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

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

This all fits in the small Zone VI White Bag, looks like a picnic cooler. Restored Plaubel Peco Junior body with Jim Galvin Glenn Evans Graflex Roll Back modded to Peco Junior. Made to nicely hold Singer Graflex 120/220 Roll Backs. Two RH8 2.25x3.25, two RH10 6x7cm, one 220 RH20. Three Fujinon GX680 lenses modded to Plaubel Junior Boards. From the left, the 125mm F5.6 GX680, then the 50mm F5.6 GX680, then on the right, the 180mm F5.6 GX680. All three lenses work perfectly with the standard length Plaubel Peco Jr Rail. Film loaded is Ilford PanF+, Ilford Delta 100, Shanghai 220 EI 100, Maco ORT25, Ilford FP4+, Ilford HP5+. So this I'll be taking out this spring, on an olde Star-D tripod. The tripod has a shoulder strap for traveling, and the bag is HEAVY but has everything I need plus room for odds and ends. Apertures on the shutters fully correctly marked, and verified through direct measurement of the lens front irises. All now perfect ready for fully testing. Eight 120 test rolls have yielded perfect frames, some outside tests and some studio stuff. Will post photos soon. These lenses are sharp enough for digital medium format. Hmmmmmm

 

[Nokton48]

Makiflex Standard BandL Super Cinephor Linhof Graflex Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is my second Makiflex Standard, bought from a shoppe in Vienna. It has been heavily, professionally modified. Note the custom Side Handle. The Front Standard is HEAVILY MODIFIED, note the precison machine werk. Quite a bit of the camera has been removed! Right under the lens is a LENS SWING MECHANISM, which has a ball detent (NICE) and swings the front standard on the optical axis of the lens. Quite a bit of Swing is possible, seems very sturdy and built to last. The cool thing about the Standard Makiflex, is that the inside throat is more spacious, and has no cables getting ini the way of BEEG lens. This boat anchor of a lens, is a Bausch&Lomb Super Cinephor, 159.1mm F2.0, which is outrageously fast. It looks great I think on this camera, and it will get some use this Spring, I can tell you. It's going to be FUN. This is a olde lens meant for 70mm and 35mm Cinema Projection, like in a commercial theatre. Cool that it fits the Standard, but won't fit my Automatic Makiflex, for the above reasons. So this lens is an Uber Speed Light Sucker, great that I can swing the front, say like, when doing a portrait or still life. On the back is the Makiflex 4x5 Holder that takes Linhof Plate Holders, or Graflex Graphic Holders, with the flip of a couple of switches top and bottom. Linhof Holders are much thicker, and can also take planfilm or glass plates. They are mucho Deluxe

 

[Cholentpot]

Here's one I did this winter. Simple yet effective

This gave me 24 frames on a roll of 120. I was shooting a 6x3 frame, photos came out nice enough. Issue was the camera used Ricohflex VII only have 3 shutter speeds.

I need to figure out a way to make a more precise mask. This is the cheapest way of getting an 'Xpan' look.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I have a Bencini Koroll 24s that does this same trick -- but with two windows, so the 3 cm framing is pretty accurate.

 

[Cholentpot]

I have a Bencini Koroll 24s that does this same trick -- but with two windows, so the 3 cm framing is pretty accurate.

And now that I'm aware of this camera existing I'm going to have to look for a functioning one. On the other hand the specs for it don't look too sharp. One shutter speed and two apertures.

I just upgraded to MkIII. Now the baffles are made out of cardboard and sit under the frame so the film doesn't touch it. I'll give it a whirl when I get some film loaded into premarked backing paper

 

[AnselMortensen]

Excellent DIY solution, @Cholentpot!

 

[Cholentpot]

Excellent DIY solution, @Cholentpot!

Thanks!

Now I have to see if the baffles hold throughout the entire roll. Electrical tape tends not to stick so well for me.

 

[Xylo]

I have a Bencini Koroll 24s that does this same trick -- but with two windows, so the 3 cm framing is pretty accurate.

I've done the same with a Coronet Commander 2. It used to make 24x36 images but I've elongated the window to hopefully make it more interesting while keeping the 24 exp per roll.

 

[nosmok]

This is me FINALLY getting around to using a buncha things bought over the years. I've had this 620 'Bower-X' camera body sans lens for a very long time, ditto with the 47mm f/8 Super Angulon. I also have a LOT of 620 film, dating back years when I thought the Kodak Monitor 620 was the only camera I'd ever need. I decided to see if I could use the SA and this camera body and get something for sweat equity. I tore off all the lens holding hardware and the front door, and mocked up the SA onto a cardboard lensboard (an empty 6x9 sheet film box) with a cheap M42 focusing helicoid and black masking tape. Took some shots to see if it was worthwhile, it ended up so good I shot several rolls like that. I decided to make it permanent. I got some craft basswood, which is light but about as strong as matchsticks, and laminated it, each layer w/perpendicular grain, with Titebond glue-- making my own plywood. Then I built a box in the camera body, glued on a laminated top, drilled a hole, threaded the helicoid directly into the wood, and used my wife's nail polish to hold the helicoid in place after painting the inside to reduce reflections (good ol' Testors Flat Black). Photos show the progression to finished state. Focus scale (2', 5', infinity) made with the aid of Scotch Tape across the film rollers. It really works beyond expectations-- I'll put up some pics from the test roll in the Gallery. I can't quit the masking tape, but hope people find this build a little less 'nightmarish' (actual Photrio comment) than my earlier ones. I am pleased as punch.

