Keytarjunkie
20-Oct-2013, 15:55
Hey all. I've been shooting 4x5 for a few years, and have always wanted to make a scanner camera. Ya know, low budget, digital, lo-fi...so a few weeks ago I wound up getting a cheap Gundlach 8x10 camera, circa 1910's or so, similar to a Korona.
I disassembled EVERYTHING, repaired the bottom of the camera that the struts had ripped out, reconditioned the wood, scrubbed the silver (though on many parts, the silver had worn off), cleaned out all of the cobwebs, etc. The bellows are light-tight and the focusing works pretty well. I had to drill a larger hole for the enormous Kodak 12" f/4.5 Anastigmat lens. Here it is after I cleaned it up, next to my 4x5
http://25.media.tumblr.com/efe59a0dd4eba72ffb97ec2949adfa01/tumblr_musu4uFQ4K1qfj296o1_500.jpg
Here's one of the first images I've taken with it, a self portrait.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/715ca182091b5165b9cb1a3685894e52/tumblr_muzjakRx5J1qfj296o1_500.jpg
I'm already on my second scanner, and I'll probably be going through a few more (fortunately they're always about $5 on ebay!!). I think this scanner was used too heavily before I got it...it leaves these lines on the image. Very annoying. Currently I have disabled the scanner light, and I'm just scanning the ground glass. Eventually I'd like to remove the scanner's pinhole lenses and scan the light directly - but apparently there's some kind of moire pattern that happens when you do that. Scanning the ground glass makes it much easier to focus and requires very little destruction, so it might be the way to go.
Scanning is weird...yes, digital is instant, but in this case, the process of making the image is not. It's similar to a long exposure, but instead you're waiting for one side of the image to be scanned. As the image is being created, you can of course manipulate the scene...there are some great examples of people moving for scanner photographs like this one (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rolfkoster/7337671758/in/pool-scannercameras/). At this point I am focused on getting the camera to produce a better image...maybe once it looks a little better, I will start experimenting with movement.
If you don't mind, I thought I would add to this thread as my experience with the scanner camera continues. Apologies if this is the wrong forum for this, it seemed like the best place.
I disassembled EVERYTHING, repaired the bottom of the camera that the struts had ripped out, reconditioned the wood, scrubbed the silver (though on many parts, the silver had worn off), cleaned out all of the cobwebs, etc. The bellows are light-tight and the focusing works pretty well. I had to drill a larger hole for the enormous Kodak 12" f/4.5 Anastigmat lens. Here it is after I cleaned it up, next to my 4x5
http://25.media.tumblr.com/efe59a0dd4eba72ffb97ec2949adfa01/tumblr_musu4uFQ4K1qfj296o1_500.jpg
Here's one of the first images I've taken with it, a self portrait.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/715ca182091b5165b9cb1a3685894e52/tumblr_muzjakRx5J1qfj296o1_500.jpg
I'm already on my second scanner, and I'll probably be going through a few more (fortunately they're always about $5 on ebay!!). I think this scanner was used too heavily before I got it...it leaves these lines on the image. Very annoying. Currently I have disabled the scanner light, and I'm just scanning the ground glass. Eventually I'd like to remove the scanner's pinhole lenses and scan the light directly - but apparently there's some kind of moire pattern that happens when you do that. Scanning the ground glass makes it much easier to focus and requires very little destruction, so it might be the way to go.
Scanning is weird...yes, digital is instant, but in this case, the process of making the image is not. It's similar to a long exposure, but instead you're waiting for one side of the image to be scanned. As the image is being created, you can of course manipulate the scene...there are some great examples of people moving for scanner photographs like this one (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rolfkoster/7337671758/in/pool-scannercameras/). At this point I am focused on getting the camera to produce a better image...maybe once it looks a little better, I will start experimenting with movement.
If you don't mind, I thought I would add to this thread as my experience with the scanner camera continues. Apologies if this is the wrong forum for this, it seemed like the best place.