I am an experiences woodworker and wondered if there are good plans and hardware available to make my own field camera?
I am an experiences woodworker and wondered if there are good plans and hardware available to make my own field camera?
Check out Jon Grepstad's site:
http://home.online.no/~gjon/jgcam.htm
And don't miss his links to other sites:
http://home.online.no/~gjon/camerabuilders.htm
One option... Google or Yahoo the term build your own large format camera.
Another option... go to youtube and search the same.
Also... might try DIY large format camera.
Many hits on this.
One web site in particular has a lot of links to various designs and builders....see this link:
http://home.online.no/~gjon/camerabuilders.htm
There are huge number of sites and videos with information you requested. It's actually rather overwhelming.
This might help as well:
http://www.jbhphoto.com/vcam/vcams.htm
Lachlan.
You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky
You sure you got the skills Barry?
You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain
Good question. The crafts of cabinet maker and metal worker are more applicable than the art of a luthier in view camera construction. It also helps to be a master mechanic to solve the inevitable problems. Some designs are easier to construct at home: the Jon Grepstad or Jay Bender http://www.jaybender.com/BPH/, for example. You might get ideas from the Noda or the Newton New Vue cameras. If you have the mechanical aptitude of Thomas Edison or John M. Browning, you may even design the next generation of DIY camera. Your present skills might best be used in reconditioning or replacing the woodwork on existing cameras that already have good hardware.
I recall that View Camera magazine carried an article, maybe in two or three parts some years ago on building your own. As I recall, the hurdle faced by the author was the machining of the metal parts, for which he purchased and became adept with a tabletop milling machine.
its a lot of fun building a camera,
good luck !
john
From October 2015 my plans are available from my new website: jongrepstad.com
The Camera builders page will be available there from November 2015.
My old website will be dismantled by the end of October 2015.
Jon Grepstad
Bookmarks