 

[nosmok]

A few additional things: 1) The pale tape on the front in the 2nd shot is securing the steel screws that are holding the cold shoe and 21mm VF in the penultimate shot. They held down the original Bower-X lens VF, and must be self-tapping, because they did. 2) My cold shoe was salvaged from an old Zarya with bad shutter curtains. If anybody knows of a good source of cold shoes for this sort of thing, I'm all ears. 3) I varied the distance scale on the final version by accident-- put down the red tape in the wrong place and decided to go with it 4) The SA lens is mounted in a drilled-out M42 body cap. The plan is to achieve interchangeable lenses by using M42 extension tubes and different tape colors for the focus scale. 5) The Bower-X is identical to an old Adox folder, which I successfully bought on evilBay with a 6x4.5 mask (we'll see if it ever comes-- the seller has been incommunicado since taking my money), so I'll be able to get 16 6x4.5 exposures (equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm frame). I have the VF in hand if/when it happens. Fun!

 

[blee1996]

Nice hack: those super wide lenses and 6x9 folders are made for each other! Look forward to some photos out of your creation.

 

[nosmok]

Here you go!

Bird of Purgatory (CR_0382_007)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023

Arrow (CR_0382_006)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023
• 1

Wind-blown (CR_0382_005)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023

 

[mshchem]

That's very cool. That's making good use of the things you have. Look forward to seeing some photos!

 

[nosmok]

(Sheepish grin) I just realized that I meant to post this in the "Pics of Your Homebuilt Cameras...Part 2" thread, but I didn't. Whoops. Moderators, maybe you can move it? I guess it's not doing too much harm where it is. My apologies though for busting through the wrong door.

 

[mshchem]

Here you go!

Bird of Purgatory (CR_0382_007)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023

Arrow (CR_0382_006)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023
• 1

Wind-blown (CR_0382_005)

• nosmok
• Jun 5, 2023

Looking good! What's the film/developer?

 

[nosmok]

Looking good! What's the film/developer?

Thanks! It's very expired Verichrome Pan (1973) shot at 50ASA, souped in Caffenol C, semi-stand for 30 minutes. There's some benzo in there, about 20ml/L, to reduce fog.

 

[georg16nik]

Marvelous!!!

 

[koraks]

(Sheepish grin) I just realized that I meant to post this in the "Pics of Your Homebuilt Cameras...Part 2" thread, but I didn't. Whoops. Moderators, maybe you can move it?

Done as requested!

 

[mshchem]

Thanks! It's very expired Verichrome Pan (1973) shot at 50ASA, souped in Caffenol C, semi-stand for 30 minutes. There's some benzo in there, about 20ml/L, to reduce fog.

Yep, I think in Kodak films good old Verichrome was the main black and white film. I think you are doing great. That's a hotrod setup, beautiful lens. People spend crazy money for a setup like this new from the factory.

I wonder how many billion rolls of Verichrome Kodak sold over the years? Great film!!!

 

[MattKing]

Yep, I think in Kodak films good old Verichrome was the main black and white film.

Verichrome Pan at least - in the amateur world, over a decent period of time.
As it was never available in 35mm, that time ended.

 

[mshchem]

Yep, 620 was Verichrome, 120 got everything else, including Verichrome, and as stated no Verichrome in 35mm. I don't really miss the old extinct films, the stuff available today, IMHO, blows away the early stuff.

Still, clearly these older films were outstanding and could really shine.

 

[nosmok]

Verichrome Pan at least - in the amateur world, over a decent period of time.
As it was never available in 35mm, that time ended.

Oddly, VPan was available ON 35mm (828 rolls and 126 cartridges) but not IN 35mm (135 cartridges or bulk rolls). One of many weird decisions by EK.

 

[MattKing]

Oddly, VPan was available ON 35mm (828 rolls and 126 cartridges) but not IN 35mm (135 cartridges or bulk rolls). One of many weird decisions by EK.

It reflected the fact that Verichrome Pan was optimal for cameras that provided less accurate exposure, and the perception that those who were using 35mm cameras wanted lower grain - Verichrome Pan was moderately grainy.

 

[Nokton48]

FOBA Pulso Snoot Incandescent Grid by Nokton48, on Flickr

Made for FUN some time ago Broncolor Pulso Gridded Snoot Attached (with Pulso Adapter) 250W Tungsten Spotlight. Will be useful for shooting still lifes and adding just a bit of light. Needs a 120V Bulb and a cord.

 

[Mr_Vasily]

My camera is 6x12