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Thread: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    13

    MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Good morning people, this is my first thread.
    My name is Roberto Zamperoni, i'm from Cornuda, little village in north/est Italy.
    Till 3 years ago i had a Deardorff 8x10, but after several time in mountain with 12/15 kg in backpack i decide to create my personal camera.

    And after two prototype i was able to create MLC 810 (Michelangelo Lightweight Camera),

    why Michelangelo? I wanted to dedicate it to my 3 year old son Michelangelo.

    why Lightweight? After my experience with heavyweight backpack, i decide to reduce the weight of item, and which material was the best compromise between rigidity and lightness, the carbon fiber.
    front/rear standard was made by carbon fiber worked in a mold, and also the rail that support the standards was carbon, this choice led me to have an 8x10" camera that weighs only 3.8kg, someone can say, but there are 8x10 "that weigh even 3.5 / 3.2kg, yes, but none of these is equipped with micrometric movements like the MLC 810. And another way to reduce weight, was to redesign the chassis, MLC chassis weigh 450gr against the 650gr of the fidelity, is only 200gr for one chassis but if you have 5 is 1kg.
    My chassis do not work in the same way of fidelity, there is no volet, but a light-tight system until the chassis does not enter the camera.

    After a year of research I found micrometric movements that allow me to keep a low profile in terms of size and weight in order not to increase too much the lever arm between standard and rail, but that are able to withstand heavy weights (about 6kg) in case must mount some optics with a maximum weight.

    The camera is designed for outdoor shooting so some movements are limited to the essentials, the tilt of the optics and the standard rear is maximum 15 °, the rear does not have the vertical and lateral shift. but it has focus, tilt both vertical and horizontal, micrometric. The front standard has a vertical tilt of 15 °, the horizontal limited by the bellows, the lateral shift of 40 mm per side with worm screw, and the vertical shift similar to the sinar F, about 50 mm to rise and as many to fall

    I've posted some photos, the prototype isn't ready, but i hope i ultimate it in 1-2 months.

    I hope you like it, please leave comment.

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    Last edited by robyz1984; 5-Nov-2018 at 12:52.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2016
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    744

    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Sorry to tell you, but your pictures are mostly meaningless. The first 2 pics from the top show the same thing without showing the rail and its attachment to the tripod. The last picture shows us gratefully your hand on bellows. Yes, your hand is fatherly.
    Take it more seriously next time, my wish to you.

  3. #3

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    Oct 2013
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Hi Pfsor sorry for photo, i make a mistake, i've change the photo and put the one where you can see rail, the movement and attachment to tripod.

    The Front is missing because i don't have yet the part to attach front to rail. and sorry again for the QI of photo, but i don't have digital camera and no good phone camera.

    Roberto

  4. #4

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    May 2016
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Thanks Roberto for the additional effort. I am leaving for a journey abroad now so I will study it later. Cheers!

  5. #5

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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Just a suggestion.

    I made the drawings of the back of a CAMBO 8x10 to understand well that design (to make my own) and I discovered that the GG has 3 supports that are machined as necessary to ensure perfect alignment of the GG tothe film plane. Just consider that GG to film plane may have to be adjusted for a perfect matching.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6

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    Loganville , GA
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Quote Originally Posted by Pere Casals View Post
    Just a suggestion.

    I made the drawings of the back of a CAMBO 8x10 to understand well that design (to make my own) and I discovered that the GG has 3 supports that are machined as necessary to ensure perfect alignment of the GG tothe film plane. Just consider that GG to film plane may have to be adjusted for a perfect matching.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Linhof uses a much more accurate system. They have 4 small tapered posts with a screw adjustment on the bottom with rectangular metal shims with a hole in the middle that sits on each post. The gg lies on the metal piece.
    So it is quite easy to set the proper position without requiring machining.

  7. #7

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    Mar 2005
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    Newbury, Vermont
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Sorry to step on toes...but at least on the Technikardan I owned awhile back - I had to be very careful when using a loupe to focus that I did not put any pressure on the ground glass itself...as the "four post" contact design, at least in combo with the Linhof Super Screen I'd installed, would otherwise result in some noticeable deflection of this screen.

    Again, sorry to say this...but it could be a real PITA. My recommendation for anyone using such a system would be to make sure to either use a glass focus screen with fresnel underneath (make sure to adjust for this!) or a plain glass cover plate over a plastic gg/fresnel combo like I was using, to add sufficient rigidity to help ensure that no such deflection would occur.

  8. #8

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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Quote Originally Posted by John Layton View Post
    Sorry to step on toes...but at least on the Technikardan I owned awhile back - I had to be very careful when using a loupe to focus that I did not put any pressure on the ground glass itself...as the "four post" contact design, at least in combo with the Linhof Super Screen I'd installed, would otherwise result in some noticeable deflection of this screen.

    Again, sorry to say this...but it could be a real PITA. My recommendation for anyone using such a system would be to make sure to either use a glass focus screen with fresnel underneath (make sure to adjust for this!) or a plain glass cover plate over a plastic gg/fresnel combo like I was using, to add sufficient rigidity to help ensure that no such deflection would occur.
    John, the Super Screen was made by Fresnel Optics, the owner of Beattie, in Rochester, NY. Unfortunately the acrylic that they used would bow from not being supported for the long dimension.
    We kept complaining to them and they kept changing the formulation of the acrylic but could not solve the problem. That is why the Super Screen was discontinued.

    The Fresnel screen belongs on the eye side of the gg, not under it! And, if someone places glass or a Fresnel under the gg, when one was not their originally, the position of the gg has to be adjusted. And, if one does have a Fresnel under the gg originally and wants to change it for a newer one then the gg may also has to be readjusted.

  9. #9

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    Jul 2016
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Salomon View Post
    Linhof uses a much more accurate system. They have 4 small tapered posts with a screw adjustment on the bottom with rectangular metal shims with a hole in the middle that sits on each post. The gg lies on the metal piece.
    So it is quite easy to set the proper position without requiring machining.
    I guess that the SC method is good enough because the surfaces are precission machined during manufacturing, but of course the Linhof method allows to adjust for the case the fresnel is (or not) in the inner side of the GG, while in the SC should place a fresnel only in the outer side...

    The Linhof method allows to place a fresnel outside or inside...

    I also learned that it's pronounced "linof" !!!

  10. #10

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    Oct 2013
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    Re: MLC 810 - Optical Bench DIY

    MLC 810, uses a completely different method. you have the empty rear standard, and ther're two slots, one on right side for horizontal shots and one on upper side for vertical shots. You insert the ground glass 5mm of plexy (on 8x10" it is impossible to flex with the pressure of the loupe) GG flows on lanes and it remains perfectly in position, the same position that the chassis will have as it will run on the same lanes. the piece you see on both photos, first on top and second on left, it is used to create the missing lane and to block the entry of light from the hole. To mantain this piece in postion i used little piece of iron under carbon fiber, and magnet on the light trap.

    with this method you can save the weight of GG's frame.

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