POLAROID 4x5 Conversion !! A new project !!

[sully75]

Drew, I think currently the raw materials are fairly expensive. But I don't know.

Honestly it's prohibitively expensive at that price. $400 + camera = have someone (Alpenhause) make one for you.

I'd much prefer some sort of plastic back, these cameras are heavy to begin with.

[LF4Fun]

And here it is !!!!
As I promised ... this is the 3d printed model of my device !!!!

You can see it free and coupled with a Fuji PA-45 holder ... just for test !!!!
And i'm very proud and excited to confirm that it works !!!
I'm able to use the viewfinder and the rangefinder .... and i've mounted it in about ten minutes ... just the time to remove the inges of the original parts !!!
Attachment 71998Attachment 71999

nice job but don't you have to reset the infinity point & readjust the rangefinder?

[ml_pisel]

TYoday 1.00 Euros =1.31 US Dollars.

So . . . 300 Euros= $393.



cnc machined aluminum? I thought the beauty of this 3-D printing approach was that the part could be made on-demand a piece at a time in plastic for a pretty low price.

Unfortunatly, it's not so simple ... cause it's all about how many objects you have to made ... I'll try to explain:
1- 3d printed items are very expensive, and they are not so good for a long use or hard stress and the price is equal for every item you print;
2- Platic made are lighter, good enough for long use but they have a great problem: cnc steel made mold are incredibly expensive ( for this device I asked and they said me about 5500/6000 euros ) and usually minimun order is intented for 500-600 pieces .....
3- metal casted ones are unattainable!!!!!
4- CNC made items are in the middle: initial cost is high (about 1500 euros to program the cnc machine ) but more items you buy low is the final price .... and minimun order is usually for 100 pieces, and they aren't so heavy !!!

That's it !!

[ml_pisel]

nice job but don't you have to reset the infinity point & readjust the rangefinder?

The trick is that i've move the focal plane about 38mm behind original and i haven't changed lens .. so just setting focus wheel to infinity ... and then moving lens 38mm behind infinity sign.... and it works !!!
I'm also studing a new plate to make this simpler !!

[ml_pisel]

PS ... I want to excuse me for my very poor english !!!!

[Drew Bedo]

Not to worry. In 1905, my grandfather came form the area of Potenza to New York city. He taught himself to speak english in the burroughs of NYC. Reading your posts is a little like listening to my grandfather . . .and I understand what you say. My only knowlege of Italien is a few short words I heard my grandfather say when he hit his finger with a hammer.

I will say that this project looks more and more like it will not wok out from the money aspect. The exhisting conversions go from (I think) about 800 to 1,800, disregarding the high end. Does $400 cover your cost and give you a profit? If fhis project starts at ~$400 for the back part, then needs other work for the infinity stop and RF cam, it goes on up in cost. I do not really see this as a DIY project where I can buy the part and be ready to go.

Maybe it would be a commercially feasable project if you can sell the CNC machined aluminum back to the guys already doing the conversion, Razzlw, alpinhaus et al.

[Drew Bedo]

Not to worry. In 1905, my grandfather came form the area of Potenza to New York city. He taught himself to speak english in the burroughs of NYC. Reading your posts is a little like listening to my grandfather . . .and I understand what you say. My only knowledge of Italian is a few short words I heard my grandfather say when he hit his finger with a hammer.

I will say that this project looks more and more like it will not work out from the money aspect. The existing conversions go from (I think) about $800 to $1,800 . . .for a Byron, disregarding the high end. Does $400 cover your cost and give you a profit? If fhis project starts at ~$400 for only the back part, then needs other work for the infinity stop and RF cam, it goes on up in cost. I do not really see this as a DIY project where I can buy the part and be ready to go.

Maybe it would be a commercially feasible project if you can sell the CNC machined aluminum back to the guys already doing the conversion, Razzl, Alpinhaus et al.

[ml_pisel]

Not to worry. In 1905, my grandfather came form the area of Potenza to New York city. He taught himself to speak english in the burroughs of NYC. Reading your posts is a little like listening to my grandfather . . .and I understand what you say. My only knowledge of Italian is a few short words I heard my grandfather say when he hit his finger with a hammer.

My wife is still laughing and kidding me !!!

[ml_pisel]

A quick update:

So the future of this item will be in PLASTIC !!

I think in a few days i'll be able to show the functional version ... and even some photos taken with my modified camera !!!

[ml_pisel]

And here we are, if someone's interested, please take a look at my very first functional prototype:

www.marcolucifora.com in the section "fotografia"

In these days i'll go around making some photos just to try my new toy !!