The lightest 6x6 camera in the world with a lens

[bensyverson]

Not sure where to post this, but thought someone might be interested in the project I'm tinkering with... Adapting old folder lenses to Canon EF mount and outfitting plastic cameras with EF mounts.

So far I've done a Holga and I have a couple Dianas on the way. Why? Weight, mostly. For traveling, even the Mamiya 7 is too bulky and heavy for me.

The Holga I converted weighs only 140g, and its 75mm f/4.5 Cassar lens weighs 112g, for a total weight of 252g (the picture shows 272, but I've slimmed it down)! Perhaps the lightest MF camera with a focusable lens in the world?

The cool thing is that you can use the 75mm on any EF mount camera for an extra light 35mm setup too. Put the SLR on Bulb or 1 sec and use the leaf shutter in the lens to eliminate mirror slap or sync flash at any speed...

On the flip side, you can mount any EF lens onto the 6x6 camera to see the entire image circle of your lenses. I put on a 17-40 lens, and it covered a surprising amount. EXTREMELY wide on 645 or 6x6!

Pretty fun 😀

I'm getting my second roll back today -- I fixed some light leaks and enlarged the film mask.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Seems no end to what people will try.
I'm now wanting to weigh my balda super baldax. It's quite light, but I'm sure you've got me beat.

 

[djonesii]

With the holga, how do you confirm focus accuracy?

Dave

 

[momus1]

I'm not convinced that a Holga is a MF camera, based solely on the images it's capable, or incapable, of producing. Fun for what it is, but one must be aware of what it isn't. My vote for the lightest 6x6 camera would go to the Agfa Isolette. I have two, one w/ an Apotar lens and the other w/ a 3.5 Solinar and they are as sharp as my Rolleiflex and fit in my back pocket. But when it comes to small it's hard to beat the Zeiss Super Ikonta 531A. It's 6x4.5, but that's OK, and it's coupled RF makes it a lot more convenient to shoot than the Isolettes.

 

[Frank Petronio]

A late model Rolleicord is pretty light, sharp, and very reliable, and I like them better than the folders for people photography as you can get closer and be more positive of the focus.

Benny - nice job. Don't Google "Agfa Klack" though!

 

[wallace]

A late model Rolleicord is pretty light, sharp, and very reliable, and I like them better than the folders for people photography as you can get closer and be more positive of the focus.

Benny - nice job. Don't Google "Agfa Klack" though!

Right - you better google "Clack" instead of "Klack".

Very interesting project btw.

Thomas (wallace)

 

[whickus]

I'm not convinced that a Holga is a MF camera, based solely on the images it's capable, or incapable, of producing.

you don't have to be convinced of anything. a holga is, in fact, a medium format camera. lack of image quality has nothing to do with the actual format being used. a crappy throw away 35mm camera is still a 35mm camera, regardless of the quality of the images it produces. i like the fact that i have the option within the realm of medium format cameras to spend $1000+ on a hasselblad or $25 on a holga and get different results from each.

 

[Morca007]

That's a cool project, I'd love to see some more images from that Franken-Holga and if possible, some info on how you did the conversions.

edit: Looking through your flickr gave me a bit more, but I'm just more curious now!

 

[bensyverson]

Thanks for the replies!

Focusing is done by good old estimation or a hotshoe-mounted rangefinder. I use a "Blik" -- there seem to be a ton of them on eBay. I once spent an hour or so testing the Blik against my Mamiya 7's rangefinder, and found them to give essentially identical readings...

Here are some more images I got back yesterday. There was a light leak on the lens, but I've since fixed it. The image with the big circular vignette was taken with a Canon 17-40L lens at 28mm and f/16.

I can't wait to get my Dianas in the mail! I also have some Apotars coming that I'm going to EF-ize.

 

[bensyverson]

One more -- this was taken on 35mm with a Canon Rebel Ti, using the adapted 75mm Cassar.

 

[bensyverson]

I want proof that you reduced the wieght by a further 20 grams though haha, where did you take it from.

Well, I made the lens adapter too complicated when I first made it! By removing some heavier parts and switching to a simple tube, I shaved 20g pretty easily. 🙂

also i reckon you are obligated to make it have a trigger release on the body 😀 😀. maybe installing a cable release into the top through some drilled holes? is that the flash synch you have hooked up to the hot shoe btw...

Yeah, I don't know what to do with the shutter release... The Holga and Diana both have it on the lens (or its housing)! That is the flash sync hooked up to the hotshoe -- for my next roll, I'm going to mount an SB-26 to the top just to make my life difficult. The flash weighs about 10X more than the camera!

 

[kuzano]

A "gutted out" Voigtlander Perkeo II

A "gutted out" Voigtlander Perkeo II

The film count and double exposure prevent in the Perkeo II are quite fragile and often not working. Take out all the gearwork and ratchets for the film count/stop and double exp prevention stuff, use the ruby window the way God intended and I believe you will have the lightest (or nearly so) 6X6 with the Color Skopar 80mm lens and very tight standards. With luck you can turn one up with the Compur shutter.

I would do this camera over the Perkeo I, because of the better lens/shutter combo. Otherwise, you could use a Perkeo I with the Vaskar (3 element) lens and only have to remove the double exp prevention.

Perkeo's with the Color Skopar yield superb results if set up right.

Not only would you have a light camera, but I would bet you would also have the smallest 6X6. I know it's smaller than my Balda Super Baldax.

 

[bensyverson]

I have a Perkeo I with the Vaskar... It's probably not as good as the Color Skopar, but hey, if it really matters, come back with the 8x10! 🙂

I mean, to be honest, the Perkeo is plenty small and light... But this frankencamera project is all about taking "lightweight" to the maxx x-treme for no especially good reason. 🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

Reading this made me start wondering how I could fit my 13.5cm Tessar in a dial set Compur onto the front of an old #2 Brownie (120/6x9 format) ... :bang:

😀

William

 

[bensyverson]

Ooh, I just won a busted Ikonta.

Diana + Tessar = ???

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

This got me thinking more about modding a holga to take my busted up canon FD lenses. Got any more photos of the lens mount? Possibly a before, during, and after shots?

Nevermind. clicked on your flickr page. should have done that in the first place. cool stuff.

 

[bensyverson]

Yeah, maybe I should post the pic of the body sans lens and lens sans body (the lens has changed a little cosmetically since this shot)

 

[kuzano]

actually, the Vaskar is a good shooter...

actually, the Vaskar is a good shooter...

I have a Perkeo I with the Vaskar... It's probably not as good as the Color Skopar, but hey, if it really matters, come back with the 8x10! 🙂

I mean, to be honest, the Perkeo is plenty small and light... But this frankencamera project is all about taking "lightweight" to the maxx x-treme for no especially good reason. 🙂

Also, I should mention that stripping those worthless gears out of Perkeo II's really had nothing to do with lightening the camera. That mechanism is frail and poorly designed. I've had 3 and yet to see a Perkeo II that worked right. Without the faulty mechanisms, I see the Perkeo II as a real winner and more pocketable than most.

 

[bensyverson]

Yeah, sounds a little fussy... probably would have to be fixed focus.

 

[wallace]

Also, I should mention that stripping those worthless gears out of Perkeo II's really had nothing to do with lightening the camera. That mechanism is frail and poorly designed. I've had 3 and yet to see a Perkeo II that worked right. Without the faulty mechanisms, I see the Perkeo II as a real winner and more pocketable than most.

Never had any problems with my Perkeos, still have 2 Perkeos II which I use regulary. There is also a Perkeo I with the Skopar!

Thomas (wallace)