding finder intact but once I started tested it the finder was always folded when I didn't want it and not folded when it wanted it. I also though not being full frame wouldn't be an issue but as I started seeing test film I didn't like it being cut off.
So the next version was a larger full frame camera with a permently mounted finder that I ended up with.

 

[Ray Morgenweck]

During the 1970s Leica made a very small amount of non functional UR Leica replicas. So, while I was waiting for Mr. Kim in Seoul to complete modifications on one of my URs, I decided to modify another I had. This one is both more, and less, true to the original. For this camera I used a Zeiss Kino Tessar F 3.5 5cm that dates to 1911. This was the first type of lens Oskar Barnack used. Also, I attached a Leica finder off a Standsrd. Really a sweet, and historiic Camera. And yes, it is fully operational. I use Tessina cassettes as you cannot fit in a standsrd cassette.

 

[AgX]

To what extent that mock-up was nonfunctional and how did you make it work?

 

[Ray Morgenweck]

The Leitz replica had internals mostly for show. The lenses were haphazard displays that did not focus an image. The shutter curtain was a display piece, drums too small and weak, no drive to film transport. There are two ways to make them fully operational (except counter). First is by Mr. Kim a fantastic technician in Seoul, he done one of mine.....this retains the original lens fixings and uses the proper (Barnacks 2nd lens) the Leitz 42 mm Summar. He took a lot of internals from a IIIc and hand made Many parts inside. The Camera took over a year to get back. I’ve got about $3000 in that one. It is smooth as silk and beautiful image maker. The second way, I done myself, was trial and error for a hundred hours, making new drums on my lathe, making a shutter curtain, getting the timing right, Finding that Lens! The UR is an awesome user camera! The top photo is Dr. George Furst, a true UR fan who assisted with the fabrication. Here he is at Oskar Barnacks Grave in Wetzlar, poses with two working UR Leicas.

 

[Ray Morgenweck]

While George was in Wetzlar he had the opportunity to duplicate Oskars famous image of the Eisenmarket using a UR Leica with the 42mm Summar. One image is Barnacks, the other George’s!

 

[awty]

Well done Ray, very nice work. Not many people could manage doing that.

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Hey Ed!
How you've been?
I've just yesterday tested my Cambo Maxiportrait with it's "string" focus and realized it works!!

I've also ordered the Lomo rangefinder to attach to the camera for faster focusing.

As I see you did what we discussed before on Large Format Forum (thanks for the credit, so sweet!). Can you tell me if the "framing lines" are correct when Big Shot's RF is used? Our idea is so much nicer than my route, since View Finder & Range Finder are combined together, but I don't have an extra Big Shot on hand & ordering one from US for me comes way too expensive to justify cutting it's RF for this purpose. Wish I was living in US just for all those dream cameras!

Is focus good enough for wide open shooting?

I have a chance to buy a Maxiportrait, do you know where it's manual can be found, or any other info? Thank you.

 

[AgX]

There seem to be three different models of this designation, or more likely people mixed up models. In any case there are three models of 4x5, single-lens, non-rangefinder cameras from Cambo. All seem straightforward and have fixed focus. And the manuals of most similar cameras from them do not reveal more than obvious from first sight. In case of need of special information I would inquire at Cambo.

 

[EdSawyer]

The maxiportrait really needs no manual. There is usually a tape measure or string that is attached to it that is drawn out to the focal point. The back is graflock. The lens is in a self-cocking copal 1, and will be a tessar Congo 240mm f/6.3 (near-clone of commercial ektar), or a 240mm f/9 G-Claron.

I put the rangefinder from a polaroid bigshot on them, for the 2 I have. You can tweak it to show when focus is correct with just minor adjustments. The framing is near perfect too, and it's a lightweight and easy mod. Highly recommended, as then you can point-and-shoot it much easier than with the tape measure method.

 

[AgX]

One of the Cambo models has a springloaded spool with a respective string attached by magnet to the grip side of the body.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

From a piece of oak I made this tripod adapter to be fitted in the old British tripod mount of my full plate Eastman....
The oak came from a piece of old parquet found in a waste container in my street used by people refurbishing their home.....

