[MF3D.FORUM:1569] Re: Hacking Cameras for Stereo (was Darcyflex)

["Greg Erker" <greg.erker@xxxxxxxx>]

>
> If you spend enough money I think you could do this today (actually
> tomorrow) with off the shelf equipment.
>
> I recently bought a KB Canham DLC metal folding 4x5 camera.  Keith
> Canham also makes a 5x7 version called the MQC (model names are based
> on his sons' initials).  You can see a review of the DLC here:
>
>
<URL:http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/canham/canhamdlc.htm
l>

> Canham is also working on a 6x17 motorized roll film holder for the
> MQC.  He showed the working prototype at Photo Expo East Plus last
> November.

  That would be cool. Don't know if motorized is needed though :)

> I think a pair of the Mamiya TLR taking lenses (no viewing lenses) on
> a single lensboard, a septum, the MQC camera and the rollfilm holder
> could be used to create a 6x8 stereo camera with groundglass focusing
> and full movements.  All together this would probably cost more than
> the Dr. Gilde and Japanese cameras that have been discussed before.

  Does Alan want to tell us the diameter of two shutters plus one viewfinder
lens?  I suspect we are well over 100mm of stereo base. So long to 7' to
infinity shots then. My SR225 (fused TLRs) has an 87mm base AFAIR.
I'd prefer to go down rather than up. Though I suppose if one had a people/
indoor camera with a normal base (like Alan's Mamiya-Spud) and a landscape
camera with 100+ mm base that would be okay too.

> The other way of doing this would be to build a monorail viewcamera
> with a pair of Mamiya TLR lenses and a septum.  Jon Grepstad
> <URL:http://home.online.no/~gjon/> maintains a Do It Yourself
> viewcamera page and has a very good book (with drawings and step by
> step instructions) for building a wood monorail camera.
>
> Using a 6x12 roll film holder would be nice, but they are pretty rare
> and expensive.  A sheet of 4x5 film could be cut down after processing
> for much less cost.

  For people shots (where you focus on the person and may want the
background
blurred) I like the TLR approach because you can quickly see what is
in focus (like my ever-active kids). So a converted view camera wouldn't
suit me I suspect.

> Doug Bardell <URL:http://www.cyberbeach.net/~dbardell/> has built roll
> film holders (look at his panoramic page).  The botttom of the
> panoramic page shows his latest projects, 6x12 and 6x17 rollfilm
> cameras.

  I'll take a look.

Regards - Greg E.