help needed. starting a fixed focus scheimpflung principle camera project

[stefan dinu]

Hello,
I am quite new to large format, but I am doing wet plate for six years now.
Now I want to get deeper into large format film projects, as I stock some film in the last years.
I bought a Cambo SC, since I need all the movements for architectural photography, but the whole kit is a bit large for hiking.
The camera came with a 75mm SW EBC Fujinon, but I found myself using it rather seldom. 90/8 Fuji takes the lead here.

I was thinking of building a camera around this lens designed for a very specific job: BW landscape in mountains. Since, most, if not all the plates will be with a emphasis on the foregorund, and the perspective correction is not something to look for in this camera, I thought that the planes should not be necessarily parallel, but rather like a prism with the planes in scheimpflung principle for a leveled camera and a tilted focused plane. The shots will be made with the lens stopped down anyway.

Before starting such a project I think is best to seek your advice. Did anyone tried this before? Is it stupid? Is is possible? Any thoughts...

Later: Hello to all. After posting I saw that is my first post. I am not new, I was just on the side, reading.

[jp]

For this sort of thing, most people would get an additional camera; a light weight field camera.

If you want to build something, experience with a camera meant for the job will either inspire your innovation or be suited to the task. If you don't like it you can sell it.

[maxotics]

Hello,
Is it stupid? Is is possible? Any thoughts...

Not worth doing if it isn't both. I'm currently on my seventh iteration of a camera trigger for a project I'm working on and near tears. That would come for you too. That said, there comes a time during every project where everything clicks for a moment and one enters a pure bliss I've not experienced in any other way. Then something stops working.

Everyone develops their own way. My way, for what it's worth, is to try to get the main features working first. I dummy the project with foam-board, gaffers tape, balsa and bass wood. Expect, in the end, to spend thousands on various equipment, $10 at a time. Specifically, go to a hobby shop and get the wood you need, some small saws, drills, etc. Walmart has close-out cloth. Your local Goodwill is your best friend (people are always amazed at the stuff I find there, like a box of 100 4x5 Portia negative for $4.99, which I gave to a friend. )

Don't spend too much time on one part, because often the needs of the second make the first one unnecessary! Always work big to small, small to big, back and forth--otherwise you get stuck in the weeds.

Once I get going, the hours fly by. So try it. If that's the case, welcome to crazy land. If not, there's always stuff you can do with your current cameras!