Hi all,
Figured some folks here might appreciate this. While not a photographic camera, I think this still fits here. These days, I work largely in intaglio printmaking, specifically drypoint. About a week ago, I decided I wanted a camera obscura to use in the field for developing drawings and sketches from life for other compositions, much like many classical artists did in past centuries. It turns out that finding an antique obscura of the size I needed was easier said than done so I set out to build one. Below is the completed piece. It’s made of birch, red oak, and walnut. I designed it with a combination of characteristics from 17th-19th century box-style camera obscruras and early 20th century view cameras. It has a sliding track that locks and the front standard allows for front tilt. Inside, there is a mirror set at 45 degrees which carries the image projected by the lens up to a horizontal ground glass. The body is 18x18” and with the legs (which are removable), it stands 31.5” tall. The ground glass will form an image 15”x16”.
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