I've been thinking about trying to build a 4x5 camera for a while as they look so good and like a tough but good project to try. However as I have never shot that size and have no way to easily develop it, alongside the chances of the project not working 100% right and the cost of lenses I have decided against.
But I've always wanted to try a camera with movements,and the evenings are long and dark so projects like this are fun for winter.
So I decided to try and make a polaroid land camera into a 'view' (?) camera with movements. I had an old 105mm lens and shutter (with T setting) and an old polaroid 103 camera, so that was all I needed, other than some scrap wood and something to make a darkslide from. I used the tripod mount from a camera that had already had other bits scavenged from it and sunk that into the frame.
Darkslide was built from an old packfilm case and part of a reasonably stiff A4 document holder, works a treat.
Built a frame from some old wood. Used epoxy glue to mount the bolts to the camera where needed, and drilled a couple holes in the camera, one in the battery compartment, one below the bellows, to mount the rear of the camera to the frame.
The camera front can extend back and forth allowing for extremely close focussing, the frame is marked at the point where infinity is in focus so I can use it without ground glass if I wish.
Front standard has rise and fall, tilt and swing. This is more a proof of concept, if I use it a lot I will buy some nice wood and re make the frame, it is untidy at the moment.
The original design had full rear movements too, but that had to be changed mainly because it was too difficult to allow those movements whilst the back could easily open as required and the film could be pulled.
I have some test shots and seems to work great. Can focus much closer than a normal pack camera as you use the glass rather than the view finder to focus and are not using the struts to hold the front lensboard anymore.
But, you do need a changing bag to use it, as the film has to be removed each shot to focus. Rough steps are:
- focus on GG
- lock movements
- close shutter - already made that mistake once!
- remove from tripod
- load film in bag (unless first shot in pack)
- replace camera without knocking tripod
- take shot!
same as large format I guess just bit more hassle using changing bag.
It's super windy here today so can't really take it out to try movements, and need to learn what they all do first!
Anyway, some pics of it below, any comments welcome!
(and if this is best placed in another thread, feel free to move it, and forgive poor phone photos)
