A "film holder" ground glass

[OeT]

Just wanted to share a small project.
Been looking for easy way to set focus on converted polaroids and other diy cameras without a ground glass of their own.
I tried to gut and use regular film holder but it got messy so I decided to design my own that I could print in my 3d printer.
I will use 4mm frosted glass I happend to have laying around, maybe not the best choise but it will due.

3d model, front and back

151508

151509

I have never done a gg before so any suggestions or improvements is much appreciated
Will make a test print tomorrow

[koh303]

What cameras will this go on? Pack film or roll film conversions?

[Tim Meisburger]

Cool! I did the same thing with mahogany, and it works fine. Good luck!

[ScottPhotoCo]

This was what I made to set focus on my Graflex SLR. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160606/2e9c0ec9b68edaac47f34b1d4c9b7484.jpg


Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

[OeT]

What cameras will this go on? Pack film or roll film conversions?

I'm converting a Polaroid Pathfinder 120 to 4x5 so I will use it to check if the rangefinder is still on spot after I'm done.

[OeT]

Some results

The strip on the left is to keep it from sliding out
https://i.imgur.com/Vxecimr.jpg

Strip glued in place
https://i.imgur.com/UrCdwPk.jpg

Glass mounted
https://i.imgur.com/vXKCtXG.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pzV31Ef.jpg

[OeT]

Slide mounted in the Wanderlust Travelwide
https://i.imgur.com/NQ6yoqI.jpg

It hard to show the image quality on the glass but i tried, taken in bright light without any dark cloth.
Didn't have any lens that fit on the camera so I used a Polaroid MP-4 taped on the front of the camera.
https://i.imgur.com/isdYvmJ.jpg

It's a huge improvement over the Travelwides original screen
https://i.imgur.com/Ifm6USr.jpg

[Drew Bedo]

I had one made for me by Mike at Professional Camera Repair in Houston. I brought in a wooden film holder and a piece of GG, He managed to put it together in 20-30 min ans charged me $40.

Works fine in my TravelWide.

[Tim Meisburger]

This looks great! Weirdly, it looks just like my mahogany one, including the finger groove, but I guess plastic is fits the camera better. Will share your files with others? Here is mine:151524

[BetterSense]

I have done this multiple times for multiple platforms...but what I never got figured out well is what to do with the ground glass between removing it from the camera and inserting the "real" filmholder. Every time, I pull out the GG and look around stupidly for where to put it while I install the film holder. Usually it goes under my arm, and gets fingerprints on it, or balanced on top the the camera and falls off, or simply on the ground and gets stepped on...for cameras like the travelwide or conversions that require the thing to be used every time, I need to come up with some kind of system for temporarily holding it on the tripod or camera... Maybe some sort of hook, bungee, or magnet. Crack that problem, and I will be truly impressed.

[Tim Meisburger]

I have done this multiple times for multiple platforms...but what I never got figured out well is what to do with the ground glass between removing it from the camera and inserting the "real" filmholder. Every time, I pull out the GG and look around stupidly for where to put it while I install the film holder. Usually it goes under my arm, and gets fingerprints on it, or balanced on top the the camera and falls off, or simply on the ground and gets stepped on...for cameras like the travelwide or conversions that require the thing to be used every time, I need to come up with some kind of system for temporarily holding it on the tripod or camera... Maybe some sort of hook, bungee, or magnet. Crack that problem, and I will be truly impressed.

Good point! Mine's always laying on the ground, where I worry I will step on it or forget it. You could always mount a spring back, I guess. But the idea is you don't need a back to it to use the camera. So far, for me, I use a tripod and ground glass about half the time.

[OeT]

This looks great! Weirdly, it looks just like my mahogany one, including the finger groove, but I guess plastic is fits the camera better. Will share your files with others? Here is mine:151524

Yes they look pretty alike.
Any reason for the angled cuts off the corner off the glass?
I will upload the files on thingiverse just need to adjust the dimension on the plastic strip, it was a bit hard to make it fit in the slot.

