Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras?

enivre · 8th April 2006

Hi guys,

I saw a few overseas sites online which showed briefly how some DIYed their own film backs, or rather their own LF cameras, my fingers got itchy and I went to make a 6x12 for fun. Ok so it looks like crap but hey it works!!

Well anyway... $50 and 2 days or work later here are the results:

forgive the lousy photos, just took to test out the back, quickly developed then did a quick scan.. I suspect the back leaks (the 2nd photo is not a leak, it's some developing problem) but can't be sure till I try out some slides in broad daylight...

Anyway if there are people out there who DIY their own backs, how the heck do you know how far to advance the film? right now I have to note down the number of rotations I do...

Ok time to sleep...

sabrewolf · 8th April 2006

dont normally roll film has numbering at their back paper and therefore most film back include a small hole probably with deep red glass so that you can see the frame numbering. Since 6x12 film is twice 6x6 film you can stop the film rotation in between the numbering for 6x6 frames

kahheng · 8th April 2006

Well done!

singscott · 8th April 2006

I bid $100.00

Bravo nice work buddy

kahheng · 8th April 2006

You might as well go further and build a full pano camera now that you have gotten your hands dirty

enivre · 9th April 2006

I thought of building a 6x17 actually but aiyah... hardly even used my 4x5 yet don't hand so itchy... in fact my hands still ache from doing this as I didn't have access to the proper bench tools, so those 1/2" thick pieces of wood were hand cut with a penknife.. yup penknife.. I did a lot of wooden models back in architecture so this was pretty easy for me...

the film spacing thing the problem is where the heck to open the hole to see the film number... HMMmmmm.... i guess it's time for more trial and error...

Also wanted to make it slim enough to slide in between the ground glass but quite impossible with wood as it would make it too thin.. shucks...

Thinking of building acrylic ones though... but acrylic is even harder to machine and harder to light seal at the critical areas (where holes are drilled for eg.) right now light sealing is done by friction fitting man...

So no one else here do DIY stuff??

kahheng · 9th April 2006

Originally Posted by enivre

I thought of building a 6x17 actually but aiyah... hardly even used my 4x5 yet don't hand so itchy... in fact my hands still ache from doing this as I didn't have access to the proper bench tools, so those 1/2" thick pieces of wood were hand cut with a penknife.. yup penknife.. I did a lot of wooden models back in architecture so this was pretty easy for me...

Originally Posted by enivre

the film spacing thing the problem is where the heck to open the hole to see the film number... HMMmmmm.... i guess it's time for more trial and error...

It's true in some sense that you have to trial and error, but if you have the paper backing from a used roll of 120, you should be able to gauge quite well.

Originally Posted by enivre

So no one else here do DIY stuff??

Why DIY when you can watch other people do it?

enivre · 10th April 2006

Originally Posted by kahheng

Why DIY when you can watch other people do it?

Haha that's funny... no choice lah poor man cannot afford to buy it have to DIY.. i have another money sucking hobby for which I also DIY a lot...

quantize · 11th April 2006

Cool..... i like DIY stuffs. Any links to resources? I am interesting in this kinda things too

enivre · 11th April 2006

The only link i had was this.. http://www.cyberbeach.net/~dbardell/panorama.html

The rest was done up based on the fly... realised I made a lot of mistakes in planning at the start actually...

sabrewolf · 11th April 2006

yes, just load up a used paper back and you can see where to punch the hole

enivre · 12th April 2006

will try...

enivre · 21st April 2006

Here's another look at the completed DIY back mounted onto my Sinar F2 with the locking latch attached, the hole to view the frame number and of course painted matte black...

Just ran a roll of slides thru it today, will try to post the results tomorrow if they are good... *crosses fingers*

enivre · 21st April 2006

Shucks... it leaks very badly from the peek hole I use to judge the frame number... Hmm... will need to trouble shoot on that...

In the meanwhile here are some frames which looked okay... the B&W is converted to B&W coz the original had a horrible red cast due to the peek hole...

update: peekhole moved to a safer location (should have jsut done that earlier) will update accordingly...

