Hello, I am 18 and will be off to uni in september to study fine art photography and want to build a camera during the summer.
I have not experianced large format photography before but I do have darkroom experiance. The reason I want to make a LF camera is because I am very interested in many of the altenative processes (eg cyanotypes) that require a full sized neg. and maybe one day would like to try collodion. (some day) But plan to start with ortho film.
What I am planning is an 8x10 field camera of the tailboard sort, my reason for wanting to make a tailboard is because it seems to me to be a reletively simple type.
I have acess to a good woodworking facility at my college. Also patterns of how to make bellows
Ok so what I have so far: 8x10 lens says "J.H.Dallmeyers - London" and goes from f6 to f32 and a kodac double sided 8x10 film holder (pictureed at bottom)
I have some questions: but any advice is very welcome
Basicly I have been lead to believe that the focal length of an 8x10 lens is 12 inches - does this mean my bellows only need to be 12 inches? Some have said that I would need 24 inches (wouldent that mean id nead a really long tailboard) - I am confused, what i do know is I want to be able to focus reasonably close e.g someones face filling 8x10. I have seen pictures of 8x10 cameras with short bellows and with long... can anyone fill me in on how this works - How long do the bellows need to be for a close focus?
look at this: http://dpicg.com/collection/cameras/anthony.html that one doesent have very long bellows - would that be able to focus very close?
Thanks very much in advance anyone who replys
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