# cobbled 4x5 baush & Lomb



## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

this is a picture of my homemade (more or less) 4x5 camera with a bausch and lomb 130mm more or less lens. The lens is from a 2c camera by kodak. The len's return spring is broken which means it is the only every ready lens I have that has to be cocked.

I shot a picture this morning and a soon as the negative dries I will post it here.


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## terri (Jul 20, 2006)

hee hee! I'd say "it's so beautiful!" but you'd know I was lying.....


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

you are having way too much fun terri..


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## terri (Jul 20, 2006)

I only come here to have fun.    :mrgreen:


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

I guess i get the last laugh lol


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## PNA (Jul 20, 2006)

terri said:
			
		

> I only come here to have fun. :mrgreen:


 

Me too!

Tooling looks real good......so does the shot.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

I have plenty more cameras to go so remember when you get sick of them it was your own idea.


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## terri (Jul 20, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> I have plenty more cameras to go so remember when you get sick of them it was your own idea.


It was....? :scratch:



 

Bring 'em on! :razz:


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## PNA (Jul 20, 2006)

I'm new here, so.......but as Terri said, bring 'em on!

You didn't respond to where in NC.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

quote from james "Charlie, I also want to see the new camera. However, I think you oughtta take pictures of each one of your cameras, and put them on here. And... you should take these pictures _with_ your cameras. :mrgreen: Show us what we're missing out on!"

And You terri agreed.  Now you gotta live with it.

I also started working a new one.  What do you think of a 46mm film view camera.  Im toying with the idea.  I am working with a broken 'roid so i pulled the strut out and have a chopped down lens board hanging from the end of the bellows.  I'm going to have to do something with it and I never owned view camera with all the swings and tilts.  No idea what I will do with one but at the minimum a new toy.


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## PNA (Jul 20, 2006)

Let's see a pict of it..........


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 20, 2006)

Okay this is a stripped and chopped poloroid 330 camera. It is all plastic so it is a sacrificial since I have never done this before.

This is the basic building block of my camera builds. This one I have decided will become a mini view camera but 2x3 not 46mm as I had planned. It will have swing and tilt to make perspective corrections. At least as much as I can figure out. First I have to build it then go in search of a lens for it.

It has no back and no lens at this point also no strut and focus system.  Should be interesting.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 21, 2006)

I thought you might like to see the drawings for the attachements to the view cam..





thanks again to James for the tripod holder insert Idea it works peach keen.

Lens will tilp up and down by loosening the side bots on the yoke.  side by side by loosening then twisting the yoke right or left very simple design.  I am going to build the first one in 2x3 cut film but you could build it anything at all.  By adding the rail and yoke I can convert any of the press camera I have previously built.  Would just have to cut the struts loose, no big deal at all.


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## PNA (Jul 21, 2006)

What if you hinged the hardboard to the 1x2, giving you a vertical axis?


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 21, 2006)

I not sure i understand.  
I have swing and I have tilt what would the vertical movement of the lens do for me?  I have never used a view camera so I'm flying blind here.


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## PNA (Jul 21, 2006)

Sorry.....you have it all.

I was thinking of a ball and socket arrangement between the 1x2 and the hardboard....with a set screw.  ??????


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## JamesD (Jul 21, 2006)

The complete set of movements is Rise/fall, shift (left/right), Swing (clockwise/counterclockwise), and tilt (up/down).  Rise/fall and shift let you correct perspective (converging lines)--or, say, take a photograph of a mirror without the camera being in the reflection.  Swing and tilt change the plane of focus, so you can have flowers in the foreground and mountains in the background (for instance) both in focus, without having to use a very small aperture.  These are some of the main reasons I'm building my view camera... I plan to play with them a lot.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 21, 2006)

well im gonna have half of them.. left and right swing up and down tilt.  The other two will have to wait for a while.  However i do still have a metal frame with broken struts to do.  Maybe for it I will add more movement.

I have decided to go with the 2x3 film back on this one.


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## PNA (Jul 21, 2006)

Thanks for an explaination, I've never fooled with a sheet film camera, but always wanted to know. Flowers and mountains in focus....wow. 

Does my suggestion regarding a ball and socket for mysteryscribe seem workable?


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 22, 2006)

I am sure there are no more than three or four people who have any interest in view camera but I thought I would show you the progress since the first gutted polaroid.












The lens board has been installed.  The back is ready for the window sash moulding that makes it useable for a film holder.  Then it is buy a lens and paint it or cover it haven't decided which, but I do think I'm going to like it.  The swing and tilt is working just like I expected.  I need to buy some wing nuts to replace the bolts otherwise that part is completed.

It seems to be an interesting camera.


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## PNA (Jul 22, 2006)

Looks cool.....