_KL_ · 23rd April 2006

Hey dude, so you are the guy with the LF camera that I bumped into at Labrador Park on last Thursday? You actually caught me in this shot

Anyway, nice shots and more importantly, really

to diy your own back. Cheers!

enivre · 23rd April 2006

Originally Posted by _KL_

Hey dude, so you are the guy with the LF camera that I bumped into at Labrador Park on last Thursday? You actually caught me in this shot

Anyway, nice shots and more importantly, really to diy your own back. Cheers!

Ahhhh.. I thought I would catch your attention with this shot!

I actually wanted some runners to be in the scene but so happened you walked past so just wack...

Hahaha... Hope your photos turned out better than mine

8th April 2006	#1
enivre Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,695	Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? Hi guys, I saw a few overseas sites online which showed briefly how some DIYed their own film backs, or rather their own LF cameras, my fingers got itchy and I went to make a 6x12 for fun. Ok so it looks like crap but hey it works!! Well anyway... $50 and 2 days or work later here are the results: forgive the lousy photos, just took to test out the back, quickly developed then did a quick scan.. I suspect the back leaks (the 2nd photo is not a leak, it's some developing problem) but can't be sure till I try out some slides in broad daylight... Anyway if there are people out there who DIY their own backs, how the heck do you know how far to advance the film? right now I have to note down the number of rotations I do... Ok time to sleep... __________________ http://www.ervinelin.com http://www.studiov.com.sg

8th April 2006	#2
sabrewolf Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Posts: 241	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? dont normally roll film has numbering at their back paper and therefore most film back include a small hole probably with deep red glass so that you can see the frame numbering. Since 6x12 film is twice 6x6 film you can stop the film rotation in between the numbering for 6x6 frames

8th April 2006	#3
kahheng Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,380	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? Well done!

8th April 2006	#4
singscott Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: www.whltelightphotographer.com Posts: 1,659	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? I bid $100.00 Bravo nice work buddy

8th April 2006	#5
kahheng Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,380	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? You might as well go further and build a full pano camera now that you have gotten your hands dirty

9th April 2006	#6
enivre Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,695	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? I thought of building a 6x17 actually but aiyah... hardly even used my 4x5 yet don't hand so itchy... in fact my hands still ache from doing this as I didn't have access to the proper bench tools, so those 1/2" thick pieces of wood were hand cut with a penknife.. yup penknife.. I did a lot of wooden models back in architecture so this was pretty easy for me... the film spacing thing the problem is where the heck to open the hole to see the film number... HMMmmmm.... i guess it's time for more trial and error... Also wanted to make it slim enough to slide in between the ground glass but quite impossible with wood as it would make it too thin.. shucks... Thinking of building acrylic ones though... but acrylic is even harder to machine and harder to light seal at the critical areas (where holes are drilled for eg.) right now light sealing is done by friction fitting man... So no one else here do DIY stuff?? __________________ http://www.ervinelin.com http://www.studiov.com.sg

11th April 2006	#9
quantize Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 194	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? Cool..... i like DIY stuffs. Any links to resources? I am interesting in this kinda things too

12th April 2006	#12
enivre Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,695	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? will try... __________________ http://www.ervinelin.com http://www.studiov.com.sg

21st April 2006	#13
enivre Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,695	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? Here's another look at the completed DIY back mounted onto my Sinar F2 with the locking latch attached, the hole to view the frame number and of course painted matte black... Just ran a roll of slides thru it today, will try to post the results tomorrow if they are good... crosses fingers __________________ http://www.ervinelin.com http://www.studiov.com.sg

23rd April 2006	#15
_KL_ New Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 49	Re: Anyone here DIY's filmbacks for their LF cameras? Hey dude, so you are the guy with the LF camera that I bumped into at Labrador Park on last Thursday? You actually caught me in this shot Anyway, nice shots and more importantly, really to diy your own back. Cheers! Last edited by _KL_; 23rd April 2006 at 02:33 PM.