Using and Modifying the Travelwide 4x5 camera

[Roger Cole]

Metric is easier.

I don't agree with that and have long been a very vocal proponent of keeping our units of measure in the US in spite of the fact I am familiar with and comfortable with using the metric system. But this isn't really the place for that debate.

[Drew Bedo]

Can the TW calibration screen be retextured with 600 grit paper or some other suitable abrasive?

Has no one tried to modify a film holder as a frame for a true GG? The dark slides would protect it.

What about modifying a glass plate holder?


The effective ececution of the righ tdesignee could be a successful Kick-Starter project in its own right.

[eklevmyr]

In spite of the posts already saying so I had to try all my other film holders to see for myself. Calumet 6x7 rollfilm back? Fuggitaboutit. Though really if I wanted to use roll film I'd use one of my rollfilm cameras, though the idea of doing some pinhole shots with Delta 3200 did come to mind. There are other cameras that can do that, though. Grafmatic? Nyet. Polaroid 405? Nope, although it comes closest. Someone could make a replacement spring set that has each spring about half as wide and that one would fit without removing the spring back. Only a regular DDS fits, which is what I expected.



Attachment 142566

Roger, If you're set on getting the 405 back into use, I have had really good luck by removing the spring back and ball bungee-ing the 405 holder in place. Initially I was worried about the three screws holding the spring back on as I thought they were just tapped in the plastic, but they have brass inserts so removal and replacement are a breeze (Good work Wanderlust). The only way to not waste a piece of film is to load a new pack so the pack's dark slide paper is still intact and put the 405 holder in without its dark slide. Then you're pretty committed to using the whole pack before changing. Its not the cleanest solution, but I didn't have any problems with it and got some decent exposures. I think it is worth a try. I would advise you to make sure the ball bungees, or however you would want to secure the back, are tight enough to ensure the back doesn't move around too much.
Hope that helps.

[Steve Pitchford]

The SA is pretty light. I don't mind carrying the ƒ/8 all day. The Angulon is absolutely featherweight, but you have to put up with slightly soft corners.

Steve, I'll have to look up the data we have on the GG. I believe it's PC. Keep in mind, everyone, that we'll be offering a revised first-party GG for free (plus shipping). I plan to tackle that in the first few weeks of 2016.

Ben, Sounds great. Looking forward to your new GG. I think I will continue my mod effort as it is good therapy for my hand & eye coordination. Setting up Wista 4x5 with all the adjustments is eye boggling still and takes forever. I expect my TravelWide to be a life changer.

Happy trails,
SteveP

[Maris Rusis]

Metric is easier.

Yes! When Australia changed over to the metric system instead inches, feet, yards, chains, furlongs, miles....I though I'd never adapt. Now I realise a camera focussing ring calibrated in metres is equally good at coarse and fine distance scales eg 2 m, 2.2m, 2.25m, and so on without changing units. The mental key for me was to think in decimals rather swapping to alternative units or vulgar fractions.

[Ben Syverson]

I wish we could offer both, but honestly, metric works best for cameras… A meter marking with one decimal place is 3X more accurate than feet, and more compact that listing feet and inches.

In any case, I love seeing these photos! Great tones on those trees, David!

[rdenney]

I wish we could offer both, but honestly, metric works best for cameras… A meter marking with one decimal place is 3X more accurate than feet, and more compact that listing feet and inches.

In any case, I love seeing these photos! Great tones on those trees, David!

And the cheapie Blix and relatively cheap vintage Voigtlander rangefinders are calibrated in meters.

Rick "but the word you were looking for was 'precise' rather than 'accurate'" Denney

[Roger Cole]

And the cheapie Blix and relatively cheap vintage Voigtlander rangefinders are calibrated in meters.

Rick "but the word you were looking for was 'precise' rather than 'accurate'" Denney

I almost bought another one - forget but could look it up - off the bay but realized in time it was in feet.

Not big thing for me. Years of target shooting a couple decades back left me ok at estimating range in yards and that's close enough to meters.

[Drew Bedo]

Has anyone made a selfie stick for a TW? Two Meters ( or six feet six inches) would be enough.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Yep. There is an eight foot LF stick PetaPixel right now. Downright silly.