From your initial diagram, you had the body pivoting, this one you have the lens pivoting on both axis&#8217;s. And you have the pivot points higher up on the lens.??? Do these differences have an effect on focusing?


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 22, 2006)

I must have screwed up the diagram this is what I had in mind all along a yoke holding the lens that pivots and then tilts forward.  I have a lens on the way for it but with my test lens it works great.  Even focuses to about a foot without any extra glass.

This is going to be a fun camera I think.  I have an ansco camera coming that has a anastigmat 7.7 lens similiar to the one I just put on the 4x5 build.  This on is going to be 2x3 and should be fun to shoot.  it will go on a permanent tripod.


Im looking forward to it.  The back will be finished tomorrow I expect.


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## PNA (Jul 22, 2006)

I misinterpreted the diagram.....at first look see, it seemed that the body was going to pivot....sorry.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 22, 2006)

The diagram was just rough work notes,,,, It wasn't all that detailed so I expect it was easy to misread.


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## PNA (Jul 22, 2006)

Thanks for letting me off the hook.....


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## JamesD (Jul 23, 2006)

Charlie, is the axis of your lensboard tilt through the top of the lensboard, rather than through the center of the lens?  If it is, then I think it might cause some focus difficulties when you go to use tilt due to the lens getting closer to or farther from the film plane.

Let us know how this works out, because I'm still working on my view camera, and I, at least, and very keen to know how it works for you!


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 23, 2006)

I would think that any tilt or even swing would change the distance to the film plane at some part of the lens but it should be a very very small distance.

I stuck a polaroid roll film lens on it with the shutter wedged open and it seems to be fine. I won't know till i shoot it a few times. Yes the tilt is from the top it might create a few more millimeters of movement on the bottom standard, since the lens will swing in but i also have back tilt. 

I took what you said to heart about the rise and fall. I can stick a few washers under the yoke to get rise, fall I doubt that I can get on this prototype but next time I will put the lens track under the 1x2 and a longer screw in the yoke with a bolt treaded above the track so that I can adjust the rise and fall by raising and lowering the yoke.

I wonder how much shift one needs on a view. I can always just make the groove wider and use a block under the yoke to lock it in place no matter where on the track it is. I widened the track a little so I have a small amount of shift.

by the way the back is finished. I have purchased a lens on ebay, of course it is still attached to a broken down camera lol. It is about a 129 mm 7.7 ansco anastigmat. I think that is about the minimum quality I can stand. It only cost about $9.50 shipping included. It also has the movable front element.

With the polaroid lens I stuck on to test it, I could get down to about a foot, with that lens I should be able to get it down to inches. I truly versitile camera. I am looking forward to getting the lens and finishing it up. Now I need to pick up a cheap wooden tripod, though there is no such thing, and a black cloth of course.

Im going to try to use a lightly sanded bit of plastic as a focus screen. If not i'll go back to my trust foggy plastic cd envelope.

I hope by the end of the week to be shooting it. I'll stick some pics of the camera and how it does when it is complete. This is what it looks like a this stage of completion
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










The body needs one more coat of paint and the lens board has to be done completely.  I'm thinking that faux brown wood color I do so poorly.  lol


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## JamesD (Jul 23, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> I would think that any tilt or even swing would change the distance to the film plane at some part of the lens but it should be a very very small distance.
> 
> I stuck a polaroid roll film lens on it with the shutter wedged open and it seems to be fine. I won't know till i shoot it a few times. Yes the tilt is from the top it might create a few more millimeters of movement on the bottom standard, since the lens will swing in but i also have back tilt.



You're right, tilt and swing do indeed alter the distance from lens to film plane, but if the axis of tilt/swing intersects the optical axis, then the effect will be symmetrical.  Essentially, the top half of the lens moves closer to get the mountains in focus, while the bottom half of the lens moves farther away to get the flowers in focus.  If the tilt/swing axis is off-center, (ie at the top of the lens board) then the effect won't be symmetrical.

I suppose the way to get around this is to first focus on the mountains, make a measurement, then focus on the flowers and make another measurement, then average the two and adjust the tilt, then the bellows extension for focus.  It'd be a little more involved, and probably require a bunch of tweaking, but it shouldn't be maddeningly difficult.  Plus, since you shoot retro, a little bit of soft-focus probably won't be objectionable.

This brought something to mind for me... the tilt on my view camera design is centered on the opitcal axis, regardless of rise or fall; however, with any degree of shift, the swing won't be.  That could be interesting... I may have to adjust my design.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 23, 2006)

Well wouldnt it depend again on how much tilt you had you can only get a little distance seperation between them. Anyway this is all guess till i get it ready to go. As soon as the lens comes I'll give it a shot. 

