I suppose I should chime in here, but I am reluctant to do so. I don't particularly want to be accused of bragging that "mine is bigger than yours." Nevertheless, many of the issues I am facing in building my camera are the same as those discussed in this thread.
Last month, I pulled into my father-in-laws driveway and he had a midsize box truck sitting in front of his garage. I turned to my wife and said, "What a great looking camera." She didn't even flinch. After 29 yeas if marriage, she has learned to humor my eccentricities. Long story short, I bought the truck and am now constructing a truck size view camera. The box is approximately 80 inches wide, 82 inches high and 14 feet deep.
I just finished building the rear standard/film holder. The design is pretty simply. I started with an artist's easel. It is on wheels and can be tilted forward and backwards. I mounted a universal TV mount to the easel which also rotates 360 degrees--so I can rotate from landscape to portrait orientation and level the film if parked on a slope. I built a wooden frame and glued a 50" by 66" sheet of metal to the frame. I use magnets to attach the film/paper to the metal.
I can move the easel forward and backward for rear focus. It tilts forward and backward. The easel gives me rise and fall. I can also move it side to side (shift) and swing it side to side (swing). So, I have all the rear movements of a view camera covered.
I have been testing the back in my studio. I put a 2300 lens from Surplus Shed in a window surrounded by cardboard and the lens gives enough coverage at infinity to cover the final image size of 50x62 1/2 (same aspect ratio as 8x10).
I am now working on the lens stage. I am using the back of an old Burke and James 8x10 camera as my lens holder. It has limited rise/fall, swings, tilts and shifts. I plan to be able to raise the entire front standard for additional rise and fall. I can also crank the lens assembly forward and backward for fine focusing. This part is still under construction. I have detailed plans, but the plans are only good until I start building.
I am experimenting with different films and papers for the truck camera. I ordered sample sizes of ortho film (comes in 24" rolls), ultrafine graphic arts films (comes in rolls 48 inches wide), Ilfochorme and Harman Direct Positive Paper (comes in 50" rolls).
I am also experimenting with different lenses. I have a 1000 mm Rodenstock Apo-Ronar-CL. I'd like to find a supplementary lens to add to this to make it a 2000 and 3000 mm lens. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
I also have many lenses from Surplus Shed to play with, including a 4000mm lens, which works well. I have to study up on lens physics to learn more about combining lens elements to make lenses of various focal lengths.
My biggest hurdle right now is the weather. It is supposed to get down to 0 degrees f this weekend. I can continue to experiment in my studio and darkroom through the winter. I would like to have the truck camera up and running by next March 26--my 53rd birthday.
Any advice is appreciated.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Jim Fitzgerald
Bookmarks