Lightweight, 8x10, T-frame prototype

[Andrey Donchev]

Hi, You can see our latest build and find its specifications on our new blog wetplategear.com (http://wetplategear.com/). I'll be happy to answer to all questions you may have!
Andy


http://wetplategear.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/20130724_2.jpg

[jb7]

Looks great...

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Andrey, very nice! Reminds me of my 8x10 I built. Same Phillips/Chamonix design. You lightened yours up very nicely!! Congratulations.

[Andrey Donchev]

Thank you!

[dperez]

Andrey,

Really well done. There is something to be said for making your own camera. I want to make my own 20x24 camera at some point.

Question: It looks as though your focus knob is close to the front standard, what is the thinking behind placing the focus that far away from the rear of the camera, especially when the back can extend further away from the camera?

-Daniel

[Andrey Donchev]

Daniel, yes it is in the front of the base, but it is easily reachable by me, (I'm 1.7m high) even at full rear extension. You have a point though! That's why the prototypes are for! ;)
Thanks!
Andrey

[ghostcount]

Very nice Andrey.

When's production and how much?

[Andrey Donchev]

We'll see. I'm in the middle of building second proto, this time 10x12, strictly wet plate oriented, together with holder. I'd like to think that I'll finish it till the middle of September, and then a small production, with the most appreciated. Regarding the price, will try to keep it as low as possible, but don't know for now, exactly how much!
Thanks for the kind words!
A.

[anglophone1]

I'd like to hear more when you're ready!

[Andrey Donchev]

You can bet I won't miss the bragging!

[ramon]

Hi Andrey,

Very nice camera, and lightweight 3.4Kg !

I wonder how much weight can you reduce if bellows just only cover half lenght (340mm instead of 680mm), as my longest lens is a G-Claron 305mm.

Did you make yourself all metal parts (knobs, lens board brackets, ...)?

[Andrey Donchev]

Hi Ramon, all the parts in our cameras are made by us. To reduce further my cameras weight, production costs and run term I plan to introduce in my production, vacuum moulding and infusion of carbon fibre composites as well as large format, computer guided milling and small parts unifying. I'm sure that I can bring its weight, if a film cameras, with linhof style lens board is the target, as down as 2.5 kg or even lower, but this will be sometime in the beginning of the next year!
Thank you for your Interest!