citizen99
Well-known
Hat-tip to the pioneers on RFF who have inspired me - apologies if I have missed anybody:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84419
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99037
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100743
EDIT: added http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113803
Having got interested in landscape and architectural photography, I wanted a relatively inexpensive, easily pocketable, 6x9 MF camera.
For the first step, I was lucky enough to get a F/6.8 65mm Schneider-Kreuznach Angulon for a relatively low price because its host Synchro-Compur shutter had had the shutter elements stripped out; only the iris remained.
This was not a serious problem, as I have a Size 00 VARIO shutter that was designed for the Kershaw 630 (unused old spare stock of these - as well as those of the 450 - have turned up on ebay-uk). The VARIO speeds B 25 75 200 were sufficient for the range I was likely to need hand-held in daylight. The positions of the aperture markings were amended to suit the different focal length (65mm, instead of the 80mm of the Kershaw).
After some research on ebay, I got a 6x9 folder with rail pull-out lens standard.
A nice refinement on this body was that it had rack focussing, and the distance scale was under the focussing lever (rather than under a pointer at the position of the lens standard), so that this could be reused directly, with superimposed new markings, with the shorter focal length lens.
(The camera was by Voigtlander - I couldn't find a model name on it, but it looks like one of the INOS models - with an f6.3 Voigtar lens in an Embezet shutter.)
(I also had a late model Ensign Carbine which would also have been a possible basis for the modification, but as it weighs ~200gm (nearly 1/2 lb) more than the Voigtlander, it is more of a strain on the pocket to carry around, and I don't need the movements offered by its lens standard. However, as it turned out, its red-window cover would have been nice to have.).
(The original shutter/lens assembly and its retaining ring - nominally 32.5mm diameter thread - were stored away so that the camera would be restorable to original condition.)
By a stroke of good fortune, the dimensions of the shutter retaining ring interface with the bellows front plate (hole diameter 34.5mm) were compatible with that of a modern Size_00/Size_0 adaptor kit (available on ebay). So no metal-bashing was required, and the modification was cleanly reversible.
Coaxial location, of the shutter assembly in the lens standard, was ensured by a plastic plumber's washer, trimmed to 25mm internal diameter , 32.5mm external diameter. This 1.5mm thick washer was augmented with 0.4mm shim made from card.
(The adaptor kit also supplied a disc with a 25mm hole designed to be placed between the Size 00 shutter and the lens standard, but at 1mm thick, it left only a short length of thread for the retaining ring. Fortunately it was found to be not necessary to use this disc.)
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.1 - Picture 1 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
The Infinity position was defined by a stick-on label with a mark to indicate where to place the front of the lens standard carriage.
The camera wire-frame viewfinder system is not used, as the rear frame was positioned to erect at the front face of the camera; this meant that the eye would have had to be positioned at an impracticably forward position for wide-angle use. So a suitable viewfinder was salvaged from an old disposable 35mm film camera.
(Hat-tip:- http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page358.htm ).
This was fixed with a 'sticky fixer' pad so as to be removable without damage to the camera.
I expect to evolve the design with experience in use and as bits and pieces become available to improve the ergonomics. Some of the first results are shown next below.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.1 - Picture 2 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84419
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99037
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100743
EDIT: added http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113803
Having got interested in landscape and architectural photography, I wanted a relatively inexpensive, easily pocketable, 6x9 MF camera.
For the first step, I was lucky enough to get a F/6.8 65mm Schneider-Kreuznach Angulon for a relatively low price because its host Synchro-Compur shutter had had the shutter elements stripped out; only the iris remained.
This was not a serious problem, as I have a Size 00 VARIO shutter that was designed for the Kershaw 630 (unused old spare stock of these - as well as those of the 450 - have turned up on ebay-uk). The VARIO speeds B 25 75 200 were sufficient for the range I was likely to need hand-held in daylight. The positions of the aperture markings were amended to suit the different focal length (65mm, instead of the 80mm of the Kershaw).
After some research on ebay, I got a 6x9 folder with rail pull-out lens standard.
A nice refinement on this body was that it had rack focussing, and the distance scale was under the focussing lever (rather than under a pointer at the position of the lens standard), so that this could be reused directly, with superimposed new markings, with the shorter focal length lens.
(The camera was by Voigtlander - I couldn't find a model name on it, but it looks like one of the INOS models - with an f6.3 Voigtar lens in an Embezet shutter.)
(I also had a late model Ensign Carbine which would also have been a possible basis for the modification, but as it weighs ~200gm (nearly 1/2 lb) more than the Voigtlander, it is more of a strain on the pocket to carry around, and I don't need the movements offered by its lens standard. However, as it turned out, its red-window cover would have been nice to have.).
(The original shutter/lens assembly and its retaining ring - nominally 32.5mm diameter thread - were stored away so that the camera would be restorable to original condition.)
By a stroke of good fortune, the dimensions of the shutter retaining ring interface with the bellows front plate (hole diameter 34.5mm) were compatible with that of a modern Size_00/Size_0 adaptor kit (available on ebay). So no metal-bashing was required, and the modification was cleanly reversible.
Coaxial location, of the shutter assembly in the lens standard, was ensured by a plastic plumber's washer, trimmed to 25mm internal diameter , 32.5mm external diameter. This 1.5mm thick washer was augmented with 0.4mm shim made from card.
(The adaptor kit also supplied a disc with a 25mm hole designed to be placed between the Size 00 shutter and the lens standard, but at 1mm thick, it left only a short length of thread for the retaining ring. Fortunately it was found to be not necessary to use this disc.)
