[MF3D.FORUM:1560] Re: Hacking Cameras for Stereo

[Bob Clark <clark@xxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 23 Feb 2001, Sam wrote:

> 
> >
> >I recently bought a home-made wooden MF stereo camera from
> >a guy via eBay.  It has an elegantly simple design and
> >is very well made from basic materials.
> 
> 
> I would LOVE to see pictures of this camera. I suspect there would be a 
> good weight reduction making the body out of wood. Plus there may be 
> another bonus - if you drop it in a river it may float!!! Mine's definitely 
> an anchor. Didn't Alan Lewis start a MF stereo camera out of wood using 
> mamiya lenses?
> 
I have put the eBay picture on my web site:
	http://www1.minn.net/~bcmq/images/homestereo.jpg

It is a little bulky, but very light weight.  Focussing and shutter
cocking is done individually, and firing the shutter is done by
pulling the metal ring.  The extra wooden plate that fits into the
back is the pressure plate to hold the film flat (springs on the
outside back push on the pressure plate.  It has an elongated red
window with markings on the outside for five stereo pairs.

> One of the things I like about Darcy's design is that it really doesn't add 
> that much more weight than a non-hacked Yashika TLR.
> 
> Despite all the whining ebout Ebay, it's been a godsend for hackers. I just 
> picked up a Mentor 4x5 SLR for $50 (I can't believe nobody else bid on it!) 
> This camera has a lot of potential for stereo use. First, it's wood so the 
> weight is kept down. It's also a compact design that folds into itself and 
> is almost pocketable. You can stick almost any unshuttered lenses on front 
> AND vary the stereo base. It has a focal plane shutter and you can focus 
> and compose from the exact perspective, as you are viewing from the taking 
> lenses. It can be adapted for 120 film use. Finally, it is possible to be 
> able to VIEW the image in stereo as you compose. I'm anxiously awaiting 
> it's arrival!
> 
Good find!  The thing about good deals on eBay is that
you have to know what to look for.  I had never heard of
these Mentor reflex cameras, but they do look pretty neat!
What do you mean when you say you can vary the stereo base?
There isn't room for two lenses on the front is there?

Bob