I only found out, today, quite by chance, about the Wanderlust Travelwide camera, and was intrigued. It seems like a great idea, but it also seems like dead one. I mean, it is as if the company had ceased to exist. Is this correct? What happened?
I only found out, today, quite by chance, about the Wanderlust Travelwide camera, and was intrigued. It seems like a great idea, but it also seems like dead one. I mean, it is as if the company had ceased to exist. Is this correct? What happened?
I know most of the part designs for the Travelwide are available on Thingiverse, if you have access to 3D printing.
You might want to check out the Chroma Snapshot as well. Chroma seems a little more active.
Yes it's dead due to the complaining about the camera's production process and (reasonable) delays back when it was Kickstarted, causing burnout and distaste of the community by the creators.
Sadly mine was sent off to a friendly person to mod and he has disappeared. It was a good camera. Would love to find another one.
Mine still works fine
Tin Can
A suitable replacement is being made my Chroma, called the Snapshot. It looks to be a more complex but superior design.
I think the creators were less put off by the community as by the process of selling a popular 'anything' and having to deal with the resulting madness. They had problems with production, massive delays, then just shipping them worldwide! What a headache.
There seem to be more:Originally Posted by sperdynamite
https://mercurycamera.com/
https://www.maleficwares.com/
https://film.kolve.org/darkroomdiy/w...endly-cameras/
Mercury Camera is odd in that I can't see any information on the company. Malefic is from Italy, Europe. Will Travel, a DIY alternative, is from Norway, Europe.
[Responding to Nelari's Post with links to various sources of LF hand-held cameras/designs]
Following these kickstarter type initiatives gives one an appreciation of what is involved in making a real, sustainable company and the price that must be set to keep the whole system going. I'm pleased that there are new models of design and manufacturing emerging. Of course there are growing pains. I'm not denying that it can be very painful for an individual to make an investment and not get what was promised. But, let's face it, there is never going to be a huge demand for sheet film hand-held cameras, so I am glad that there are individuals out there designing things and sharing their work.
I have some Mercury Camera components. Very nice people. They are certainly not doing it full-time. As near as I can tell, it is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and perhaps some students. Morten Kolve (another one of the links you kindly provided above) is very generous with his designs and a generous contributor to the DIY camera Facebook group.
After some searching, I submit it is Pittsburgh, not Carnegie Mellon: https://www.filmandmedia.pitt.edu/people/zach-horton
Indeed. My apologies. I shouldn't rely on my memory alone.
I have and use several Mercury cameras.
Email Zach, the creator, he will be happy to discuss. Understand the Mercury is more of a custom system, with parts built for your needs, rather than a camera that is designed for one class of lens alone like the Travelwide.
My most used Mercury cameras are a 4x5 custom made for my 47mm XL that I can also swap a 38mm XL for 6x12 shots onto, a 6x9 camera with that same 38mm XL, and a 5x7 designed for my 72mm XL (seeing a theme?). I haven't used the 5x7 as much as it ended up being a bit large for the use I envisioned.
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