If you are going to build the back your self and buy the holders, it is absolutely critical that you get the film holders first and build the back to fit. Film holders for ULF cameras were not built to the same conventional standards among the different companies and even today, the new manufacturers are different. Dimensions are different among the different holders.
I designed and built my own 8 x 20 camera a few years ago. The one big thing you will need to consider regarding using an existing camera and building a back for it is whether or not the camera bed is long enough for it. I've found that having gear tracks isn't really needed even for fine focusing. Just moving the camera back forwards and back sliding on a rail works just fine. If you need to fashion a back rail, you might want to consider this. The single hardest thing I encountered was building film holders. I know that others have successfully made them, but I had continuous problems with light leaks in the corners. Eventually, I bought film holders from Chamonix. BTW - Chamonix makes what I believe are the best holders around. for ULF film.
Bellows are not hard to make, but will take some time. No special tools are needed other than to have the front and rear frames to mount the bellows to. These are pretty simple wooden frames. If you are intersted in making a bellows yourself, send me a PM with your E-mail address and I can send you a little write up on how I made mine.
Also - get in touch with Jim Fitzgerald here. He has built his own ULF cameras before and will be a great resource for you with lots of tips and advice.
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Originally Posted by Randy Moe
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