Paul Kinzer
29-Apr-2018, 20:35
This is going to be a long-term project, but I've now made a start on my 14x17 ULF camera. I've chosen 14x17 because it will provide -- for me -- an ideal size for contact prints, in a size of film available in x-ray film. I could go smaller for convenience, but don't want to; and could go larger, but for cost and physical room necessary for processing. Everyone is different, and this is where I've settled.
I may be starting in the wrong place, but I got two lenses that will work for the size, and neither came in shutters. I bought a used Ilex #4 for the 19-inch Apo Artar, and had started making adapter rings to put the two together, but then came on a good deal* on a 760mm Apo Ronar, and knew I'd not find easily an affordable shutter for it. I decided to do make something that would work for both, allowing me to forego doing any modifications to the Ilex #4. I can now resell it and the lens that came in it, probably for more than I paid for it.
I bought a 3x4 Anniversary Speed Graphic on eBay that turned out to be perfect for my needs. More so than I would have guessed**. It was in rough shape as a camera for which you cannot even get film, with missing bits, corrosion, leather falling off, etc. But the focal plane shutter works great and has no light leaks, and the mahogany body was in fine shape. I chose an Anniversary because it it the newest model with the old-style, 24-speed focal plane shutter. The newer, simplified Pacemaker shutter has a lowest speed of 1/30th second. The Anniversary goes as slow as 1/10th. And my experience with Pacemakers (I've had about 100+ go through my hands) says that the speed might be even lower. I realize that I'll almost certainly be using speeds of more than a second, and that a shutter is probably not really even needed. But I can use a shutter release cable with this, which will be nicer than a hat, and it cost less than a Packard.
The shutter opens to a rectangle that is about 3-1/8 inches by 4 inches (80 x 100mm). This might be small for some faster ULF lenses, but its good enough for the narrow paths and small apertures of the f/11 Artar and the f/14 Ronar.
I designed the lens board holder for the 'shutter' based on the size of the camera and the rear of the Apo Ronar's mounting flange. I used some spare sliders from a Pacemaker Graphic, and placed them as far out as I could, but I still had to mill a bit off the back of the flange so the sliders could get a good bite onto the Ronar's board. It worked okay without the milling, but I just bought a milling machine, so why not use it?
I've decided to use the front standard for a Toyo 45G as the front for my ULF camera, partially because it I already have some other Toyo parts that I will be using.
The photos don't really show how nice the color looks; at least not on my monitor.
* I can only afford this project with good deals! The Artar was $45; the Ronar will be about $100, after I sell the 240mm that came with it. The Speed Graphic cost $60. The front standard for a Toyo 45G cost less than $90.
** A couple of the photos will show that the Speed graphic just fits onto the Toyo front standard. It fits easily if I mount the Toyo board the camera is attached to at a 90 degree turn (which another photo shows), but gravity seems to help the shutter in its normal position, so I might want keep it that way.
177754 177755 177756
I may be starting in the wrong place, but I got two lenses that will work for the size, and neither came in shutters. I bought a used Ilex #4 for the 19-inch Apo Artar, and had started making adapter rings to put the two together, but then came on a good deal* on a 760mm Apo Ronar, and knew I'd not find easily an affordable shutter for it. I decided to do make something that would work for both, allowing me to forego doing any modifications to the Ilex #4. I can now resell it and the lens that came in it, probably for more than I paid for it.
I bought a 3x4 Anniversary Speed Graphic on eBay that turned out to be perfect for my needs. More so than I would have guessed**. It was in rough shape as a camera for which you cannot even get film, with missing bits, corrosion, leather falling off, etc. But the focal plane shutter works great and has no light leaks, and the mahogany body was in fine shape. I chose an Anniversary because it it the newest model with the old-style, 24-speed focal plane shutter. The newer, simplified Pacemaker shutter has a lowest speed of 1/30th second. The Anniversary goes as slow as 1/10th. And my experience with Pacemakers (I've had about 100+ go through my hands) says that the speed might be even lower. I realize that I'll almost certainly be using speeds of more than a second, and that a shutter is probably not really even needed. But I can use a shutter release cable with this, which will be nicer than a hat, and it cost less than a Packard.
The shutter opens to a rectangle that is about 3-1/8 inches by 4 inches (80 x 100mm). This might be small for some faster ULF lenses, but its good enough for the narrow paths and small apertures of the f/11 Artar and the f/14 Ronar.
I designed the lens board holder for the 'shutter' based on the size of the camera and the rear of the Apo Ronar's mounting flange. I used some spare sliders from a Pacemaker Graphic, and placed them as far out as I could, but I still had to mill a bit off the back of the flange so the sliders could get a good bite onto the Ronar's board. It worked okay without the milling, but I just bought a milling machine, so why not use it?
I've decided to use the front standard for a Toyo 45G as the front for my ULF camera, partially because it I already have some other Toyo parts that I will be using.
The photos don't really show how nice the color looks; at least not on my monitor.
* I can only afford this project with good deals! The Artar was $45; the Ronar will be about $100, after I sell the 240mm that came with it. The Speed Graphic cost $60. The front standard for a Toyo 45G cost less than $90.
** A couple of the photos will show that the Speed graphic just fits onto the Toyo front standard. It fits easily if I mount the Toyo board the camera is attached to at a 90 degree turn (which another photo shows), but gravity seems to help the shutter in its normal position, so I might want keep it that way.
177754 177755 177756