Wildcat: Building a 4x5-eos adapter.

[Soocom1]

So some time back I had noticed that folks (especially in the UK) liked to play this game of attaching their digital cameras to their view/field cameras (mostly 4x5s) and playing that game.
Originally I thought that this was pointless because an APS sized image or even a 35mm would just not bring in the full aspect of a View camera.

Then I realized that I could play with the bellows and all the adjustments and still have an image to work with, albeit not full sized of a 4x5 digital.

So I went looking at the adapters. Most running $250-400 USD and is outside what I could really afford.

So I decided that if I couldn't buy one now, I'd make one.

With one of my EF lenses now out of commission due to a drop on the floor a year ago, I took off the mount ring, grabbed some raw materials and started cutting and playing with the lathe.

I will post more pics as they come, and as of this post, I am not yet done with the assembly.

But here is the start of this wildcat/wild hair project to play with bellows:

The back board is a thin sheet of plywood and the mounting back is 1.4" ABS.

Here is the mounting board and the mounting back being glued:

Squaring up the disk sander:

Spinning the assembled board:

Almost there:
I have to fit the mounting board so that the 1Ds can physically mount to the back of the camera.

It was here that I ran out of time and discovered that I am going to have to remove the mounting board from the back board because it is too shallow and the camera will interfere with the back of the view camera with the VC grip.

So I will have to turn the ring side down to allow the camera to mount and thicken up the whole assembly.

 

[smoke665]

Great project, and write up, keep it going!

 

[tirediron]

Very cool! Looking forward to more.

 

[Soocom1]

well..take 2......

the whole assymbly went kablewie and wood and plastic everywhere...

So Ill have to start over.

 

[tirediron]

Bummer!

 

[480sparky]

Did Hamster Huey do something gooey?

 

[Soocom1]

Did Hamster Huey do something gooey?

Chipper the lathe gremlin had some lunch.

 

[tirediron]

Did Hamster Huey do something gooey?

Chipper the lathe gremlin had some lunch.

I hate it when that happens! You weren't using a parting tool by any chance were you? Pretty much every "issue" I've had turning on a lathe has related to a parting tool!

 

[Derrel]

Aluminium next time?

 

[Soocom1]

rped. I'm also trying to identify a video camera that will accept the lens (if such exists) and allow me to shoot 1920x1080 (HD) resolution at at lea

Did Hamster Huey do something gooey?

Chipper the lathe gremlin had some lunch.

I hate it when that happens! You weren't using a parting tool by any chance were you? Pretty much every "issue" I've had turning on a lathe has related to a parting tool!

Aluminium next time?

Actually the bit hit a screw and the chuck loss adherence.

Blammo... the chuck bit the wood and the plastic split off.

 

[Soocom1]

Funny thing is though, I now see some of the original design flaws and I need to reconstruct eliminating them.

 

[Soocom1]

So the latest is this:

I finished the machining:

Mounted on the view camera needing some trimming.

Mounted camera on the adapter.

The system attached to the view camera.

And AFTER all that,

I have to wait until I can get another lens because the 135 is too short to focus.




DRAT!




Frustration.........



So say we all!

 

[tirediron]

Nice recovery!

 

[Soocom1]

Thank you.

Now I need to find a 250 or 300 mm view lens.

 

[smoke665]

Great thread! I have a question, (brain is foggy this morning) why will the 135mm, not focus but a 250 or 300mm will. Assuming it has to do with the length of the bellows?