Thinking banquet aloud

[andreios]

Greetings to all you DIY folks

I would like to share with you my recent idea and ask you kindly for your thoughts / advice...

I am very much intrigued with the panoramic format lately and have desire to shoot 7x17 format. However, I cannot afford buying a new camera, and even the old Korona or Folmer Schwing cameras are in the end too pricey for my pocket - especcially when I count in the freight, customs, taxes and all the fees. I think that getting a pair of holders would be difficult enough.

I can buy 7x17 xray for less than a dollar per sheet and therefore I am trying to come up with a cheap solution for a camera. However, my DIY skills are not that advanced that I would feel confident of building a complete camera myself.

Now, i was looking at the old banquet cameras and an idea occur to me, that maybe I could get a Korona or a similar camera in 8x10 format and make a wider "banquet" rear bed and build a 7x17 rear frame to fit the holders. And I would see whether I will tackle bellows-making myself or just have them made.

My questions therefore are - has anyone else done something like that? Is it possible? What are the obstacles that I cannot see?
Is any of the old cameras - Koronas, Kodak 2Ds, Burke&Jamses,... better to adapt in this way than the others?

Thank you in advance for your insights.

Andrej

[jp]

With humble woodworking skills and minimal budget, don't forget pinhole.

[andreios]

Thanks, I am not forgetting it - I already have my drawings ready for a "one shot" pinhole gig (not having any holders yet).

[Lachlan 717]

Perhaps get in touch with another camera builder in Czech Republic, Filip Habart. He's building LF and ULF components. PM me if you'd like his email address.

[andreios]

Perhaps get in touch with another camera builder in Czech Republic, Filip Habart. He's building LF and ULF components. PM me if you'd like his email address.

Thanks, I am already in touch with him, although he's not what I would call cheap.. But he does some fantastic work so I do understand his prices.

[coisasdavida]

I guess I just went through the same questioning.
It started with a 50 sheet box of 8x20" film that I got a while ago.
If I ever decided this is the thing, maybe I'll get a proper equipment then.
Right now I figured three holders would do, since I had 50 sheets, each face would get an average of 8 loading and unloading operations.
Black gatorfoam and black crescent board seem OK for such a task and longevity. So I made my first holder last week as a proof of concept. Many things went wrong but I have the most important for now, the T distance.
I made some pics and as soon as I can I'll post them.

[andreios]

I guess I just went through the same questioning.
It started with a 50 sheet box of 8x20" film that I got a while ago.
If I ever decided this is the thing, maybe I'll get a proper equipment then.
Right now I figured three holders would do, since I had 50 sheets, each face would get an average of 8 loading and unloading operations.
Black gatorfoam and black crescent board seem OK for such a task and longevity. So I made my first holder last week as a proof of concept. Many things went wrong but I have the most important for now, the T distance.
I made some pics and as soon as I can I'll post them.

I'll be interested in that!

[Tin Can]

Yes, pics please!

I guess I just went through the same questioning.
It started with a 50 sheet box of 8x20" film that I got a while ago.
If I ever decided this is the thing, maybe I'll get a proper equipment then.
Right now I figured three holders would do, since I had 50 sheets, each face would get an average of 8 loading and unloading operations.
Black gatorfoam and black crescent board seem OK for such a task and longevity. So I made my first holder last week as a proof of concept. Many things went wrong but I have the most important for now, the T distance.
I made some pics and as soon as I can I'll post them.

[coisasdavida]

Yes, pics please!

OK, a couple to start with:



The layers of material already cut and waiting to be glued together.
This accounts for only one side of the holder.
From top to bottom:

Gatorfoam strips to make the final frame above the darkslide
Crescent board darkslide and strips to make a frame around it
Gatorfoam strips to separate film stage from darkslide
some strips of a 700gsm black card to make a frame for the film
main piece of Gatorfoam the divides the film holder in half

And here a test with a ruined 8x10" negative

[andreios]

OK, a couple to start with:

Thanks for the pics, very useful!