Interchange lens between large format cameras

[Two23]

We have a new resource today: 3D printers. I easily made some boards and a CAMBO to Sinar adapter. Cheap and straight. With Solidworks or Inventor one can do a lot. Just one needs some knowledge of that cad software, and about 3D printing...

Is this just using wood, or can you also do metal? I've been wanting to have a copy of a Petzval pinion gear made.


Kent in SD

[nonuniform]

But really, how is it "too much time" to switch lens boards?

I mean, are you shooting with two cameras at the same time, with the same lens? That's an interesting technique.

Otherwise, this seems sorta like, a non-problem. Sorry, just trying to simplify for ya.

[jnantz]

But really, how is it "too much time" to switch lens boards?

I mean, are you shooting with two cameras at the same time, with the same lens? That's an interesting technique.

Otherwise, this seems sorta like, a non-problem. Sorry, just trying to simplify for ya.

hi nonuniform
sometimes i bring 2 cameras with me to a job site
i might not need PC for a couple of views and i need PC for others
so i use both cameras, same lenses...
i for one, find it to be a real drag to have to switch lens boards

[Pere Casals]

Is this just using wood, or can you also do metal? I've been wanting to have a copy of a Petzval pinion gear made.
Kent in SD

3D Printers can print metal , but this is a very advanced application... not common...

http://3dprinting.com/metal/

I print with ABS plastic. Sometimes I make a silicone mold to make the part with high strength resin, glass fiber can be mixed in to reinforce it.

Another common approach is to print a PE plastic mold, to later make a quality part of resin. Also metal parts can be placed inside the mold to reinforce the part...

Regards

[Drew Bedo]

It's OK to add new on-topic posts to old threads. The OP isn't the only person reading these.

Well Ok then.

I have long thought that 3D printing had a place in the LF photographer's tool box. Recreating vintage parts is a start. A year ago I did some clicking around and found several outfits that will print a part from your own digital file. Plastics in several levels of durability are available. But aluminum, brass, stainless steel and even titanium can be used to make parts.

Sadly, I found that I do not have the talent or patience to learn the coding and other what-all to actualize my imaginings.

Having a one-off focusing gear made for a seriously desirable antique lens could be cost effective. Recreating a set of water house stops. or just a missing piece , 0is another natural for 3D printing..

Re-designing the Grafmaticmagazines, or the MIDO system in plastic would be terrific.

Maybe we need a thread or forum here on 3D printing applications for LF.

[Ari]

But really, how is it "too much time" to switch lens boards?

I mean, are you shooting with two cameras at the same time, with the same lens? That's an interesting technique.

Otherwise, this seems sorta like, a non-problem. Sorry, just trying to simplify for ya.

For me, it's not about when you're at the job site, but before.
I wouldn't want to spend time unscrewing one or more lenses each time I decided to shoot a different format.
Also, when preparing for a job, I have enough things to remember I have to bring; having lenses on the same lens board mount is one less thing to worry about.

[LabRat]

One issue that can come up with using adapter boards is if using a axis swing/tilt, well designed camera is that the camera movements will center/pivot at the rear nodal point area of the rear lens, so lens movements will stay nicely in focus as you move them... If you add distance forward from it, more re-focusing will be required the further it is away (as it moves), so if the adapter is too thick, you loose this great feature of the design...

I don't know if 3D printing is worth it for one-off applications, but I'm spoiled by having some shop gear to be able to make nice stuff in an hour or so, old school style using a variety of materials (often from the scrap bin) and make what I need directly on demand... The materials seem more sturdy than some of the resins used for some processes, and if I use aluminum, much better than some of the pot metal-like stuff... And I'm often working on existing parts/materials, so if I'm adding some work to it (not starting from scratch), and I can decide how hard or easy I would like this process to be, so that would save me from a more complicated CAD/CAM design, and it might be more complicated setting up for holding these parts down for the machine to do it's thing... CAD/CAM makes much more sense to me if several (or many) identical parts needed to be made from scratch...

Steve K

[IanG]

In another thread here a UK member had a conical lens board made by 3D printing, it wasn't expensive. It was for an MPP MicroTechnical, they use a conical board (opposite of recessed but not as severe as a top-hat) to allow the use of a 90mm WA keeping the standard on the inner rails.

Ian

[Alan Gales]

But really, how is it "too much time" to switch lens boards?

I mean, are you shooting with two cameras at the same time, with the same lens? That's an interesting technique.

Otherwise, this seems sorta like, a non-problem. Sorry, just trying to simplify for ya.

I still own an 8x10 Wehman camera now with both 4x5 and 8x10 backs instead of the 8x10 plus a smaller 4x5 camera. A couple of my lenses are mounted on Wehman boards but the ones in smaller shutters are mounted on the smaller Technika style boards. The much smaller Tehcnika style boards take up less room in my camera bag. The adapter board takes up no room since I have it mounted on the camera while it is in the camera bag.

Also switching lenses on boards can be cumbersome out in the field. I'd hate to drop a cell or shutter while swapping boards.

[Pere Casals]

Well Ok then.

I have long thought that 3D printing had a place in the LF photographer's tool box. Recreating vintage parts is a start. A year ago I did some clicking around and found several outfits that will print a part from your own digital file. Plastics in several levels of durability are available. But aluminum, brass, stainless steel and even titanium can be used to make parts.

Maybe we need a thread or forum here on 3D printing applications for LF.

One can combine standard metal gearing parts with 3D printed plastic fixtures and even with titanium reinforcement. 3D printing is an entire word, with a lot of quality choices (SLA...) this is the first board I made, it holds a heavy LOMO 600mm:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125592...posted-public/

I don't know if 3D printing is worth it for one-off applications, but I'm spoiled by having some shop gear to be able to make nice stuff in an hour or so, old school style using a variety of materials (often from the scrap bin) and make what I need directly on demand... The materials seem more sturdy than some of the resins used for some processes, and if I use aluminum, much better than some of the pot metal-like stuff... And I'm often working on existing parts/materials, so if I'm adding some work to it (not starting from scratch), and I can decide how hard or easy I would like this process to be, so that would save me from a more complicated CAD/CAM design, and it might be more complicated setting up for holding these parts down for the machine to do it's thing... CAD/CAM makes much more sense to me if several (or many) identical parts needed to be made from scratch...

Steve K

For short series always there is the choice of printing a PE mold of the part, instead the ABS part itsef, and then filling it with resin+accelerator, then you can even mix cut fiber glass to reinforce it, and/or glass microspheres to make a very light part, even you can place titanium wire inside the mold... also you can make a silicone mold for complex parts... I'm very happy with the Sinar to CAMBO board adapter I made.

3D printed parts are not as nice as mahogany and titanium... of course, but it's very straight if one can use Solidworks or Inventor

I've also been using SolidCAM in my job, CAM machining is more expensive and less prone to DIY, but results can look "professional crafting".

In another thread here a UK member had a conical lens board made by 3D printing, it wasn't expensive. It was for an MPP MicroTechnical, they use a conical board (opposite of recessed but not as severe as a top-hat) to allow the use of a 90mm WA keeping the standard on the inner rails.

Ian

For that kind of applications 3D printing it's a direct solution, if one masters 3D CAD in 15min you can make a nice complex design, then you press "print"...

Also very useful to fit old shutters, etc...