DIY Open Source Field Camera Design

[Tim Meisburger]

Michael, that looks like a great option as well, and is very similar to the Ikeda design. Can you post a picture of the camera? Particularly the from assembly. If we we used that as a model we would at least have an 8x10 we could measure directly (I'm scaling my design from an Ikeda 4x5, and pictures of a Nagaoka 8x10).

Ian can weigh in, but I do think this is also the English field camera design he is advocating. Would look sweet in mahogany and brass!

Here are a few links for the King:

http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bi...&login=kingroc

http://www.piercevaubel.com/cam/roc/king.htm

[IanG]

The King is one of the small number of British style field cameras made in the US, another was I think the Albion. It has the advantage of a spring back.

I posted either here or on APUG a small catalogue by I think Vevers a British company who sold camera kits and parts, from memory they were based in Leeds, they also supplied finished cameras for small retailers to re-badge and sell as their own.

Here's the link actually it was Lonsdale Bros in London who made the kits, Vevers sold brass parts and were in Leeds.

Ian

[Barry Kirsten]

If I may raise another matter... bellows material. I'm about to start a light-weight 4x5 and am realising that diy bellows is going to be a problem. I have not been able to find a source of the right material at all. There is also a comprehensive thread here: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...bellows-fabric which has not resolved the issue satisfactorily, to my mind. Rudy from ecbuyonline makes excellent bellows (which I have previously bought) and he states his material is sourced in the US, but I can't find it. I agree that metal hardware is very important, but if we want a truly diy camera, attention to bellows making is also important.

[Michael Roberts]

The Ikeda Anba 4x5:

[Michael Roberts]

And...

Quite a lot of brass. Sliding locks on the back. Front swing as well as back swing.

[Michael Roberts]

The Rochester Optical King 8x10:

[Michael Roberts]

a few more of the King...

[Michael Roberts]

and, finally...

[Tim Meisburger]

Thank you all for this information. Ian, that is exactly what we need today, a source of generic parts for a generic camera. Probably we will never get them all from one source, but if we can develop a standard parts list that would make it possible, and perhaps more feasible, for small suppliers or manufacturers to source or produce parts. It might not be worthwhile to make one set of springs or front hardware, but if you could be relatively confident of selling 100 sets, it would make more economic sense to tool up.

Ian, the wood parts are interesting, as I'm relatively sure here in Bangkok I could identify a supplier for kits like that, and I'm sure that could also be done in many other places. You mention and link a 7 page PDF in the APUG post, but the link is dead. Can you post the PDF here?

Barry - Yes, bellows. I also have noticed we do not have a good source for this material, and it is certainly something we would include in the generic parts list. My understanding is that different materials are needed for different size cameras, but the beauty of this is that people could try a variety of materials in a standard design and then post their experiences and sources. Eventually we would find usable materials. Personally, I'm thinking leather, but that doesn't seem too common on cameras larger than 4x5.

Michael, thanks for these pictures. I have an Ikeda 4x5 (mine is the chrome-plated version) and it does have a lot of parts. Might be better to go with the simpler King, if you think it has the required functionality.

[Michael Roberts]

It would be nice to add front swing, but not absolutely necessary IMO.