Built a view or field camera?

Have you checked out the Bender kits? I thought about building one of those a few years ago, might be a good way to get someone else’s expertise, at least for the first one…

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Dan

Bender is a very well known name, but unfortunately, as of Nov 2008 I believe they have (temporarily?) suspended operations.

-- APLJaK Woodworking, Okanagan Valley, BC

Bummer! It’s been a decade or so since I’ve used a view camera, but now you’ve got me thinking about it again. I don’t remember the details of the focus plane alignment (I rented a Toyo for a week). But, in thinking about it, the frosting on the glass is on the interior side, so both the film holder and the glass should fit flush up against the same surface.

Keep us apprised as you build, I’m a digital sort of guy, but the idea of repurposing a scanner to do something like the BetterLight might get me back into something with tilts and shifts.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Sounds like an interesting project.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

I always wanted to build a field camera but when I was working in 4×5 I didn’t have access to the tools. At one point I was given an old Speed Graphic that had some water damage to the carcase. I stripped the hardware off and was going to make all new parts out of cherry, maple and walnut. Unfortunately the parts disappeared in a move.

I’d love to see what you come up with.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

Wanted to make sure that you saw Dkol’s pinhole cameras today: Sapele with Maple, and Maple and Walnut wide angle.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Hey Dan Thanks

I hadn’t seen the pinhole cameras but I went and took a look. They look very nice.

-- APLJaK Woodworking, Okanagan Valley, BC

You will find information about construction of flatbed cameras and monorail cameras here:
http://home.online.no/~gjon

My online View Camera Construction FAQ has information about lining up the ground glass.

Jon Grepstad

-- Jon_G