Filmwasters
Which Board? => Articles => : Sandeha Lynch December 22, 2011, 07:21:36 PM
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The first large format lens I ever bought was a late 1920's Zeiss Tessar 135/4.5 that must have come off a 9x12cm Zeiss Donata. It cost me £30 in a second hand camera shop in Singapore. Since I started shooting Whole Plate and 5x7 a few years back the lens has just been sitting around unused, which is a pity as the shutter is excellent and the lens has everything you'd expect from early an uncoated Tessar. It's capable in a beautiful way.
Well, that's one old part that can be reused. Cue a broken Cobra tripod, the front fork from a Houghton Folding Klito, (1920's), the ground glass and fresnel from a Speed Graphic, (1950's), the viewfinder from a set of Taron auxiliary lenses, (1960's), the 1/4" thread socket from some unknown ever-ready case, the film back from an alternative version of the Neretta 4x5 that was never completed, knobs leftover after building the Surveyor 4x5, a mini ballhead, and of course some new bellows which were made for the purpose. Creating a new camera out of old parts just needed a little cobbling, and some casting.
Using a tripod leg instead of a standard focusing rail seemed feasible but I needed some way of attaching the rear standard, hence the casting. Some piece of plumbing might have done it but I couldn't find any shapes that would fit securely. I still had some Britannia metal, or pewter, lying around from casting small sculptures years ago. It does not have a high tensile strength, but it melts at a low temperature, is robust enough to bear weight and easy to fashion.
So first the mould.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4313a.jpg)
Then the hot metal.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4315a.jpg)
And finally, the functional base for the camera.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4317a.jpg)
Bit by bit it assembled itself, almost. The rest was aluminium strip from B&Q. I prefer brass, but that would be too expensive for a parts cam!
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4320a.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4349a.jpg)
The front standard has a free range of movements due to the ballhead, including rise and fall on the fork. The rear has forward tilt, and just a very slight degree of backward tilt. The extension runs from 135mm to 250mm for macro work. I also have two other lenses that cover 4x5, a 90mm and a 150mm, but they usually live on other cameras.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4334s.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4347a.jpg)
Although constructed as a 4x5, in a studio context I might just as often use a 6x7 roll film back. And Polaroid's are not impossible, (pun, geddit?)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4333a.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/IMGP4332a.jpg)
OK, boring test shots on a dark and rainy winter's day, on Wephota NP27, an ISO 400 sheet film, dev'd in Rodinal.
One shot straight ...
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/111222_np27_01.jpg)
And one shot twisted !!
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/111222_np27_02.jpg)
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Wow!
Great Camera and looks as if it will produce some stunning images when you get it out in the wild.
Mike
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Great work, Sandeha and a thing of beauty too!
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Wow! Quality work.
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in awe
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another GREAT creation Sandeha. Looks superb. A ball head front standard? interesting.
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Spectacular work, with impressive results! Impressed. Skj.
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Glad youse likes the looks of it. :D
And as soon as the weather improves I'll see how practical it is with cold fingers outadoors.
It's not the first time I've used a ballhead ...
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/modifications/th_IMGP3378_copy.jpg) (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/modifications/IMGP3378_copy.jpg)
8)
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It's gorgeous, Sandeha, I love the golden bellows, which gives the whole thing a classy air. Wish I had some DIY skills, I'd be a-doin' it mesel', f'r sure!
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That's an awesome camera you built there. I can only imagine what would happen when I had those DIY skills. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't take any pictures anymore ;)
Urban
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excellent article - very well done - looks great !
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mighty impressive work! and it looks good to boot :)
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Further outings ...
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/120104_era1_02b.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/120122_era1_01.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/120122_era1_02.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/neretta%20rail/120122_era1_03.jpg)
This last shot has prompted me to dig deeper into the parts bin to make one in portrait format.
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Great stuff, Sandeha!
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very impressive - and produces the goods !