[Tim Meisburger]

Yes they look pretty alike.
Any reason for the angled cuts off the corner off the glass?
I will upload the files on thingiverse just need to adjust the dimension on the plastic strip, it was a bit hard to make it fit in the slot.

No. No reason for the cut corners on the Travelwide. They are used to check lens coverage on a viewcamera after adjustments are applied, but since there are no movements on a Travelwide, they are superfluous. I just had this ground glass already, so used it.

[Ray Heath]

G'day O,
I like your printed ground glass holder.

To what size do you think this would be a viable method of production?

As for where to put the GG after focusing, I'd suggest building a simple spring back as per my attached image.

151529

[BetterSense]

The spring back is not practical for rollfilm backs though.

[Jac@stafford.net]

The spring back is not practical for rollfilm backs though.

The Calumet C2 120 or Linhof 120 which slide in like a sheet film holder is not practical?

[OeT]

My printer only has 200x200mm print area so this is as big as I can go but it is possible to print bigger with a larger printer.

[OeT]

I have uploaded the files on thingiverse now if anyone want to make their own

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1614570

[Drew Bedo]

If you convert a film holder, there will still be two dark slides to cover and protect the GG when not in use. Mine is nearly as durable as a standard film holder and I treat them the same.

[StoneNYC]

This is a great idea for those who have multiple cameras with no ground glass, only need one glass!

No but seriously as a travel spare this could be really handy!

[stawastawa]

I have done this multiple times for multiple platforms...but what I never got figured out well is what to do with the ground glass between removing it from the camera and inserting the "real" filmholder. Every time, I pull out the GG and look around stupidly for where to put it while I install the film holder. Usually it goes under my arm, and gets fingerprints on it, or balanced on top the the camera and falls off, or simply on the ground and gets stepped on...for cameras like the travelwide or conversions that require the thing to be used every time, I need to come up with some kind of system for temporarily holding it on the tripod or camera... Maybe some sort of hook, bungee, or magnet. Crack that problem, and I will be truly impressed.

Use the double hot shoes on top to create a 'hood' for your lens out of the ground glass.
Add two mounts to the ground glass to slide it onto the top of the camera.
Extra special flare effect if the lens is wide enough =)

[BetterSense]

The Calumet C2 120 or Linhof 120 which slide in like a sheet film holder is not practical?
I am unaware of such a back for 2x3.

[Daniel.E]

I thought of a request or improvement to the design. I was thinking that it'd be handy to have grooves, like the 545i or alike, so that it can be used with international backs as well.

[MMELVIS]

I have done this multiple times for multiple platforms...but what I never got figured out well is what to do with the ground glass between removing it from the camera and inserting the "real" filmholder. Every time, I pull out the GG and look around stupidly for where to put it while I install the film holder. Usually it goes under my arm, and gets fingerprints on it, or balanced on top the the camera and falls off, or simply on the ground and gets stepped on...for cameras like the travelwide or conversions that require the thing to be used every time, I need to come up with some kind of system for temporarily holding it on the tripod or camera... Maybe some sort of hook, bungee, or magnet. Crack that problem, and I will be truly impressed.

This will work if you wear a belt.
https://www.thebuffshop.com/pc-3635-268-belt-pouch-black.aspx

If you do not wear a belt something like this
https://www.google.com/#q=waist+pouch+with+leg+strap

I have no affiliation with any of the provided links. They are only being shown as an example of a product that may work for you.

[MMELVIS]

This will work if you wear a belt.
https://www.thebuffshop.com/pc-3635-268-belt-pouch-black.aspx

If you do not wear a belt something like this
https://www.google.com/#q=waist+pouch+with+leg+strap

I have no affiliation with any of the provided links. They are only being shown as an example of a product that may work for you.

If you want a simple clip system. Get 2 of the large binder clips and a length of string tied to each end to one of the clips. Clip one binder clips on the tripod and the other to the ground glass film holder.