# homemade cheap ugly MF camera



## mysteryscribe (May 5, 2007)

Okay I know film cameras are cheap now but I like to distroy cameras.  Kind of getting even for 30 years of distroying me.  So this is the latest set of builds.

These are all built on the ansco pioneer camera body.  Lense changed and a view/ uncoupled range finder added.  Different lenses  from a fairly modern x sync speedex to an old kodak bulb and finally to a pinhole.  So here you go.


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## mysteryscribe (May 5, 2007)




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## mysteryscribe (May 5, 2007)

this is the one with the kodak anaston lens.


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## nealjpage (May 5, 2007)

Charlie, I love your Frankenstein cameras.  I do, however, shudder at the thought of you getting your hands on a Hassy or a Leica!


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## mysteryscribe (May 5, 2007)

not to worry i can afford them lol...


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## spazoid1965 (May 9, 2007)

In the picture with the water coloe set in the background, is that black rubber bands or electrical tape holding the lens on?


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## nealjpage (May 10, 2007)

spazoid1965 said:


> In the picture with the water coloe set in the background, is that black rubber bands or electrical tape holding the lens on?



Knowing Charlie, electrical tape!:greenpbl:


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## Perfect Hair Forever (May 10, 2007)

Very prett cameras!! :heart: :heart:


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## Perfect Hair Forever (May 10, 2007)

(Two hearts beat better than one.)


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## mysteryscribe (May 10, 2007)

The tape doesn't hold it on, It covers the white plastic water pipe that holds it on. We mustn't have even the possibility that it leaks light. ROFLMAO

The plastic pipe fits close enough that it can be used to telescope in and out to set the infinity focus. The black tape really does cover the white so it doesn't look so bad and also to black out the white simi translucent pipe.

With out black tape photography as we know it could not exist.   Well as I know it.


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## nealjpage (May 10, 2007)

mysteryscribe said:


> With out black tape photography as we know it could not exist.   Well as I know it.



:lmao:


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## spazoid1965 (May 14, 2007)

The electrical tape was a much better choice than duct tape.


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## mysteryscribe (May 17, 2007)

I felt that way too, even the black gaffers tape leaves a terrible sticky residue everywhere if you need to adjust the lens later. And just looks soooo much more professional.

ps there is a special place in heaven for the man who invented plastic electrical tape.


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## ksmattfish (May 17, 2007)

Far from ugly; these look to be only a few steps away from a production model!


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## mysteryscribe (May 17, 2007)

If the darn thing was 120 instead of 620 I could sell instruction on how to make your own med format for under fifty bucks. Much superior to a holga. Great lens and solid body. Problem is nobody wants to fool with 620 except me.

But these things shoot a massive 6x9 image you don't see that size any more. They can be masked down to anything to 645 so very adaptable. The body loads with an insert on the order of the mamiya 645 except you can buy the whole camera for ten bucks and have a spare body lol.

All you have to do is stalk ebay for a cheap folder to rob the lens from. Lots of them around with a moveable front element. If you go with the agfa speedex you get electronic flash as well. I haven't mounted a flash holder yet but I have the design for it.


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## montresor (May 18, 2007)

Hey, I'd love to fool with 620. You can use a lot of great cameras that way. Are those rangefinder tops from Mamiya 23s?


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## mysteryscribe (May 18, 2007)

I wish, no from old polaroids... but they do have that cool graflex, mamiya 2x3 compact cam look about them.  I never noticed it on the 'roids but on this thing you get a totally different feel for them.


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## montresor (May 18, 2007)

Guess #2: the 105mm lens from something like a Kodak Tourist? There should be an official quiz, spot the parts sources.


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## mysteryscribe (May 18, 2007)

lol
one lens is a 105 tourist 6.3 anniston (wonder why kodak didn't go x sync with this camera)..... one is a 80 mm from an ansco speedex.   Im considering a lens for the pinhole from a 116 camera that is about a 130 mm lens.  Most of those had a movable front element.  The kodak senior was a dynamite lens to.  Just no x sync.  The later ansco billy's might have had x sync I'll have to look.


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