4x5 under $20

I was looking to make 4x5 as cheap as possible. First with the $7

adapter then with this:

 

The cheapest ever 4x5 film format camera.

 

I hope that this will give you some ideas why 4x5 should not cost

any money. If you save lots and lots on the camera, then you can

spend lots and lots on film.

 

If someone can make it cheaper than this, please let me know.

 

This camera costs $20 to make including all parts.<div></div>

This is the GG for this camera. It is made out of a piece of glass that I frosted, and uses for container a Graflex Pack film holder. Notice that it has a mask for the 4x5 format, otherwise the edges of the film opening are hard to see.

 

To be used with a dark cloth. Once done, close the door, insert the dark slide on the other side and the glass is protected.<div></div>

This is what the camera looks with the Ground Glass holder removed. Looking down the lens.

 

This camera has a bellows from an old Pola. The lens is also from a roll film Pola. The casing is a Kodak Autographic 3 model C. The original bellows disintegrated while building this, so, this is what I found for replacement.

 

I had to change the original lens, 173mm to this one, 127mm focal, because the bellows that I have fitted was not sufficiently long.<div></div>

View from the side, showing the back of the camera.<div></div>

The camera with a standard film holder. I like to use the Grafmatic six shooters, so I did not made any provision for regular holders. Then I found out that the rubber bands work fine, thus reducing the cost of the whole thing.<div></div>

Another view of the film holder rubber band attachment method.<div></div>

This is the Six-Shooter Grafmatic that I like to use.

 

The small locks on both sides of the adapter slide into the slots of the Grafmatic. This is very SECURELY held in place and is not going anywhere. The tension can be adjusted by turning the small bolts.

 

If the camera is zone focused, this Grafmatic allows very fast shooting ( relative to all large format ), and very practical, since it holds 6 sheets of film in one container.<div></div>

The following photo is of a side view of this camera with the Grafmatic.

 

As can be seen, the camera is quite thin and lightweight even with this Grafmatic. I did not weigh it, but I suspect that it can hold its own with a 35mm SLR.<div></div>

The following is the top of this camera with the Grafmatic. This Grafmatic holder is approximately two thicknesses of a regular film holder.<div></div>

I'm into cheap - but where did the bellows and lens and box itself come from - it has a tripod

socket in it - what were those pieces originally? Did you make you own bellows? Can you

provide a parts list and breakdown of parts by cost? What did you scavenge from old

cameras, what did you make. I'm curious if this is a $20 camera because you had all the parts

(including the lens) laying around? For me to get a Grafmatic back, lens, bellows and ???

would look like more than $20 to me - maybe I'm not understanding something.

I guess that everyone wants to see the results that I obtained with this camera. The following photo shows the first test.

 

The camera covers 4x5 format easily with a 127mm lens. It has two mouvements, rise and shift. Maybe a modification is in order to make it tilt.

 

The camera is very lightweight and very easy to carry. The dimensions are: 3x6x8 in. Weighs in at 2lbs or so.

 

It is focused by pulling on the lens holder. This holder has a spring that locks it to the carriage rails that is quite stiff. The lens remains in place, that is, in focus.

 

One can use the litte "viewer", nevertheless this is not masked for 4x5 format and only works with 173mm focal lenghts. I did not have the need to use it. This viewer is not accurate, it is only used to aim the camera and give a general indication of the composition.

 

Several lenses of different focal lenght can be accommodated by this camera, from the shortest to something like 200mm. All depends on the lenght of the bellows available. The original broke, so I put in a shorter one, which is the one I had on hand.

 

Distance markings can be written on the lens bed, possibly for different focal lenghts, so that zone focusing can be done. I only used it with the GG. This will be next to try.

 

 

The nice thing about this camera is that it can be used on a regular tripod for 35mm. The camera is rock solid there, since it is lightweight, thus eliminating the need for expensive and heavy tripods.

