my 4x5 project

[Tim k]

This has been a work in progress for several years. Its been finished a couple of times. Used and abandoned, rebuilt and abandoned again. Hopefully I'm done now.

I've worked my way trough several store bought cameras. A monorail that I hated to drag around. A crown that I liked, but portrait was a pain. Then I found what I thought was the perfect rig, a tech 4. A little heavy, but I found shooting wide was a pain.

So here is where I am now in my journey. Not perfect, but its working for me. Its got a crown back, which has that great metal folding hood. The back is fixed to a rotating section very much like most of the wooden folders. The bellows are a bit odd, a cross between a bag bellows and some flexible heat ducting. Actually they work a lot better than they look, best of all they only took about an hour to build.

Now if I could only figure out how to take a decent picture.

[Steve Smith]

Looks good to me. I'm currently building my third folding 5x4 camera despite not having finished No. 1 or No.2!

I keep finding ways to improve what I have planned and start again.

Do you have some more pictures (or even plans and building methods) you could share?


Steve.

[Tim k]

Steve,
No plans, I just wing it, and hope for the best. If there is anything in particular your interested in I'd be happy to share.
Tim

[David Schaller]

Looks great Tim! Congratulations.
Dave

[Cletus]

Pretty nice! Really nice finishing on the woodwork! Wish I could do that....

[ImSoNegative]

that is a fine looking camera, I would love to build an 11x14

[Steve Smith]

No plans, I just wing it, and hope for the best.

That's my method too. However, as I cut most parts on a CNC router, they do get drawn and I have shared these with a number of people.

My method is usually to make one piece then design the next piece to fit onto it and so on. I don't design the whole thing before starting work on it.

If there is anything in particular your interested in I'd be happy to share.

I would be interested in seeing your focusing rack/mechanism if you have any pictures of that, but it was more of a general interest request really.

For anyone interested in making a camera, this website is a good place to start looking, especially the 'Workshop' section: http://www.raymentkirbycameras.co.uk/


Steve.

[Tim k]

that is a fine looking camera, I would love to build an 11x14

I am of the opinion that the 11x14 is a nice size. It was actually easier to build than the 4x5. Here's my attempt.

[Tim k]

I would be interested in seeing your focusing rack/mechanism if you have any pictures of that, but it was more of a general interest request really.

Steve.

Steve, here are a couple of quick cell phone pics. Nothing special really, its all McMaster Carr.

[Tim k]

David and Cletus, thanks, I appreciate the kind words.