Which would be easier to build - 8x10 SLR or TLR?

[Peter De Smidt]

[QUOTE=Qeb;1598815]Hello Peter!
Thanks for a reply.

I found that Keith camera you mentioned.
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/...9/DSC_0497.jpg

Sorry, I'm not that experienced with these systems. How does the parallax-compensating work? Do you tilt the front standards or just rise and fall?

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As the camera is focused, the top lens board slides up and down to adjust for parallax. Basically, it rides on a profiled piece of aluminum. It's a bit simpler than Gowlandflex, as there's no mirror.

[otto.f]

Wow, thank so much for all the wonderful replies!

Thanks Otto.f, is there anyway to use a reflex viewer in portrait orientation but not looking from the side.
Or would looking side be better when the camera is high off the ground (no ladder needed).


Thanks everyone!
Hope you all have a great weekend

Correct me if I am or understand you wrong but with a reflex viewer you always look from above and mostly in portrait mode, so you’ll need a ladder in your case then

[Peter De Smidt]

With the standard twin lens, the viewing system is on top. You can either have an internal mirror between the lens with a viewing screen on top, ala a Gowlandflex, or you can have both cameras focus on screen on the back, as per a normal view camera, and then use a reflex viewer, ala Sinar. My Keith camera was the latter. With the Sinar viewer on the top, you couldn't insert a film holder into the lower part from the top. But it had a rotating back, and so you could load from the bottom. If I were building it, though, you might consider making the top element the camera part. That way you could load in portrait mode from the top.

Another option, by the way, would be to make the viewing system digital. Put a digital camera close to the taking lens and live stream to a monitor.

[Qeb]

Hey everyone,

So I neglected/forgot to mention this 8x10 camera would be used for tintypes/wet plate collodion and other alternative processes.
Thus I'm thinking an SLR might be the cheapest solution as I think I will not need need a shutter (since exposure times are either many seconds or the strobes will act as a shutter).

I will still need the mirror and ground glass.

*Edit- wait, will the mirror be able to block exposure or light hitting the "film"/plate?


Does anyone know how much I should look to spend on a Graflex Series D?
I'm thinking I should get one (maybe a parts camera with out a lens?) just to get design ideas/measurements.

Also, does anyone know where to get source an 8x10 angle finder or reflex view for 8x10.
Would you suggest to try to make one?

I truly appreciate all the brain power you guys used to share advice.
What a great forum!

Have a splendid weekend!


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Thanks for a reply Paul!

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Thanks for the description Peter!

Also thanks for sharing your experiences and advice

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[Qeb]

Hey everyone,

Sorry if I replied to many times and it looked like spam.


But I have a DIY idea for and SLR 8x10 camera and I would love some feedback/opinions/advice.


Not sure if the following has been done and it might seem wild but I'm thinking I might be a way to achieve my goals.


So here's the design idea:

Could you take an 8x10 view camera (mono rail?), then between the rear portion of the bellows and the rear standard, place a box that contains an appropriate sized
bellows. Additionally at the top of the box you could place a ground glass.


So I could critically focus at the the rear standards back and then watch subject and adjust composition from the top ground glass.


I'm not sure if this would physically work, but there is one foreseeable problem.
It looks like in the Graflex Series d 4x5 camera, there is not much distance between the mirror and the back of the box.
With a rear standard there is a depth to reach the film plane.
So if you just put in a mirror to reflect light to the top of the box's ground glass the measurements would be off.

Could the solution be just to raise the top of the box ground glass so it compensates?

I've attached a crude drawing.

Measurement B is the extra depth from the rear of the box and measurement C is the compensation by raising the ground glass.






Thanks so much in advance for any advice

Take care!

Best Regards,
Kevin H.

[Peter De Smidt]

You will have to raise the mirror and take the exposure. That's a bit clunky. The traditional method is to focus, close lens load holder...and then watch with your head near the front of the camera until you get the expression you want. You can then very quickly take the exposure. Yes, the sitter has to be quite still, but that's also true of your method.

I have a Fuji GX680. One of the major portrait photographers who used this camera in it's heyday said to maximize sharpness, always use mirror up. Your mirror is many times bigger....He focuses, put the mirror up, and then watched the subject...http://www.efactsphoto.com/portfolio.html

[Tin Can]

In the beginning of photography a head steady was used for long exposures

I am now using one so the sitter doesn't move as I fiddle about

http://thephotopalace.blogspot.com/p/head-brace.html

[Daniel Unkefer]

DSC02697 (2) by Nokton48, on Flickr

250mm Imagon matching pair (one barrel one in lower spot, and compound shutter top taking lens in top), mounted matched pair, barrel lens presently attached with blue painter's masking tape, needs flange attached with micro hobby modeling brass screws. Mini drill press makes lots of holes quick and precise. This will take about an hour to finish including painting. Next project is same exact deal set up, but with matching 200mm Imagon pair, for all lenses I prefer the H5.8 discs but with the petals fully closed.

I'd like to have additional supplemental aperture discs printed. I've seen this very thing done with old 4x5 plastic dark slides laser cut. A set of standards " Imagon Waterhouse Stops" cut from old plastic darkslides for each Imagon would be the final goal

The top lens is forward mounted in original Norma board so that the front and rear standards are automated Norma cables so super fast. When you insert a holder it closes the shutter, and just that fast you can pop it. And of course I see the "pop" through the taking lens for an instant. No chimping required and just like with a baby 6x6 TLR

[Greg]

does anyone know where to get source an 8x10 angle finder or reflex view for 8x10.

Toyo-View 8x10 Binocular Reflex Hood was available a few years ago from B&H, but the item is now listed as "No Longer Made". There was an article in VIEWCAMERA about someone having a reflex housing custom made for their 11x14. Currently my VIEWCAMERA magazines are stored away while I redo my shelving. Maybe someone can post an attachment of that page. Have been currently trying to design one for my whole plate but the project is currently on hold till I figure out how to fabricate the main part of the hood and what material to make it with... suggestions welcome.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Have been currently trying to design one for my whole plate but the project is currently on hold till I figure out how to fabricate the main part of the hood and what material to make it with... suggestions welcome.

Suggestion:

Martin Selig just custom cut a front surface mirror (need 162mmx112mm) for my early 4x5 Sinar Reflex Magnifier. Price was really reasonable and he can probably scale this up? He also cut another custom odd size FSM to go in a broken Sinar Norma Mirror Unit that was obviously dropped

martywaw@gmail.com