Building a 4x5 camera from scratch

[antonroland]

Thanks very much, that looks good...pity my french is next to non-existent but I get the idea.

Do you use a ground glass in this example?

[IanG]

I imagine my first hurdle would be that of aligning the planes of ground glass with that of the film...any ideas?

I know there is a wealth of information in those links but I sadly do not have the time to read all of it so if anyone could point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it!

Cheers all!

Making a back with a focus screen that's in register with the film holder isn't difficult. I've made adapters to use Graflex RH10 6x7 rollfilm back for a quarter plate camera and an adapter to use 5x4 DDS with a half plate.

The hadest part is the metal fittings.

Ian

[nede]

I thinks pics speak more easily than words.
Yes I use plexiglass as a GG, I put some removable tape on it (not transparent but "white translucid" http://www.eckersleys.com.au/product...able-tape-6054 )
I glued some steel spacers on it, that the most critical parts, they must be 4,8mm thin on a 4x5 project to fit the same space between GG/lens and filmholder/lens

[antonroland]

OK, just to be sure...does the frosted (inside?) surface of the groundglass have to sit on the film plane? I would think it had to...IF I have THAT right it all falls into place nicely from there...

[nede]

yes you want the frosted side to be at the exact same place of the film. (there the error could be thickness of the tape versus film's one)
a view camera is "WYSIWYG"
Excuse my english, hope you can understand me

[Jim Jones]

I imagine my first hurdle would be that of aligning the planes of ground glass with that of the film...any ideas? . . .

The depth from a standard 4x5 film holder's face to the back of the film (the "T" distance) is 0.197 +/- 0.007 inches. Allowing for the thickness of the film and some play in the slot in which the film rides, the distance from the holder's face to the film's emulsion is about 0.188 +/- 0.007 inches. The frosted surface of the ground glass should be that distance from the surface against which the film holder's face rests. If you have an appropriate precision measuring device, it is easy to make a ground glass frame that positions the ground glass. If you don't have something like a vernier depth caliper or micrometer depth gauge, you can improvise one from a flat board with a bolt threaded through it just far enough to contact a sheet of film in a film holder, and then set the ground glass to the same depth in its frame. A coil spring between the bolt head and the board should insure that any play between bolt and board is eliminated. The frosted surface of the ground glass should face the lens.

[HT Finley]

My train of thought is amazement that Guillows still manufactures their balsa-and-tissue airplane kits. Knowing that, then certainly somebody manufactures a view-camera kit of good quality. I've built Guillow's planes--they're damn fine quality kits. Certainly somebody here knows of a view camera kit of similar quality.

[Tim Meisburger]

Nope. I think the only one left is the Bulldog.

[Tim Meisburger]

Actually, seems the Bulldog is no longer available as well.

[Lachlan 717]

Actually, seems the Bulldog is no longer available as well.

I doubt it'll be missed...