DIY newb help... want to make my large format

[noorali]

Hi

I am a student and have been using a DSLR most of the time I have done some medium format but it just does not do it for me.

I want to make my own large format camera, but the closest I have come to building my own camera is a pinhole when I was a kid.

I was thinking of making a camera obscura then attaching a modified flat bed scanner(light removed) and laptop but the final image would be too dark (I assume).

I have loads of old 35mm cameras and lens’ is it possible to modify this into the front plate and I am sure I can make my own bellows but what do I do about more importantly the film I am sure they don’t sell and develop that in jessops.

[Ron Marshall]

Used LF is so cheap now, why bother to make something.

[pablo batt]

try a pinhole using 8x10 film, you will love the neg size and the cost of setup

foma 8x10 100 asa 64 euro for 50 sheets

32423

i took my briefcase camera out in amsterdam today and scored a huge neg and it looks great

not good for moving subjects though :0)

[noorali]

well I would love to create my own large format digital camera in the style of the old lage format cameras also I want to be able to make the negs the same size as the print aka A2 and even if I jst end up makeing a normal LF camera the point is that I would have made it

[ic-racer]

well I would love to create my own large format digital camera in the style of the old lage format cameras also I want to be able to make the negs the same size as the print aka A2 and even if I jst end up makeing a normal LF camera the point is that I would have made it

You are going to make a digital negative for contact printing from a large scanner on the camera back connected to a computer? Why not just put some film in the camera and you get the negative in a much simpler manner. Or, if you need digital manipulation, scan the negative.

[John T]

If you Google "scanner on camera", or something similar, you can find a bunch of people who did various versions of what you want. It seems that most of the results were more about doing the project or creating an interesting looking image rather than extremely high quality images.

Have fun, but make sure you post your results if you have some interesting images.

[sun of sand]

box hobo camera

[jon.oman]

You may find this information interesting:

http://people.cs.ubc.ca/~heidrich/Papers/EG.04.pdf

It shows information on using a small scanner as a back for an 8x10 view.

Jon

[Robert Hughes]

I am finishing up the build of an 8"x10" box camera using:

- 1 drawer slide (frame),
- 2 painting canvas stretchers (front and rear standards),
- a couple sheets of black foam core (box) and construction paper,
- an Office Max 8.5x11 fresnel magnifier (viewer),
- miscellaneous odds & ends.

Total expenditure about $100, not including lens and Kodak film holders.

Pictures forthcoming, when I'm closer to complete ...