Help with stabilising a Cambo SC 8 x 10?

[wallpaperviking]

Hi,

Hope someone here can help me. I recently purchased a very beaten up Cambo 8 x 10 SC. I do not have access to it currently, so I have attached a photo from Ebay of the same model. The only difference is the tripod base. Mine is basically a somewhat sold metal block that the rail slides thorough and then there are four wing nut type things that tighten it.. The whole thing is a bit rusted and crapola, so am struggling to have the whole thing stable.

I also have a smaller tripod base that is made for the 5 x 4 model (attached) and am currently using that, which is providing more stability than the 8 x 10 version.

Any suggestions?

Apologies for the vague description, hope somebody here knows what I am talking about

Thanks!

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. The tripod mounting block under the 8x10 in your first photo is actually intended to be used to connect to rails. There are several versions, all functionally equivalent. They're all essentially a pair of regular tripod mounting blocks as in your second photo attached to a 3/8" thick metal plate.

Your best bet if the one you described and couldn't send a picture of isn't satisfactory is to look for a better one, ideally not improvised. Unfortunately Cambo SC tripod mounting blocks, both doubles as in your first image and singles as in your second image, are scarce. Your second best bet might be to get a couple of pieces of metal or acrylic or lexan 1 1/2" wide, 4" long and 3/8" thick. Drill and tap tripod mounting hole in one, use C-clamps to hold them tight to the rail.

[Little Bear]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23496557587...Bk9SR4rl5NX0YQ

[wallpaperviking]

Thanks for your help, much appreciated! I have since changed tripod heads and this seems to have largely fixed the problem... Still not the most stable but that could just be down to the large 8 x 10 format.

This is the metal brick I am talking about (attached). Was this an actual Cambo invention or did somebody just knock it up in their backyard?

Thanks!

[Little Bear]

That sure looks homemade to me. I saw this morning that on ebay was listed a Cambo 8 x 10 mount that is different that the other that I posted and for sure different than the one you are showing.

[Little Bear]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27515041207...Bk9SR-DFlJn1YQ

[Dan Fromm]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27515041207...Bk9SR-DFlJn1YQ

Nice try, but it is for a legend, not an SC. The SC has a square rail.

However, the OP's picture of the homebrew tripod mounting block shows a non-Cambo rail. 80/20 1010 t-slotted extrusion, I think. I don't know whether a Legend tripod mounting block will engage its slots. Might, might no.

[Neal Chaves]

I offered the OP a Cambo rail clamp tripod block with a single clamp suitable for 8x10 but he declined. These things are not easy to find and I am stuck with this one because I bought a Cambo Ultra D 4X5 that came without a rail clamp. I then discovered that the Ultra D had some serious defects right from the factory unbeknownst to the dealer and he took it back. The difficulty the OP will have with his make-shift clamp is that it cannot be easily moved to different positions on the rail to balance lenses of different focal lengths, weight, etc.

[wallpaperviking]

I offered the OP a Cambo rail clamp tripod block with a single clamp suitable for 8x10 but he declined. These things are not easy to find and I am stuck with this one because I bought a Cambo Ultra D 4X5 that came without a rail clamp. I then discovered that the Ultra D had some serious defects right from the factory unbeknownst to the dealer and he took it back. The difficulty the OP will have with his make-shift clamp is that it cannot be easily moved to different positions on the rail to balance lenses of different focal lengths, weight, etc.

As noted above, the clamp you offered to sell me is not for the Cambo SC.

[cowanw]

I think what you have is a great solution. If there is any residual shake some sort of compressible liner such as thin leather within the clamp or if necessary under it on the tripod surface might help.