Rigid 4x5 Cameras

[Axelwik]

That is super cool! Beyond my skills. Nice work however.

Fairly simple when you take it one step at a time. Like any camera, it's a light-tight box with a way to hold the lens and a way to hold the film.

[Havoc]

I'd go the DIY route but TBH I'm looking for something pretty rugged as I'll be taking this in a marine environment in bags, dinghies, trucks...it'll be kind of used and abused. I want to be able to pull a camera out of my bag, have it up on a tripod and be focusing as soon as possible.

Well a DIY camera can be all YOU want. That is the nice thing about it. Even if it doesn't look like a camera once finished. And if it is worn, just make a new one including all ideas you had while using the first version.

Fairly simple when you take it one step at a time. Like any camera, it's a light-tight box with a way to hold the lens and a way to hold the film.

Indeed, don't overthink it. Mine started as a camera for a 75mm lens I bought a fair. It ended up as a box to be used with a "75mm eq" pinhole and a 125mm fix focus lens.



Okay, that cone isn't simple without a lathe. But that is just because I happen to have one around. Make it a box section and it just works as well. It is nothing more than some alu plate and alu section from the DIY shop. Drill some holes, tap M3 ( or whatever antediluvian units you use) and assemble. The circular level is a bit more lathe work but you can just as well stick in on the outside.

Yes, I have to finish that viewfinder some day.....

[lassethomas]

I printed up my own Will Travel 4x5s. One is a short 58mm body for a fixed pinhole, and the other has my 90mm f8 Super-Angulon. But getting one from Morton is a good option. https://film.kolve.org/

I also printed my own Will Travels. One for a Super Angulon XL 47 mm and one for a G-Claron 150 mm.
His designs can be found here too https://www.thingiverse.com/mortenkolve/designs

[sperdynamite]

I also printed my own Will Travels. One for a Super Angulon XL 47 mm and one for a G-Claron 150 mm.
His designs can be found here too https://www.thingiverse.com/mortenkolve/designs

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

After going totally off the rails and thinking I should probably just buy a Master Technika today....this brought me right back to earth. I am currently printing a 5x7 cone for a 180mm lens. The 8x10 base doesn't fit in my printer but maybe I can source one from him and print my own cones. I do have a 240 that it would work with. Very cool!

[Drew Bedo]

I have been honking (but not acting) about making a fixed at infinity 4x5. It would have a Grtaflok back I have with a 135 from a Speed Grapic on each end of a solid cigar box (Drew Estate "ACID" brand). Might put a Grfmatic on it.

Grab-n-go point and shoot.

Basically, a o-fuss scenic look out camera to address the family vacation issue of , ".. . .are you done yet?"

[Axelwik]

I have been honking (but not acting) about making a fixed at infinity 4x5. It would have a Grtaflok back I have with a 135 from a Speed Grapic on each end of a solid cigar box (Drew Estate "ACID" brand). Might put a Grfmatic on it.

Grab-n-go point and shoot.

Basically, a o-fuss scenic look out camera to address the family vacation issue of , ".. . .are you done yet?"

If it's fixed focus, don't fix it at infinity. Fix it so that at your working aperture (best aperture for your lens), puts as much of the foreground in focus as possible while still keeping infinity at an acceptable sharpness level. (Range of hyper-focal distance.) It's more important (aesthetically pleasing) for close objects to be in perfect focus than far objects. Try to maximize the hyper-focal distance for your lens using the best aperture for your lens.

[Drew Bedo]

^^^

Good Points. Thanks!

I was thinking of Colorado trips where the "foreground" at a scenic overlook is a ten mile wide valley between peak . . .such as on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. But the Hyperfocal tikp is spot on.

Maybe something could be done with a removable shim spacer to allow for both modes..

[Daniel Unkefer]

My Homemade Sinar Norma Handy. 65mm F8 Super Angulon Norma Rubber Monocular on the back. Mamiya 7 43mm Viewfinder

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

4x5 Norma Handy with Wedding Flash 100WS by Nokton48, on Flickr

Ashton Pond Norma Handy HRU Mic-X 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Ashton Pond Columbus Ohio Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Fuji HR-U XRay 65mm F8 at F22 Schneider CF + Sinar Norma Dark Yellow 103mm Glass Disk 1 sec at F22 Legacy Mic-X replenished stock in tray 18 mins at 62F Arista #2 RC 4x 8x10 Multigrade dev

[Havoc]

If it's fixed focus, don't fix it at infinity. Fix it so that at your working aperture (best aperture for your lens), puts as much of the foreground in focus as possible while still keeping infinity at an acceptable sharpness level. (Range of hyper-focal distance.) It's more important (aesthetically pleasing) for close objects to be in perfect focus than far objects. Try to maximize the hyper-focal distance for your lens using the best aperture for your lens.

Good point. I first used a DOF calculator to get the hyperfocal distance at f/16 which turned out to be 14 meters. Then used the Wista and a put it at 14 meters from the house and focused. Then measured the distance from front of the lensboard to the GG. Made the camera to have that distance between the front of the lenscone and the film plane. F/16 is what I need when the light is a bit low. Going to f/22 will only increase your DOF.

[Tin Can]

Very good!

Good point. I first used a DOF calculator to get the hyperfocal distance at f/16 which turned out to be 14 meters. Then used the Wista and a put it at 14 meters from the house and focused. Then measured the distance from front of the lensboard to the GG. Made the camera to have that distance between the front of the lenscone and the film plane. F/16 is what I need when the light is a bit low. Going to f/22 will only increase your DOF.