 

IMHO this gives comparable results as more expensive and complicated cameras. Could be used for landscapes, because it fits anywhere and does not feel like a rock after a while.

 

But the best of all is that it costs $20.<div></div>

Beepy:

 

Cost breakdown is the following:

 

Camera body: $10 at a junk store.

Adapter parts: $7 plywood and glue.

Bellows from old Pola: $3 at Goodwill.

 

That makes $20.

 

The Grafmatic is costed separately, as in any LF camera that you buy. Something like $40 at your favorite auction site.

 

The tripod screw is the original, came with the camera body.

 

For this one I put a 127mm lens that I had, because the original bellows broke, but the camera came with a clean Kodak rapid rectilinear 173mm that has a shutter which is working properly. So, even with the original camera lens, it is still $20.

Outstanding! Although a pinhole camera made from a shoebox might have a slight edge.<g>

I need to find better used and junk stores...

Very resourceful, Diwan! Excellent. Happy shooting.

Nice camera. I am glad that large format can be inexpensive. I am just starting so this is a great discussion. Thanks for the Pola conversion info also.

 

Some questions:

 

Would you post a shot of this camera from the front?

What is the distance from the rear of the lens to the film plane at infnity for a 127mm lens? I need to know if I build a simple box camera.

Is there a square Autographic body out there? Your pictures show what looks like a square field camera body but a quick look elsewhere turned up just pictures of the traditional folding Autographic that had rounded ends.

Frank:

 

The distance from the rear of the lens to the film plane, AS MEASURED BY ME, is 118mm. This is because the infinity point is from the nodal center of the lens. So, given the distance differential from this nodal center to the surface of the rear glass, this is what I have measured.

 

Nevertheless, account for regular focal lenght. If you build something like that, there will be a need for adjusting the infinity setting, so having extra distance does not really hurt.

 

The body of the camera was a Kodak Autographic 3 model C. I have cut the ends, which were rounded to accommodate the roll film. I considered that these were "dead weight" and increased the size of the camera. This box is made of wood, so carefully with a sharp saw, it will be a done deal. Also, the leather comes off quite easily, so I just cut it up to the new dimension and glued it on again.

 

F.Y.I the distance from the plane where the bellows attach inside the camera to the film plane is just under 1in. This is the correct distance for the 127mm lens to project the 4x5 format on the film plane. I would go with this measurement, because it guarantees that there will not be any image cropping.

 

So, get out there, obtain one of these and welcome to LF.

 

Please bear in mind, that this camera is not a view camera or a "high performance" camera. It is not more than a lighweight and realatively small camera that is good for lanscapes and some portraits, and nothing more. For me, this is more than sufficient.

 

Good luck.

Diwan: Thanks for clearing up the mystery and helping with the information.

 

While researching inexpensive 4x5 this past week I came upon this post and read Tim Curry's response (check the photo!):

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006OPq

 

This post got me started. I bought a 110 for the lens and then some film holders. The only dimension I didn't have was the lens-to-film-plane distance. I'll start with your answer and build from there. Curry's design allows for focusing so it should be close. I'll have to make my own ground glass for final focusing.

 

My first camera won't look as nice as Curry's. I plan on using Masonite hardboard or baltic birch plywood instead of mahogany. My design will also be simpler, just one box sliding inside the other without the nice step down like Curry's. Sort of like an old Hawkeye box camera but the front telescopes out one inch. I'll make it light tight inside.

 

I just noticed your other posting about the film holder dimensions; that helps with the opening size, thanks!

 

Any suggestions for dirt cheap, yet effective ground glass? Rolandandcaroline used wax paper on their homemade 4x5! I also read you could use an old clear plastic CD holder and polish it up. I might spend the $10 and buy the picture frame and frosting spray like Shutterbug magazine suggested. But I have CD holders on hand and I could buy some ultra fine sandpaper...hmmmm.

