Hello, my name is Scott and I'm a photoholic.

[Big Bully]

I just got a tripod for $60 from BestBuy.

 

[Battou]

I just got a tripod for $60 from BestBuy.

It's been almost a year (if not over) and I am still using and abusing my thirty dollar wall mart special.

I've put that tripod threw hell

That lens is sturdy metal conctruction, albeit light for it's size and age it's still a meaty peice of glass and that bellows is not as light as it looks, it's actually heavier than the camera body.

And that is nothing, I mount my EF and Vivitar 400mm to it and throw it over my shoulder like a hoboe amd parade around town. That is almost six pounds of camera hanging by the head and bouncing around as I walk.

 

[Big Bully]

I would say you HAVE put it through hell concidering you have a pringles can holding it up and a folgers can to collect spare parts that falls off... hahaha..

Sorry I had to take advantage of the shot.. because thats what it looks like. ;-)

 

[Battou]

I would say you HAVE put it through hell concidering you have a pringles can holding it up and a folgers can to collect spare parts that falls off... hahaha..

Sorry I had to take advantage of the shot.. because thats what it looks like. ;-)

 

[monkeykoder]

8lbs would be pretty light for large format cameras most would say $100 would be underdoing it.

 

[Big Bully]

I was hoping that you would get a kick out of that!

 

[monkeykoder]

Oh come on it has to show SOME signs of use...

 

[Big Bully]

No that is his OTHER tripod... hahahaha

Ok my mind is in the gutter today!

 

[Overread19 7]

arrrr!
Battou has Xenosaga!
*jealous*

 

[epatsellis]

Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't seen a decent lens out there (besides the lenses for the old graphics) that goes for less than $300 with board and shutter say $50 on film holders gotta add a tripod somewhere in the $100-$200 range at least not much more than your mark and maybe I'm missing some good places to go buy lenses but that is stretching my possible budget a bit there. (by the way a firstborn is a bit more expensive but they're surely worth it.)

Perhap's it's my approach, let's see if I can break this down:


Camera, $75 (from alpha on the B&S forum)

Lens, $125 (I have a 150mm Sinar Selected Symmar Convertible I'm selling at that price, there's hundreds of others at any given time on ebay, as well as numerous other sources) if a lens isn't guaranteed to work, always add $50 for a shutter CLA, worst case, you'll have an extra $50 for film.

Film holders, loupe, darkcloth, etc. ~$75

Tripod, a Tiltall (preferably the original Marchioni Bros version or the Leitz) <$75
I know the ease of buying new is tempting, but I've gotten everything from a Gitzo series 5 with head for under $150 to a Tiltall for $30, and even two D&S Prolift tripods with Majestic geared heads, as well as a Bogen camera stand given to me.

Starting any new venture, it's easy to convince yourself that you can't do it, true motivation is when you say "I will, and will improvise where I have to, but somehow, I will do it". I've dome a long way from building my own camera and using scrounged lenses with a lens cap for a shutter, but I did it without spending very much money at all, seriously.

erie

 

[Big Bully]

I agree.. Dustin you can do it..

 

[monkeykoder]

Build my own would be my standard approach to the situation (and I'd probably do a darned good job of it) but my dad doesn't have his woodworking shop up and running right now and in no way shape or form wants anything to do with building a camera.

 

[epatsellis]

Dustin, pm me, I have a few methods of building cameras that can be done with minimal tools, at minimal cost.

 

[monkeykoder]

I guess I'm just not looking in the right places for lenses because I don't see many for under $300 still do I just need to play the waiting game? I saw a calumet body locally that goes for $140 with film holders but I just can't find a lens that goes for under $300 (after you include shutter and lens board).

 

[epatsellis]

A lensboard is the easiest part, for an older calumet it's typically a 4x4 piece, 1/8" thick (or 1/4" rabbeted to 1/8"), takes about 5 mins with a piece of 1/4" plywood or 1/8" masonite.