Building a REALLY large format camera.

[mynewromantica]

The other day I came across a video of John Coffer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTARue7byv0). I want to make a camera now. I am pretty sure he didn't just buy his. He uses a 20x24 view camera on a cart. I want to make something like an 8x10 or something around that size, but i don't want to buy it. It will mainly be used for alternative processes like tintypes and dags.
Does anyone know of a website or book that will outline the basics of making a camera like that and possible making plate carriers too.

Thanks

[BarryS]

I've seen a book, How To Make A Wet-Plate Camera, by Otto Dippold on eBay. That might be a good start. I bought a plate vise from him and it works as advertised. If you're going to be building a camera for wet plate or dags, it's going to have different requirements than a camera for film. For starters, I'd make sure you have a very solid front frame/standard that accepts a large (7"+) lens board. The kind of lenses you'll want for 8x10 plates are big.

[Michael Roberts]

Here's a link to a thread and pics of an 11x14 camera I built

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=47057

I've almost finished a 12x20 expansion back.

I've thought about 20x24 using the same design and materials.

The two things you need are a 20x24 bellows (assuming you don't want to make your own), and a 20x24 film holder to build the back around. The latter you can get from S&S Filmholders.

Bellows this size sometimes come up on ebay. Or you can order one from http://www.custombellows.co.uk/ in England.

There are lots of other threads here with self-built cameras; not too many 20x24 though....

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

He did just buy it. Or rather he paid Ray Morgenweck to make it for him.


The other day I came across a video of John Coffer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTARue7byv0). I want to make a camera now. I am pretty sure he didn't just buy his. He uses a 20x24 view camera on a cart. I want to make something like an 8x10 or something around that size, but i don't want to buy it. It will mainly be used for alternative processes like tintypes and dags.
Does anyone know of a website or book that will outline the basics of making a camera like that and possible making plate carriers too.

Thanks

[Bruce Barlow]

Richard Ritter is currently making a 20x24 that will have interchangeable rail systems - one with 60" of extension for field work, and, I think, 90" for studio work. I've seen the pieces. It's pretty amazing.

[ic-racer]

If you want 8x10 then you can go a number of ways. You can get plans off the internet (I have seen the sites but don't have the links), you can get a Bender kit, you can get a cheapie camera (B&J, Kodak or Century) and fix or modify the back to accept plates as needed.

The market value of folding 8x10 cameras is better than studio cameras. So monorails and old wood cameras on wheels can be found for the price of a new bellows for your home-made camera.

If you are making your own bellows, then you will be at a considerable cost advantage building from scratch.

[ic-racer]

He did just buy it. Or rather he paid Ray Morgenweck to make it for him.

Yes: http://www.starcameracompany.com/index2.htm

[ki6mf]

And there are a few guys who build really really really large, bigger than ULF 20X24 cameras into a trailers or trucks! Press John Chiara http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xYWehyfFcM

[dsphotog]

Check with print shops,or newspapers for old, unused process cameras.

[bobwysiwyg]

Re: John Coffer link. Thanks for posting, just amazing to me!

I guess I better stop complaining about lugging a monorail around. :o

[goamules]

The other day I came across a video of John Coffer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTARue7byv0). I want to make a camera now. I am pretty sure he didn't just buy his. He uses a 20x24 view camera on a cart. I want to make something like an 8x10 or something around that size, but i don't want to buy it. It will mainly be used for alternative processes like tintypes and dags.
Does anyone know of a website or book that will outline the basics of making a camera like that and possible making plate carriers too.

Thanks

Making an 8x10 tintype is a lot more expensive and a little trickier than say, half plate for beginners. I can't even imagine someone trying to start out making 8x10 daguerreotypes, I've never seen one that big. There are reasons in the 1800s a 1/6th plate was the most common size. But you can do mammoth wetplate, it's just more expensive for all materials.

[Pete Roody]

I can't even imagine someone trying to start out making 8x10 daguerreotypes, I've never seen one that big.

