Results from home made 6x12 wide angle camera

[Steve Smith]

For a while now I have been building a 6x12 format wide angle camera with a Super Angulon 65mm lens, details here: http://stevesmithphoto.webs.com/pano612.html

Last Sunday I took it out with its first ever roll of film. I processed it and was presented with six totally black frames. After a while I assumed that the material I used for the lens board was not lightproof so I covered it in 120 film backing paper and tried again. This time I got another six black frames!

After a lot of looking around the camera with a bright light, I found two small gaps where the lens mount joined the lens board. I filled these in and got some real images with the third roll of film.


Steve.

[Steve Smith]

A couple more:

[Asher Kelman]

A couple more:

Beautifully inspired work. How did you get the distance right for focus? You might need some shims for final adjustment? That's a big "perhaps".

Asher

[Steve Smith]

Schneider's website gives the film to the back of the shutter distance as 70.5mm. That is the distance I have it when the focusing mount is at infinity.

If I was going to make this again I wouldn't bother with focusing and I would set the lens at hyperfocal position for f16 and use it at f22. The third picture with the logs leading diagonally across the frame was taken with the focus at infinity. The last (vertical) picture of the rope on the post was taken with it set to about five feet. In both pictures, there is incredibly good detail close up and at infinity (these scans do the prints no justice at all). There is so much depth of field available that I don't think the focusing mount is needed. Even so, I'm pleased that I did it.

The next plan is a back to take 5x4 film holders which takes the same lens and focusing mount on its rectangular lens board.


Steve.

[John Koehrer]

Think it would be worth making a bunch of the bodies& selling them as a "short kit"?

[Steve Smith]

You might need some shims for final adjustment? That's a big "perhaps".

Further to my previous reply, it is actually shimmed. There is a spacer about 3mm thick between the body and the film insert. I designed this in to give some control over the film to shutter distance.


Steve.

[hnaa]

Hi Steve,
that is a gorgeous camera, congrats!! Do you know if it is possible to find more detailed info on how to attach the lens to the Olympus lens helical? I have a couple of old manual focus lenses that are broken in various ways, could be fun to put them to use somehow.

[Steve Smith]

Do you know if it is possible to find more detailed info on how to attach the lens to the Olympus lens helical?

I found a member of APUG who had done the same thing. I was messing about with a different lens helical and I was going to try to put the helical barrel in a lathe and open it out by about 0.6mm to fit the rear cells. This wouldn't leave much metal!

I don't remember the name of the person now but I will try to find his details. However, he had already put wider lenses onto the bodies of 6x9 folding cameras and had used a 50mm Olympus lens. I bought a lens with a broken aperture mechanism and took it apart, made an end plate and mounted the lens on it. Apparently my modification was easier than his as he had to reverse his barrel whereas I didn't need to.

The rear cell assembly has a diameter of 42mm. I was particularly happy when I measured the opening in the Olympus lens at just over 43mm! I think a broken Bronica ETRS or SQ lens would be a good donor for a focusing mount as they are a bit bigger than a 35mm lens.

Most of the information is lodged in my brain somewhere as I don't usually make notes when I build things. If you have any queries, just ask.

Here is someone who has done the same thing with a Canon lens: http://rfhansen.wordpress.com/photos-2/diy-6x9-camera/

If you want to do this but don't feel like modifying a lens, I think I have a lens of unknown origin at home which I have stripped down to its helical and barrel. I can't say for sure if the 65mm Super Angulon will fit it but I will measure it tonight. If it's of any use to you, you can have it for the postage cost.

I had to make an additional piece to mount the lens to the helical. Pictures attached.

EDIT: Here is the person I got the Olympus idea from: http://www.richard-littlewood.com/equipment.htm#javascript

And: http://www.richard-littlewood.com/misc%20popups/pop%20ups/all3.htm


Steve.

[cdholden]

Steve,
Third time lucky! Nice work on the fabrication.
If you finish this in the next year or so, this can be our Camera #9! :)

Chris

[Steve Smith]

If you finish this in the next year or so, this can be our Camera #9! :)

Only if I can tie a few thousand miles of bungee cord to it so I can get it back!


Steve.

[atlcruiser]

nice work!