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I think an SLR would be more suitable for longer lenses. With a full scale mirror box (one that can cover a 10x10" focusing screen for landscape/portrait), the shortest lens assuming you want some...

Just upgraded the viewing lens on my TWR, so it now sports two 150 Xenotars. This took a bit of reworking, I think anything shorter would require redesigning the lens panels or front standard, but...

I'm afraid not. My camera came to me with the modified spring back (not a Graflok). I believe the original design had a simple spring tab that holds the film holders firm in tension, but mine has a...

My camera doesn't have the interchangeable bayonet mount anymore, the lenses were mounted directly to the sliding front panels. Much of the work is bespoke to this pair of lenses, I'm not sure the...

This is my modified Cambo TWR which now sports the big bright eye, a late Xenotar 150 in Compur 3 shutter. The viewing lens is a deshuttered 150mm F3.5 Xenar which seems to track fairly well. I...

That looks great, nice job David!

I think I know what you're saying. The corner triangular bits are skewed, the diagonals (hypotenuse) should be equal in length which make the unfolded pleats different depths. This was workable on my...

Yeah, after pressed for some time, the bellows will take its shape. But I think the corner folding in the algorithm could be improved. I'll have to revisit this some time. Hope your camera will be...

That looks good from here, David. Does it fold and fit ok? What thickness card and material did you use?

A bit on the pricey side, but I would recommend this soft padded case from Lightware. Has extra room for several film holders, Grafmatics or bag mags. I don't have the shoulder strap on mine, but the...

Hi Ed, thanks for sharing the pics, that looks great! I think a calibrated TLR like yours would be the best way to ensure you can nail the focus at F2.8 for handheld candids. Does the cam work well...

Any graphics/print shop with a large format plotter could do it. A large flatbed printer that can print directly on the card stock will be even better. I can't tell what the overall print size will...

I wrote a parametric unfolding program that generates a lasercut template for chamfered bellows. The input parameters are front and back X and Y dimensions, maximum extension, corner chamfer...

A TLR with two Xenotar 150mm will be an amazing camera, would love to see it when it's completed. I assume the taking lens is in Compur 2 or Compur/Copal 3 and the viewing lens in barrel? I mounted a...

Cheers Jac. To date, I think I've exposed about 200 sheets of film with the focal plane shutter. As you're probably aware, it's the self-capping double-curtain type with adjustable slit and single...

On the contrary Jac, my two working black beauties :): the first camera came with only two 135mm helical mounts and I mounted a 135mm F3.5 Xenotar and a 135mm F5.6 Apo Symmar and calibrated the...

Thanks guys, the helical mount (Fotoman?) may be difficult to source, and calibrating focus to match the scale was slightly tricky. The image is sensationally wide with moderate fall off, but it...

Another recent build, a 4x10 panoramic built around the 90 SA XL. This has a standard 8x10 back and shoots 2 using a splitter darkslide. Lens panel rotates to shoot on axis. No movement as the lens...

My two recent modifications: a Cambo TWR permanently fitted with a late Heliar 210mm F4.5 in Copal 3s taking lens and a Cooke Aviar 210mm F4.5 viewing lens. The Aviar has a classic look like the...

Thanks all for your kind comments, the camera is indeed quite fun to handle and use.

My version of the Travelwide with 40mm rise maxed near the edge of the image circle for architectural subjects. I wanted to pair the lens in helical mount and the revolving back I had laying around...

I would love to find a copy too, the stills are from the website about the film :http://www.gandolfi-film.co.uk/images.html.

I think they also used the upper storey of the back house as part of the workshop as shown in these stills from Ken Griffith's film of Thomas doing the brasswork.
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Yes, I do prefer the standards and brass knobs on these than the later Ansco ones. I seem to recall the original bellows being quite nice, I had the replacement bellows made by Custom/Camera Bellows...

It might in fact be the Universal View, Ian. It has a built in extension track but the max extension is only 28 inches or so. I guess on the Commercial View you have an additional detachable...

Hi Phil, that looks great and rigid. A few years back I built a 11x14 horizontal only back based on a Fidelity holder for my 8x10 Agfa Commercial View. The Agfa has beefy components which I thought...

I think the man in the orange vest is Massimo Vitali, whose best known work is of crowds from a high vantage point. That is probably his 8x10 Phillips Compact II.

Your project maybe of a different league, like you say GPS, but I would like to use this FP shutter I have specifically for spontaneous photography, i.e. on the focal plane in a reflex arrangement,...

I have a fully functional 8x10 Graflex FP shutter and would like to someday build a custom 8x10 SLR camera using it. The project is temporarily halted and the FP shutter is currently being used on a...

So I was asked to visualize a kitchen scene, with specific furniture and appliances in mind, as well as how it would look with the soft morning light coming in from the terrace. Nothing was there at...

Beautiful photograph, Don. Must be one of those shrimpin' boats down in the low country. Around Charleston, perhaps? Amazing sharpness for being handheld and great color fidelity. Really want one of...

I slowly traded off my MF gear for LF gear over the years, but the one MF camera I kept is a Rolleiflex TLR. Not as back up, but for a different, more liberating pleasure when out photographing. I...

Historical precedents aside, it's a bit of a depressing outlook if you really believed that you only get 10-15 years to produce significant work. Significance is quite a subjective concept in art and...

Yes, I thought it was a pretty interesting movie. My favorite scene was when she shot the unemployment line during the Depression. "Paul, the wide angle, Paul!". I guess that shot couldn't have been...

Love my 4x5 Super D, mine has a Graflok and a recent shutter overhaul by Fred Lustig. An absolute joy to use! I'm looking to get a faster lens for it, maybe a 210mm Heliar, Xenar, or Pentac. Does...

I actually sold the camera when I built the 8x10 version with the Perigraphe lens, but the buyer returned it because of two tiny spots of fungus that were overlooked by me.
I did use it on occasions...

Hi Joseph, that's a sleek and elegant looking camera, love the walnut!
The 65mm F8 SA will indeed cover 4x5 full frame, but just, dead-on centered, so no movements will be possible. It has nice...

Heard also that this new batch of production will include the PS945 and maybe a 4x5 version of the XVa. This should be most welcomed by the well-to-do 4x5 photographers.

Terry, if I'm not...

Ready to finally treat yourself to that Gandolfi you've always wanted, eh Bill? Hope you get the camera, they're pretty nice cameras. I like my little 4x5 Traditional though I find the movements and...

Just as a curiosity, I plugged in the numbers into a hyperfocal distance calculator and found it fairly close with my less than technical, eyeballing method for finding the best focus: for a...