Finished Walnut and Rosewood 8x10

[Jim Fitzgerald]

So, 51 days later I have the finished product. I decided to use some stainless steel knobs. They lock down tight and look great as they contrast with the dark wood nicely I feel. This is the most solid camera I've built to date with mainly hand tools. I did get the router out for this one and I'm glad I did. Movements are smooth and I'm happy with how it works. I decided to start a new thread because the other one was getting quite long. Anyone with some basic skills in woodworking can do this as well. I put the 305 Kodak portrait lens on the front and she looks sweet.

[jumanji]

Congratulations!
How much does it weigh?

[neil poulsen]

What a beautiful camera! The stainless steel knobs are a very nice touch. What are the specs?

Are you going to publish plans? You mentioned that it anyone with basic woodworking skills can construct this camera. The photos, plans, specs, and maybe some instructions and insights would make a great article for the LF Home Page site.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

The camera comes in at about 10 lbs. I could have made it lighter and looking back I wish I would have planed the base to reduce the weight but so be it.

Neil, I don't make plans I just looked at the Phillips, Chamonix and Deardorff cameras and figured it out. I'll put some specs up later.

[Hugo Zhang]

Congratulations, Jim!

[sanking]

Beautiful work, Jim. Hope you make some great carbon prints from the negatives!

Sandy

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Hugo, thanks. Did you see my traditional way to focus mine?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Sandy, thanks. I have not done any printing for way to long now. I'm looking forward to making some new negatives with this camera and getting back to printing and teaching.

[Henry Ambrose]

That is a really nice looking camera.
Good work!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Henry, Thanks. I need to use it now!!

[Craig Roberts]

Nice job Jim. Put it to use!

[C. D. Keth]

That's a really handsome camera, Jim. The only thing I would have done differently is to inlay a brass plate around all the places where there's a sliding type movement with a lock knob, like for the front swing/shift. That would keep it from getting too worn as time goes by. What's it weigh?

[Mark Carstens]

Wow, Jim. That is one sweet setup, bro.

...I'd like to place my order now... ;)

~Mark

[Jim Fitzgerald]

That's a really handsome camera, Jim. The only thing I would have done differently is to inlay a brass plate around all the places where there's a sliding type movement with a lock knob, like for the front swing/shift. That would keep it from getting too worn as time goes by. What's it weigh?

Chris, I have a stainless steel tube that is inside of all of the slots so that it slides nice and stays firm and in place. I would like to be able to machine some thin stainless to go over the front base at the top and the front standard arms on the outside but alas I only have my trusty dremel. I would make the base thinner next time as I feel it is to thick. The camera weights just at 10 lbs.

Mark, I have to test it out first. I'm not in the business of making cameras to sell but who the hell knows what the future brings. If I had a shop and some real tools who knows. i do have a 16x20 bellows that i will pick up at some point so who knows what is next. i do want to get back to shooting and my carbon printing though.

[geoawelch]

Well, done, Jim. What great satisfaction you must get from a camera you have made yourself.

My compliments.

Best,

George

[Mark Carstens]

Hey, Jim,

I was half-kidding; you're efforts are best spent, in my view, making more art.

It just so happens you were working in a different medium this time. :)

~Mark

[Steven Tribe]

Very, very nice.



The only thing I would have done differently is to inlay a brass plate around all the places where there's a sliding type movement with a lock knob, like for the front swing/shift. That would keep it from getting too worn as time goes by.

Yes, I thought this too as soon as I went through the shots - even though the wood is very hard.
The only idea I could come up with that doesn't reduce restrict movements - would not detract from its appearance - would be some kind of thin compressable material stuck on under the washers. Washers never sit perfectly on planed wood surfaces and there will an edge that makes marks, eventually.

[Peter De Smidt]

Beautiful camera, Jim. Great job!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

As i use the camera I'll make adjustments. I always do. I think that the stainless tubing in the slots will help. We shall see!

[Jeffrey Arthur]

Victory is sweet. ..and now for that gelatin.

[David Karp]

That is one fine looking camera. Now when people ask you if it is a Hasselblad, you will really knock them out when you tell them you made it yourself!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

That is one fine looking camera. Now when people ask you if it is a Hasselblad, you will really knock them out when you tell them you made it yourself!

David, yes I've had that question come up with the other three ULF cameras I've built!!

I hope to now get back to carbon printing tomorrow

[Steven Tribe]

There are wood and brass field cameras around with the Hasselblad name on them - I have seen one. They were rebadged anon. German reisekameras.

Hasselblad were long-established photographic importers and sellers in Gothenborg before they got the idea of making a development of the German 30's ideas about medium format cameras.

[Scott Walker]

Very nice Jim!

[Roger Thoms]

There are wood and brass field cameras around with the Hasselblad name on them - I have seen one. They were rebadged anon. German reisekameras.

Hasselblad were long-established photographic importers and sellers in Gothenborg before they got the idea of making a development of the German 30's ideas about medium format cameras.

I met a person who was telling me about photographing with a Hasselbad 4x5. Thought they where just a little confused, glad I did try and tell them they were wrong. Very interesting.

Roger

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Steven is a wealth of knowledge and a good photographer as well. Nice to have such experts here on the forum. It is interesting to me that I have had several people ask me to do a workshop on how to build a LF camera. Guys like Tracy Storer, Richard Ritter, Patrick Alt and I'm sure others should be looked at first. I'm way down the list I feel.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

A beautiful camera Thank you for sharing.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Michael glad to share and thanks. It can be done and is really not that hard. Some thought, planning, and you make some changes as you go. Kind of like being out in the field making images.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I did some weighing today just to be sure. The new camera is 10 lbs on the money. My Seneca Improved is 10 1/2 lbs. I'm happy that I saved a half a pound!

[photoevangelist]

Bravo!

Jim, you are fulfilling my dreams of building cameras. After disassembling and rebuilding the Kodak 2D, the rail and back would seem to be the most challenging if building from scratch. If you write a book about camera making, I'll buy a copy for myself and put one in our school's library.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Lee, I'm a carbon transfer printer first and foremost. Camera building is done just because. I could have my significant other help with the book but she is in Indonesia teaching. She is the one who would have to help with that. I tell everyone to find a design you like and build from the back. If you have an 8x10 already just measure the film plane at the GG and go from there.

[geoawelch]

Steven is a wealth of knowledge and a good photographer as well. Nice to have such experts here on the forum. It is interesting to me that I have had several people ask me to do a workshop on how to build a LF camera. Guys like Tracy Storer, Richard Ritter, Patrick Alt and I'm sure others should be looked at first. I'm way down the list I feel.

Good list to be on - Jim!

I think you minimize the skill required though. I am an experienced woodworker and would be a bit overwhelmed at such a project

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Good list to be on - Jim!

I think you minimize the skill required though. I am an experienced woodworker and would be a bit overwhelmed at such a project

Thanks, nice of you to say!