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.1 - Picture 1 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
The Infinity position was defined by a stick-on label with a mark to indicate where to place the front of the lens standard carriage.
The camera wire-frame viewfinder system is not used, as the rear frame was positioned to erect at the front face of the camera; this meant that the eye would have had to be positioned at an impracticably forward position for wide-angle use. So a suitable viewfinder was salvaged from an old disposable 35mm film camera.
(Hat-tip:- http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page358.htm ).
This was fixed with a 'sticky fixer' pad so as to be removable without damage to the camera.
I expect to evolve the design with experience in use and as bits and pieces become available to improve the ergonomics. Some of the first results are shown next below.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.1 - Picture 2 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Last edited:
citizen99
Well-known
65mm Angulon Folder Special, Ektar 100 F/11 1/200
View from Lansdown Playing Fields, near Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Oops, shielding of the red window was fumbled on this one.
George Street, from the top of Milsom Street, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Sharp in the middle; on the negative, the white lettering on the black signpost can be read.
On the next film I'll try F/16.
Weir and Pulteney Bridge, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Pulteney Bridge and Weir, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
View from Lansdown Playing Fields, near Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Oops, shielding of the red window was fumbled on this one.
George Street, from the top of Milsom Street, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Sharp in the middle; on the negative, the white lettering on the black signpost can be read.
On the next film I'll try F/16.
Weir and Pulteney Bridge, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
Pulteney Bridge and Weir, Bath. April 2012 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
River Dog
Always looking
Very nice, and of my stomping and shooting ground too
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
Nice work! Those Angulons are great, and you ended up with a really compact package. All it needs now is a rangefinder. It is good to learn about the #00 to #0 adapters, I didn't know anyone made those.
bigeye
Well-known
Fantastic!
citizen99
Well-known
Thanks, River Dog, we love to visit Bath at every opportunityVery nice, and of my stomping and shooting ground too
citizen99
Well-known
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
You are a good man!
Not only you shared your excellent effort.
But you catalogued similar threads, some I've never seen before.
Not only you shared your excellent effort.
But you catalogued similar threads, some I've never seen before.
citizen99
Well-known
@shadowfox
Thank you! I think that spreading information is a major purpose of these forums.
Thank you! I think that spreading information is a major purpose of these forums
.
citizen99
Well-known
Thank you bigeye!
nosmok
Established
Thanks much for the inspiration! I have a couple great lenses that could benfit from such treatment! Will be hunting down a plate cam or two soon!
--nosmok
--nosmok
umcelinho
Marcelo
I really admire those who build DIY/custom cameras. And the results look pretty good!
oftheherd
Veteran
Great photos! Thanks for sharing. That was good work getting all that together.
citizen99
Well-known
For the Mk2 version of the Angulon Folder Special, I decided to use the Ensign Carbine No.7. Although heavier than the Voigtlander of the Mk1, it has a cover for the red window and the design of the wire frame viewfinder system is more suitable for the adaptation to wide angle.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 1 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 1 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
citizen99
Well-known
For the shutter I had now acquired a Velio with addtional speeds, and aperture markings on the front face which was more convenient for adding the marks for the 68mm Angulon.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 2 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 2 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
citizen99
Well-known
The 'proprietary' Size 0 to 00 Adaptor retaining ring, used in the Mk1 version of the Special, was too large to use with the Ensign lens standard hole diameter, and I did not want to make any non-reversible modifications to the camera.
A Size-0 shutter (30mm thread) retaining ring, with a projecting 'lip' (diameter 31.4mm) to fit inside the lens-standard 33.5mm mounting hole, was found in the 'spares' box.
A spare Size-00 shutter ring (25mm thread) was bonded into this with epoxy adhesive. The assembly did not rely only on the (limited) strength of the epoxy to metal bonds; the epoxy was 'keyed' into the thread of the 30mm ring, and slightly overlapped the ends of the 00-shutter ring, so that the 00 ring was held in a 'matrix'.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 3 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
A Size-0 shutter (30mm thread) retaining ring, with a projecting 'lip' (diameter 31.4mm) to fit inside the lens-standard 33.5mm mounting hole, was found in the 'spares' box.
A spare Size-00 shutter ring (25mm thread) was bonded into this with epoxy adhesive. The assembly did not rely only on the (limited) strength of the epoxy to metal bonds; the epoxy was 'keyed' into the thread of the 30mm ring, and slightly overlapped the ends of the 00-shutter ring, so that the 00 ring was held in a 'matrix'.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 3 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
citizen99
Well-known
Coaxial location, of the shutter assembly in the lens standard, was ensured by a shim made from 0.4mm card, 25mm internal diameter, 32.5mm external diameter.
The shutter body was spaced clear of the mechanism of the lens standard movements by a 1.5mm thick plastic plumber's washer, trimmed to 25mm internal diameter, 32.5mm external diameter, and a 0.6mm thick adaptor plate with a 25mm diameter hole to bear on the front of the lens standard.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 4 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr
The shutter body was spaced clear of the mechanism of the lens standard movements by a 1.5mm thick plastic plumber's washer, trimmed to 25mm internal diameter, 32.5mm external diameter, and a 0.6mm thick adaptor plate with a 25mm diameter hole to bear on the front of the lens standard.
ANGULON FOLDER SPECIAL Mk.2 - Picture 4 of 4 by johnnyh4, on Flickr