Here you can find more about the restoration of the camera itself:
https://www.largeformatphotography....tman-Dry-Plate-amp-Film-Co-camera-restoration

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

This Easter Corona weekend, finally had time to make some lens boards for the 3 British oldies that were in need of those - even round ones (for each camera I made 2 boards):


Lens boards - DIY ( 1 ) by Ron (Netherlands), on Flickr


Lens boards - DIY ( 2 ) by Ron (Netherlands), on Flickr

 

[dirkfletcher]

Finally finished my custom built (and bargain basement priced) XPan.

I'm using a 1980's Nimslo camera that has the 4 lenses (used for making 3D 'lenticular' prints) removed and cut out into a single 24mm X 74mm panoramic opening. Thats almost 10mm wider than an XPan and not much more then 1/10 the price for the entire camera.

As long as I've been building cameras, I only recently realized that you can gut a Bronica lens and the front and rear lens groups screw directly into a Copal shutter just as a Super Angulon would. It is a brilliant option that opens so many doors in terms of lens options for custom cameras.

This camera is using the smaller of the two Bronica 40mm f/4 (made the 645 ETR) and it covers the three inch negative with only a little falloff. At f/8 its surprisingly good. The larger 40mm that was made for the 6x6 SQ system would probably cover with a little less fall off but I 'd rather have the mild vignette in exchange for a smaller camera. I'm using Oscars Oweson's 3D printed shade that gives the lens some protection and finished the cameras.

You can check out more of my custom cameras here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkfletcher/albums
or on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirkfletcher

Thanks for looking!
Dirk

 

[kahlheins]

L

View attachment 244410 View attachment 244411 Finally finished my custom built (and bargain basement priced) XPan.

I'm using a 1980's Nimslo camera that has the 4 lenses (used for making 3D 'lenticular' prints) removed and cut out into a single 24mm X 74mm panoramic opening. Thats almost 10mm wider than an XPan and not much more then 1/10 the price for the entire camera.

As long as I've been building cameras, I only recently realized that you can gut a Bronica lens and the front and rear lens groups screw directly into a Copal shutter just as a Super Angulon would. It is a brilliant option that opens so many doors in terms of lens options for custom cameras.

This camera is using the smaller of the two Bronica 40mm f/4 (made the 645 ETR) and it covers the three inch negative with only a little falloff. At f/8 its surprisingly good. The larger 40mm that was made for the 6x6 SQ system would probably cover with a little less fall off but I 'd rather have the mild vignette in exchange for a smaller camera. I'm using Oscars Oweson's 3D printed shade that gives the lens some protection and finished the cameras.

You can check out more of my custom cameras here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkfletcher/albums
or on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirkfletcher

Thanks for looking!
Dirk

Looks great, I love your projects. Stumbled across the 6x12 based on a Ikonta 520/15 recently and I am currently planning to build a similar camera. Have you had any problems with vignetting (with and without center filter) with the 47mm Angulon (non XL I think?)

 

[dirkfletcher]

Hey there, the non XL f/5.6 will just cover the Ikonta which is a shade smaller then 6x12. You do get a little vignetting but I generally burning the edges down of most of my shots. I know there are a lot of purists that wouldn't consider shooting that lens w/o a center filter. Here are a couple transparencies shot with the camera before I sold it.


Dirk

(PS) I should mention this is the jail in Chicago where El Chapo was held!

 

[kahlheins]

I just finished my LomAngulon. A previously broken Lomography BelAir in the 6x12 format with a 90mm Schneider Kreuznach Angulon. I completely removed the front face including light meter, shutter and lens mount from the camera and replaced it with a 3D-printed "lens board". I might consider getting a second one any try to include the shutter and light meter, but that's another project for the future. The yellow rubber band holds the folding mechanism down. I initially had little plastic clips printed that worked with the original open/close mechanism, but I genuinely prefer it this way. Since I didn't have a lens cap in the right size, it turns out the cap of my cheap pepper mill fits perfectly

The camera only weighs 500 grams and is set to fixed infinity focus.

 

[dirkfletcher]

Finishing up some older projects. Here is a 6x12 made from two Zeiss 515/16 that we’re joined together using a 65mm f/8 Super Angulon in a focusing mount. I shot some test film and will process it and post it this weekend.