 

Anyway I thought of converting my Pola like your other postings suggest. When I received my camera I was surprised to find that they had advertised a 110A and I recieved a 110! Wow, was this camera in super nice condition! I am not converting this steel beast. Just carefully salvaging the lens.

 

One last question. I need a viewfinder since I don't have a 110a to salvage from like Curry did. Could I just make a simple one using a frame on the front of the camera that is 4x5 and a peephole on the rear? Or is a viewfinder more complicated than just reversing the dimensions of the aperture and film size?

Frank:

 

IMHO, the best bet and easier thing for you to do is to copy my Kodak design. If you can find one like that, get it. Just make sure the bellows is in good condition, because, on mine, it disintegrated. Luckily, I got a junk Polaroid 100 and I went from there on.

 

The Kodak, if it is an Autographic 3 model C, will come with a super-duper lens as good as anyone, either a Rapid Rectilinear, or a Kodak Anastigmat. Both these lenses cover 4x5 easily and are of really good quality. Look for one, there are plenty of them around. If you get the Kodak, the lens will come for the same price, and you will have an extra LF lens for the future.

 

As to the box, well, it seems that by the time you buy tooling, get the masonite and so on... It will become "expensive". My doubt as to building the same as Mr.Curry's camera is that I do not have the proper tools to get eveything aligned properly, so your lens may not be parallel to the film plane. I do not know what Mr. Curry did for a light trap for the sliding "boxes", you need to come up with something.

 

In the case of my Kodak, the film plate is riding on the back of the camera box. As you can see in the photo that I posted, no distortion at all. Right dead on parallel. Make sure that this parallelism is there when you build your camera. It seems to me that it will be a lot of work to buid the box and then find out that you have a misalignment, so better make sure that this is obtained before anything else is done.

 

I only have hand tools, and I could never cut straight with the saw. It is difficult for me to do precision cuts, so I looked for the easiest solution with limited means. If you have access to a good sturdy table saw, by all means, go for it.

 

On the other hand, the Kodak is foldable, which was the main idea behind this camera, small, lightweight and portable. It is quite a pleasure to use, and and added advantage, because it is lightweight, it is that you do not need to buy another tripod, you can use one for 35mm type camera. It is rock solid in mine.

 

I fitted a Rodenstock Ysarex 127mm from a Pola for my camera. As the original bellows broke, and as the only bellows that I could find around was the Pola. This one does not give the 173mm extension that the Kodak lens needs, that is why I fitted the 127mm.

 

In this Kodak, if the bellows is of correct lenght, then you can fit any kind of lens up to 173mm that will fit in the hole of the lens board. Focusing is done by extending the bellows by hand. It is easy, and you can even get closeups if you use a short focal lenght lens.

 

As to the previous post on the "adapter plate", please look at the corrected drawing. There is one dimension mistake in the orginal.

 

This is built of a sheet of 6x12 aircraft plywood from AC MOORE ( $2.38). The size of the hole will accommodate film holders and Grafmatic six-shooters. The locking plates are made for the Graflok equipment. This plate was designed with the intention that one can fit this to any "camera" or anything that you want converted to 4x5. The thickness of the plate does not matter as long as the image projected by the lens covers the 4x5 format.

 

Now your trick question. The Ground Glass. This is what I did. Again, nothing to worry about.

 

In the picture of the Kodak, the one that has the GG, you will see that the glass is inserted inside a Graflok Pack Film Holder. Find one around, you know where, they cost $2. I just happened to get one when I got film holders.

 

Get a glass from a 5x7 picture frame. Any glass is good, you are going to frost it anyhow. Then find a fine sharpening stone, the one that has the blue and grey sides. Use the finer ( blue ) side. You can find these at Home Depot.

 

Put liberal amounts of oil on one side of the glass, motor oil is fine, olive oil too. Then with the fine side of the sharpening stone, with circular motion, rub the stone on the glass. Please, do not press too much and make sure that the stone is oiled at all times, otherwise the glass gets scratched. Then put a long concert on your stereo, and keep on rubbing the stone.

