WA 6x9 folder in my pocket

[elekm]

Excellent work. Very compact. And because the finder isn't permanently attached, it doesn't ruin the body.

[Steve Smith]

Yeah, 6x12, my dream for next one, but also I will make it into a folder

Whilst I like the idea of modifying existing items, I made a 6x10 format camera from a Polaroid 110A, I also like to make things from scratch.

This rough web page show my efforts so far. The mechanism shown here will fit into an oak box which I have not made yet.

http://www.freewebs.com/stevesmithphoto/pano612.html

At work I have the use of a CNC drill/router originally used for manufacture of printed circuit boards. It can cut the nylon material shown here up to 9mm thick and also works nicely on wood - perfect finger joints!



Steve.

[richard littlewood]

Very nice steve. I would really like decent workshop stuff now and again.

[AlanC]

Steve,
Fascinating. How did you make the viewfinder?

Alan Clark

[darinwc]

Wow, great stuff! Ditto on wanting a compact MF wide-angle camera.
Tell me more about making the lens helical, if you please!

[Steve Smith]

Fascinating. How did you make the viewfinder?

Lots of trial and error - mainly error!

I have a box of lens elements from various failed lens repairing escapades over the years and I did a bit of Google research.

I found the simple Gallilean viewfinder which is basically a telescope but I found I couldn't get a wider than 'normal' view with just a positive and negative lens.

After playing around with two lenses, I tried three. A large positive at the front, a negative just behind it and a smaller positive lens at the eyepiece.

I found the spacing of the front and middle elements was not very critical but the middle to eyepiece element spacing had to be correct to get a perfectly focussed image. I fixed it to suit my vision corrected with glasses so I assume it will also suit an eye with perfect vision.

A more sophisticated version would have this variable to suit different people's sight but I will keep mine fixed.

In between the front and middle elements is a black polyester disc with a rectangle cut out of it. It is actually slightly pin cushioned in shape to compensate for the distortion of the lens. When you look through it, it gives a really good image with a clear rectangular mask - much better than that picture taken by holding it in front of a digi-compact on macro.

I will probably re-make the housing for the viewfinder as the one shown is lots of bits of CNC cut PVC stuck together. I am going to try to find some plastic pipe with an internal diameter to match the front element. I will then fit a hot shoe from an old flash (or make one) onto the base and put an accessory shoe on the top of the camera.

I have not made much progress recently but I am getting ready to cut the oak for the body.


Steve.

[Steve Smith]

Tell me more about making the lens helical, if you please!

The lens helical is half of an old Minolta MC 50mm f2 lens. Due to the size of the rear element assembly of the Schneider lens, I had to open up the internal opening in the actual helical part to 42mm and cut it down a bit.

In doing this I lost the slide which prevents the lens from turning which is why the grey mounting plate has a pin in it. The top plate which the lens mounts on will have a bracket which locates over the pin - a bit like a large Nikon pre-AI metering tab. this wil stop the lens rotating as the barrel is turned and allow the lens to move in and out instead.

Trying the lens out on my speed graphic, it only seems to need 6-7mm of movement to go from infinity focus to about five feet. The helix from the Minolta lens seems about right based on its distance markings. If it's not right, I will stick a new scale on it but being such a wide angle, I think there is a bit of room for error. As long as I get infinity right, I think the rest will fall into place.


Steve.

[AlanC]

Thanks for the detailed reply Steve. Much food for thought here...

Alan Clark

[Steve Smith]

Have a look at mine Equipment/homemade 6x9 wideangle cameras www.richard-littlewood.com

Excellent write up but do you have any pictures of your conversions?


Steve

[darinwc]

^there are pics the links are just hidden in the text