DIY large format cameras

[Steve M.]

I've been thinking of making a simple 8x10 or larger camera. My original thought was to use the Harman Direct Positive paper, but it looks hard to find and a little pricey. So I then thought of using art paper coated w/ something like Liquid Light.

What I want is an easy, economical and quick way to make relatively large prints w/o a lot of technology.

Has anyone here experimented w/ anything like this?

I may have to go the pinhole route to get coverage of large paper, unless I can find a meniscus lens for cheap.

Some of the work below looks like what I'm after:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pinhole+camera+portraits&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=YOeWaoRKDaB-ZM%253A%252C_QgRrJPy6ZeXwM%252C_&usg=AFrqEzfdUCKS-jH3CFyu1U8SSRxOaWFC6g&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5-qTbsZXdAhUJI3wKHSVmBAEQ9QEwCXoECAYQFg#imgrc=YOeWaoRKDaB-ZM:

 

[charjohncarter]

I've done a few pinhole applications and used Lenox-Laser pinholes. I think they were $18.00. Here is their site:

https://lenoxlaser.com/lenox-laser-group/daystar-laser-inc/

 

[rfaspen]

DIY photography seems like fun. I have never made a LF camera, but I have thought about it. I have a few parts and a woodworking shop (that can handle occasional metal). What I don't have?

1. Time
2. Money

So I live vicariously through others who take the plunge and attempt all kinds of cool projects. I am excited to see what you make!

Aside: I have used 4x5 sheets of enlarging paper (Kodak Velo?) in my 4x5 camera to essentially make paper negatives, then contact print (on the same paper) with some success. When I'm in the mood for unsharp results...

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I just recently got back into film by purchasing a hand-made wooden 8x10 pinhole camera. I will be making some contact prints later next week for the first time in over 15 years- I previously owned a Wista 8x10 field camera.

I was tempted to make my own but I found a guy on ebay who makes these really beautiful pinhole cameras and I purchased one from him. He is based in Greece, I believe. The camera I got is really nice and extremely well made.

I've got a scanner on the way from B&H and after I make the contact prints next week I will scan a few and post them.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I've made a few LF cameras and love doing it.
The problem with Liquid Light is that it will warp your paper and you won't be able to keep it completely flat. If you can step up to making glass plate (or other stable, rigid substrate) negatives it can work wonders. I haven't played with it for a long time and it can be frustrating to get your coating regimen right then your exposure then development.
As for the lens, you can make a meniscus pretty simply and inexpensively. Use waterhouse stops and a lenscap and you're good to go, especially with slow ISO paper.
Take photos along the way and keep us updated!

Phil Forrest

 

[Steve M.]

Oh boy. Thanks for the advice. This could be fun.

I am hoping to avoid the paper warpage by using a watercolour technique. Soak the paper in the bathtub to remove the sizing, take it out and lay it on a flat towel, cover it w/ another towel, then place some books on it. When it has dried enough but is still wet, staple it to a board w/a gazillion staples on the edges, turn out the light, and brush or float on the Liquid Light. The paper will shrink as it gets completely dry, and should end up flat and taut like a drum. Then I can lay a picture frame or something on it and cut it to size in the dark. From there I have to figure out how to place it in the camera in the dark, which should be interesting!

I'll probably be happier w/ a meniscus lens, as it will allow me to have faster exposure times than a pinhole. Would love to see some samples from your cameras.

 

[Nokton48]

Use glass plates. Lots of help available on this. Now commercially available, even.

I want to try dry plate photography, my film cameras will accept them. I already have boku holders.

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/180810-J.-Lane-Pre-Coated-BandW-Glass-Dry-Plates-ISO-2-8x10-5-Pack

 

[Steve M.]

boku? Oh, beau-coup! Now I understand. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

I thought about glass to hold the paper flat, but what about reflections or flare? I guess one would need to use optical glass. If that works, it means I could just sandwich the paper between a piece of glass and something else and be done w/ it.

That link to Freestyle's glass plates certainly looks convenient, but it works out to $16 an image, plus developer and shipping costs. I expect lots of "creative differences" (mistakes) initially, and $16 a mistake is too steep for me. It might be nice to do square images also, or even oval, and w/ coated paper I can have any shape I wish.

 

[oldwino]

Years ago i made a 5x7 pinhole camera, and I used normal photo enlarging paper in 5x7 holders. Worked pretty well, and I could scan and invert the resulting negative.
Biggest problem with this is that the speed of the paper, around 2-4 ISO if I remember right, meant some long exposure times.

 

[Nokton48]

That link to Freestyle's glass plates certainly looks convenient, but it works out to $16 an image, plus developer and shipping costs.

8x10 is very expensive. I am buying 6.5x9cm plates. Not too much $$$


You can make your own glass dry plates. It is doable. Just an idea.

Why not enlarging paper? You can contact print positives.

 

[Steve M.]

Contact printing sounds OK, but I can only imagine what the cost of 8×10 film is. There's always x ray film, which is cheap, but its hard to get tones from that.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Yes, the cost of 8x10 film is very high. I am using Fomapan, which is about 5.00 per sheet. Tri-X, Ilford films, and others, are in the 10.00 per sheet range.

I am going to try x-ray film in the next few weeks and see what happens. I am not too worried about the tonal range except for the color red, which will be rendered black on x-ray film. The cost of this film is about 1.00 per sheet for single side emulsion.

 

[Steve M.]

I've decided to use x-ray film and contact print that onto either paper that is coated w/ Liquid Light or onto normal photographic paper. It appears that using Liquid Light paper in the camera is going to result in an ISO between 2 and 4, and that's far too slow. The X ray stuff is cheap and high contrast, and I think I can perhaps tame that in the printing process. Maybe even use expired photo papers, as the base fog will help.

The idea of somehow getting a positive print right out of the camera seems to be a non starter. This will certainly be a learning process, as all I know is conventional darkroom developing and printing w/ an enlarger. Probably should pick up a book on alternative photography techniques while I'm at it.

 

[rfaspen]

A book would at the very least provide a tangible reminder of your intentions. I also find books (on pertinent subjects) to be good sources of motivation and ideas. Especially if there are pictures or diagrams of things I'm trying to emulate.

At least it works well for my woodworking adventures -- I get so many good ideas for furniture design and construction details from books (and not necessarily books specific to furniture making).

One might think the internet can substitute for books. I find, not so much. Can't articulate specifically why, but books just "work better" for me.

The reviews suggest that the pictures in this book are awful, but at least it is a book about making your own view camera...eh?

https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-View-Camera/dp/1886757070

 

[Steve M.]

I agree, books are handier than looking at things online (of course, we can always print out the online articles), but I just found an online book on alternative photography techniques which covers many, many processes. And it's free. Some of this I know from doing fine art printing and etching work, but these alternative photographic printing techniques are great.

http://www.alternativephotography.com/processes/

 

[Larry H-L]

A user named Reinhold sells simple and relatively inexpensive meniscus lenses under the Wollaston brand name on Photrio.com (apug.org).