 

When the concert ends, the glass will be ground to a very fine frost. Just wash it, see if there are any corners or any place that needs more frosting. That is is, frosted glass as good as any. No need to bother yourself with anything else.

 

Now, if you do not find a Graflex Pack Film holder, make yourself a GG by cutting a plate of stiff material of 5mm ( or 0.191 in) thickness. This is the exact measure for the film height registration. Make yourself a plate with this material, secure the glass to it, and you have a GG.

 

Still, I recommend that you find a Kodak and that you paste (JB weld of other glue )the "adapter plate" to it at the correct distance for the film plane. This adapter is what gives you the 4x5.

 

Once this is done, then find infinity focus for the camera. This is done by aiming the camera at a distance ( trees in the horizon ) and focusing the lens board to this "infinity", just mark this point with a pencil on the lens rail, do same for others distances that you may want ( using a long measure tape ). Do not lock anything in position, you are now all set. When you want to focus the camera at infinity, set the lens plate to this mark.

 

As to the viewfinder. If you can find an old Pola 100, 200, 300 series, take the viewfinder/ rangefinder out. This viewfinder covers 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 for a 110mm focal length. Since the viewfinder will be for composing purposes only, that is more than good enough.

 

Drop me a line if more detailed questions are needed. I will be happy to help clarify anything. Also, if you come up with some technological improvement to this setup, please post it, because it is in the interest of everyone.

 

As to the Pola, almost same level of complexity as this one. Maybe two long evenings, but not much more. Make sure that you do not slop the goop all over, it does not look good ;).

 

Congratulations,

 

Cool, nice writeup, Diwan.

 

I bartered some books from my garage for some Silicon Carbide grit from a rock polishing guy. I got something like 220/3something blend which grinds fast but kind of coarse, and someting like 400/500 blend...I can't remember because it's not in front of me.

 

I also got some 5 micron Aluminum Oxide. Don't want to breath the really fine stuff - real bad for lungs. This is too soft to use by itself, hardly does anything & reveals 'waves' or ripples in glass.

 

Last experiment I mixed 5 micron AlOx and 400/500 SiC in an intuitive guess ratio. Seems a bit less harsh a grind than SiC alone.

 

I use water for easier cleanup than oil, two pieces of picture frame glass ground together on a flat surface.

 

I can't remember if the largest I made was 16x20 or 20x24...just to do it, don't have a camera that big (Yet, heh, heh). Sometimes I use it to see how large an image circle lens acquisitions have.

 

I don't shoot much film with these projects (yet)...I'm easily amused with images on glass so far.

I think this might be discussed in Greene's Primitive Photography & also try looking on web for Cameramakers archives.

 

I think the concept is that you have the back box slide into the front box, so if any light does get in, it leaks toward the front of the camera. If it's well blackened flat black, it's unlikely to reflect back to the film.

 

If you were to build a sliding box that had the front sliding into the back where your film is, any leaks go straight back to your film.

 

Even with the back-into-front construction, you have to take care to have a reasonable fit. If your wood (or cardboard) working skills leae you with enough slop, line the sides of the larger box with felt or something like that.

 

You can make baffles inside to fix light leaks afterward. Many flat black paints really perform poorly regarding reflection.

 

Someone told me India Ink is really flat. I don't know about the new water washable India Inks - that doesn't sound too inspiring to me.

 

Oh, felt is apparently not good for surfaces that will get direct light, it's actually pretty reflective (probably depends on actual fiber content).

About 40 years ago I stumbled across a 4x5 Pony Premo with a Bausch & Lomb lens in a Unicum shutter, with a tripod. That was my first large format camera and I used it for over 10 years as my main large format camera (I also had an 8x10 Seneca, but couldn't afford the film). I suspect you could pick one up cheap on Ebay even now.

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