Build your own 6x17 Camera

[Snowy Smith]

I want to build my own 6x17 or 6x24 Camera using Large Format Lenses.

I have been told that you can cut and modify an old 6x6 Mamiya Camera.

Anyone out there done this?

I want to use the Camera for Mountain Landscape Photography.

Need tips and information

Which is BEST LENS (NEW)etc.

Regards, Snowy

[Bill Glickman]

I doubt you can covert a Mamiya 6 into 6x17? That would be some trick...also, LF lenses will not fit on the M6 mount, so you would have to abolish the entire mount... I think the most cost effective way to shoot 6x17 is to find an old 5x7 camera and buy one of Keith Canhams new 6x17 back for it. Other than that, you better be good in metals shop man! Good luck....

[Jimi]

Check out these homepages, they'll get you started: http://digilander.iol.it/clabo/widepan/ http://panoramic.net/panoramicnetwork/

[TAN K H]

Snowy

The people who cut up their 6x6 folders to make panoramic cameras use them to make 360 degree cameras that are (electric) motor driven. The above resources list a few links.

For a 6x17, you can take a look at what Doug Bardell has done. If you're handy with woodworking, it probably won't be very hard to make one that works decently for not much cash.

http://www.cyberbeach.net/~dbardell/panorama.html

Remember, you just need a light tight box that can take 120 roll film with a 6x17 opening. You might even just want to mount a lens at some hyperfocal distance to avoid having to install any focussing mechanism.

Go look around at some of the pricier Cambo wides, etc. The concepts are essentially very simple.

Another very inspirational site (without instructions mind you) is here:

http://members.aol.com/dkfletcher

[Phil_2076]

Try a 90mm/6.8 schneider angulon for a lens. Stopped down to F32 sharpness can be maintained to an adequate level at the edge of the field. You may as well glue the apeture control there though. My homemade 617 works great and cost me peanuts.

If finances allow get a super angulon 90mm