I still have a bunch of cameras around that I need to shoot to show you guys. I'm gonna make pictures of the roll film conversions but not shoot them. Too much trouble. One of the roll film is what I did the retro wedding shots with. It has a great lens on it.

Anyway glad you are following along on the build. I think I am really going to like this camera should have a lot of tinkering per shot which I am really beginning to enjoy. Not sure I'm Gonna enjoy the summer heat under the black cloth. I might try to go with a small focusing hood. Maybe mark off infinity focus on the lens track. Or install a stop like they do on the graflex.

Im still deciding if I want to go with interchangable lens boards. That's an interesting decission as well as the rest.

Ps. Im shocked at how quiet terri is.... I expected her to at least say something.  LOL you think i should stop flirting with her.


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## terri (Jul 23, 2006)

I'm not quiet. :mrgreen: I'm what you call observing this from a distance, mainly cause I really don't have a clue what your'e doing.....

...but I do like reading the updates and seeing the progress. I am actually excited to see the first shots from this beast!

And James, that goes for you, too. I'm looking forward to seeing the view camera when you get it all together. 

Y'all are freaks, and I love it. 

Carry on.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 23, 2006)

You are losing it hun... go out and read any other thread on here.  We are the only sane ones here. I am serious.  I don't even think they speak english on some of them.  It's some kind of vulcan thing that only spock would understand and he's dead


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## terri (Jul 23, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> You are losing it hun... go out and read any other thread on here. We are the only sane ones here. I am serious. I don't even think they speak english on some of them. It's some kind of vulcan thing that only spock would understand and he's dead


I said "freaks"....not crazy.  Huuuuuuge difference. 

I seem to prefer the company of freaks; they're usually far more interesting.


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## JamesD (Jul 23, 2006)

So Terri, when do we get to see some of YOUR stuff? Hmmmm?? :hertz:


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## ksmattfish (Jul 24, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> Not sure I'm Gonna enjoy the summer heat under the black cloth. I might try to go with a small focusing hood.



You can buy a fancy dark cloth with reflective silver stuff on the outside that supposedly beats the heat, but it's too expensive for me.  Although it would double as a reflector.  

I used stiff cardboard and gaffer tape to make a viewing hood for my Super Graphic.  It looks like a box that's open at each end.  One side fit's flush against the ground glass, the other side is cut to fit my nose and cheeks.  The gaffer tape on the corners acts like a hinge so I can fold the whole thing up flat, and stash it in my bag.  I've seen people make them out of foam core too, but I thought that thinner cardboard would fold up better.


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## JamesD (Jul 24, 2006)

Mine is going to be black on the inside, but some outrageous color on the outside, heat or no.  There was a discussion a while back about this...  Baically, why not stand out and make a scene?  The images we make are not only in the silver, but also in people's minds.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 24, 2006)

I think I'm going to try the same thing Matt was talking about minus the face fitting design.  I have seen the ones from the original graflex.  Most of the time they are in rags by the time I see one, but Im thinking Black mount board.   Or how about the old simi funnel design like they once used for radar screens.  My real problem is my vision.  Im not sure I can get a decent focus no matter what I do.  Then again that's why I make f90 lenses.


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## ksmattfish (Jul 24, 2006)

JamesD said:
			
		

> Mine is going to be black on the inside, but some outrageous color on the outside, heat or no.  There was a discussion a while back about this...  Baically, why not stand out and make a scene?  The images we make are not only in the silver, but also in people's minds.



This makes me think of puting my website address on the outside of mine for advertising.

I have a buddy who found a thick T-shirt that's apparently light proof enough.  He tied off the sleeves, sticks his head through the collar from the wrong way, and wraps the body of the shirt around the back of the camera.  I've never tried it to see how well it really works, but I have envied how small he can wad that shirt up.  The main reason I made a cardboard hood is that my dark cloth takes up too much space.


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## terri (Jul 24, 2006)

JamesD said:
			
		

> So Terri, when do we get to see some of YOUR stuff? Hmmmm?? :hertz:


What kinda stuff you wanna see? :mrgreen: 

I've played with dual toning again recently, and made a couple random enlargements. I posted some in this forum, a couple in General. 

I got challenged by a Dark Sider to "show my dark side", so some older stuff is posted here.

The most recent stuff I've shot is for a secret project. Stay tuned.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 24, 2006)

Not bad for puny little cameras.  If you would like I'll build you a real camera you  can work with.


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## terri (Jul 24, 2006)

mysteryscribe said:
			
		

> Not bad for puny little cameras. If you would like I'll build you a real camera you can work with.


I'm afraid they'll come to life, and terrorize me. :meh: Like Poe and the Evil Eye.


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## mysteryscribe (Jul 24, 2006)

Well dont say you were never offered a big format camera.... lol


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