question for those who built their own cameras

[Daniel_Buck]

The back is the hardest part make and the easiest to salvage. Mine is an Arca: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

that's what I was thinking, especially if I can find an 8x10 metal back that is revolving. I know some of the 4x5 calumet cameras had revolving backs, I wonder if any of the 8x10 cameras did? That would be a nice little feature to have, and would make it so that I don't have to provide provisions for the back to be removed easily, since I could just rotate it without taking it off to go from landscape to portrait.


Thanks for the notes on Custom Bellows in England, much appreciated :-)

[cjbroadbent]

A rotating back has a complicated joint. It would be easier to unclip, turn and replace a flanged board holding the back. Like a Gandolfi.

[r_a_feldman]

Googling "making bellows" turns up a number of how-to sites. There have been several threads here on making your own bellows, too, but I cannot locate the one I am thinking of.

[Daniel_Buck]

yes, and I'm not finding any 8x10 cameras that actually have rotating backs like the 4x5 that I remember.

[r_a_feldman]

A rotating back has a complicated joint. It would be easier to unclip, turn and replace a flanged board holding the back. Like a Gandolfi.

Or like the back pictured in post #2 at http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=58660. This is a book-form holder half plate back, but you could do something similar with a newer back. It has two small brackets on the bottom -- the two small chromed pieces at the corners of the back -- and two rotating clips at the top. To change the back orientation, you just raise the clips, slide the back up and out, rotate it and slide it back in place.

[IanG]

Googling "making bellows" turns up a number of how-to sites. There have been several threads here on making your own bellows, too, but I cannot locate the one I am thinking of.

I've just drawn a pattern which I can scale/adapt to fit a variety of cameras, at the moment it's for one of my 9x12cm cameras which has tapered bellows, but square or rectangular bellows are much simpler.

Once I've tested it I'll post online, probably as an editable PDF.

Ian

[BarryS]

Deardorff made an 11x14 to 8x10 rotating back. if you could find one, it would be expensive. It seems a lot easier to make or salvage a rear frame and find one of the cheap and plentiful reversible 8x10 backs out there.

[Robert Hughes]

I built my own 8x10 box camera - total cost including Wollensak apo raptar lens - about $150. No bellows needed - of course it's not a folder. For front and back standards I modified canvas stretching frames from the local art supply store. No rotating back - that's what the pan/tilt head on my tripod is for. If I wanted to get fancy, I'd put a camera mount screw on the side.

[Gordon Moat]

I contacted Custom Bellows by e-mail, and told them I was designing a camera. I gave them somewhat close sizes that I was trying to achieve, and let them suggest what ready-made bellows would be a good match.

The biggest issue I have encountered is knobs and lock-down levers. Unless you want some really clunky and large items from McMaster Carr, you would need a custom order from a machinist. This has been the greatest hurdle, in that the only price break is through ordering a large quantity. That has also led me to make alterations in my design to (attempt) to only use one type of knob throughout the camera.

My first approach, and prototype, were made be me on a milling machine borrowed from a friend. Due to the large amount of time that ate up, I am now creating the final design in Goolge SketchUp, and then having a machine shop make the parts.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[Darcy Cote]

Consider the time to take to build one instead of buying one used. Although there is a certain enjoyment to making your own, the hours to get there can be many. Take it from someone that makes unusual and unique cameras.

Darcy