Jerry Spagnoli makes 8x10 daguerreotypes:

http://www.jerryspagnoli.com/

[Lars Daniel]

I just stumbled on the John Chiara video. What an enormously inspiring artist!

[SteveKarr]

I've been making only 8x10 tin's for 3 years. I just don't like the "look" of short glass. Just do it, don't let anyone tell you its too hard. It's just tricky!

[Craig Roberts]

35-years ago, the advise I received from some camera club members was "if you can't print it good, print it big". Bigger isn't always better. Craig

[Mel]

Jerry Spagnoli makes 8x10 daguerreotypes:

http://www.jerryspagnoli.com/

Spagnoli's modern daguerreos are amazing.
Thanks for posting.

How can one learn to make them?

[Mel]

It's wild that the Daguerreos
are of NYC. And the blue is
breathtaking. By chance might
that be Berg Brilliant Blue toner?!
I just picked up some and can't
wait to try it out.:D

[Mel]

...and, yes, John Coffer is amazing, too. ;)

[Joe Smigiel]

It's wild that the Daguerreos
are of NYC. And the blue is
breathtaking. By chance might
that be Berg Brilliant Blue toner?!
I just picked up some and can't
wait to try it out.:D


The blue color is the signature of solarization in a daguerreotype. Since the plates are only sensitive to UV (and blue wavelengths I think), the skies for example receive so much exposure relative to other objects in a scene that they are grossly overexposed and solarize.

[goamules]

35-years ago, the advise I received from some camera club members was "if you can't print it good, print it big". Bigger isn't always better. Craig

I concur. But with wetplate, some people like the flaws and all, a la Mann, and the bigger plates let you see the flaws more!

Personally, I do a lot of shooting and optimizing things, and don't want to use all the chemicals up on a few plates.... If everything is going well on a shoot, sometimes I'll get a larger plate holder out. If not, I save my chemicals.

Mel, like Joe is saying, the blue of a daguerreotype is just a part of the process, which you should know is totally different than other types of LF. Remember, it's not film. No toner involved, not in a traditional sense.

[eduardtoader]

Hello all.

I´m in too. I have one year trying to build a 8x10 field camera. When all will be understood, I would like to build something bigger.

Do you know about any link where I could get the construction shhets of a field camera. I found this link very usefull, but still I need to be more exact.

http://camera.biyeun.com/

Good day to all.

[rugenius]

The 4x5" format is baby steps to say the least...

[Craig Roberts]

For my mid-life crises, I built a 12x20 camera. Craig

[Jim Fitzgerald]

For my mid-life crises, I built a 12x20 camera. Craig

Craig, I love your camera. One day I'll bring the 11x14 and 8x20 I built so we can shoot.Of course if we wait a bit I may have the 14x17 done!! I may need a bigger truck though.

Jim

[Dave Wooten]

Hello all.

I´m in too. I have one year trying to build a 8x10 field camera. When all will be understood, I would like to build something bigger.

Do you know about any link where I could get the construction shhets of a field camera. I found this link very usefull, but still I need to be more exact.

http://camera.biyeun.com/

Good day to all.

Good Work Eduard! Thanks for sharing.:)

[DaveTheWalker]

I have an excellent book called "Primitive Photography" that details plans for making various sorts of cameras for alternative processes. It also has recipes and procedures for doing it all from first principles.

Great for the "keen" DIYer!

http://www.amazon.com/Primitive-Photography-Making-Cameras-Calotypes/dp/0240804619

[eduardtoader]

For my mid-life crises, I built a 12x20 camera. Craig


Beutiful work Craig. Would you describe the focus system? How do you fit the focus racks and where do you bought it?


For the moment it´s a mistery for me. I only worked with monorail cameras but I´m thinking to build a field camera.


lot of thanks.

sincerely,
eduard

[JRFrench]

Good to see this thread, and collect ideas, I'm planning on making a camera to take the 24x30cm xray film with an 11x14 reducing back, with the option of wetplates.