Welcome to the Creative Digital Technologies and Photography [CDTP] Hub Photography Blog based in the School of the Arts at Loughborough University. One of the first projects to be put up onto the blog is the building of a 24" x 20" large format film camera. This project is being undertaken by Ben Dolman and Alan Duncan supported by the Dean of the School of the Arts Professor Terence Kavanagh at Loughborough University. The 20" x 24" large format camera will become part of our comprehensive traditional and digital photography and imaging resource that is being developed into a centre of excellence for teaching, research and enterprise.
The 20x24 negative would offer the opportunity to produce contact prints that posses a quality that can not be obtained by enlargement through traditional techniques and the format will allow for alternative printing processes � cyanotype, carbon and the most archival in photographic printing, platinum. We see the 20x24 camera as being adaptable and flexible in formats with the use of reducer backs, experimental as a pinhole camera with direct positive paper and used as a tool to investigate historical processes such as wet collodion process (used by Sally Mann) with the assistance from other departments within the university. New materials may also be explored through university collaboration such as a process too emulate the characteristics of the Polaroid 20x24 camera and the camera maybe used in a wider participation capacity within the community through workshops or festivals � Format Festival in Derby or Hereford would be a good example.
The 20x24 camera would be a unique, specialist and flexible item of equipment.
The 20" x 24" large format film camera build is about a third of the way into the project and it is a good time to review the work done so far. The chassis of the camera has been built to support a rack and spur gear transport mechanism that will move the lens and film back carriages.
The 20x24 negative would offer the opportunity to produce contact prints that posses a quality that can not be obtained by enlargement through traditional techniques and the format will allow for alternative printing processes � cyanotype, carbon and the most archival in photographic printing, platinum. We see the 20x24 camera as being adaptable and flexible in formats with the use of reducer backs, experimental as a pinhole camera with direct positive paper and used as a tool to investigate historical processes such as wet collodion process (used by Sally Mann) with the assistance from other departments within the university. New materials may also be explored through university collaboration such as a process too emulate the characteristics of the Polaroid 20x24 camera and the camera maybe used in a wider participation capacity within the community through workshops or festivals � Format Festival in Derby or Hereford would be a good example.
The 20x24 camera would be a unique, specialist and flexible item of equipment.
The 20" x 24" large format film camera build is about a third of the way into the project and it is a good time to review the work done so far. The chassis of the camera has been built to support a rack and spur gear transport mechanism that will move the lens and film back carriages.
Below is a quick video giving an overview of the construction and demonstration of workings of the camera.
Ben Dolman and Alan Duncan Large Format Camera Build Part One from Ben Dolman on Vimeo.
The photographs below give a more detailed view of the camera modular construction
To support the camera we are using a heavy duty Manfrotto 400 geared head and 161MK2B tripod
The chassis for the camera is attached to the Manfrotto tripod using a M10 bolt screwed into 8mm aluminium plate
The chassis is constructed from cherry timber and supports a rack and spur gear transport mechanism house in an aluminium U channel section. The spur gears are connected to a 6mm stainless steel rod to allow the knurl knobs to rotate the spur gears and move the rack. We hope to replace the plastic knurl knobs with bespoke turned aluminium knurl knobs in the future.
Detail view of the spur gear mechanism transport housing
Fitting the front lens carriage, the carriage has the 1.5 module metal rack fitted into the cheery wood framing
Detailed view of the carriage being moved forward
Carriage extended
Carriage closed
Fitting the film holder carriage
Locating the rack onto the rear carriage spur gears
Extending the rear carriage
Front and rear carriages extended
Detail of the carriage mechanism
The last item to be added to the carriage mechanism is a 6mm aluminium retainer flat bar to give added support when the carriages are fully extended. 6mm aluminium flat bars were also used in the construction of the film holder carriage to add strength and rigidity.
Fitting the lateral shift and extension dovetail slide module
Close up of the lateral shift and extension module
Fitting the lens mount swing - shift - tilt - raise mechanism into the dovetail track
Raising and swinging the lens mount and adjusting the locking knobs
Tilting the lens mount upwards
Tilting the lens mount downwards
Moving the raise or vertical shift to its highest position
Moving the raise or vertical shift to its lowest position
Rear of the swing, tilt, shift and raise mechanism
Moving the lateral or horizontal shift whilst extending the lens mount mechanism
When fully extended the distance between the lens mount and the film holder will be about 180cm that will make the making and support of the bellows challenging
The next stage on the lens mount mechanism is to put in some stops to lock off the swing, shift, raise and tilt movements as well as the extension on the dovetail runners
Detail of the swing movement
Detail of the tilt movement
The next stage of the project is to design and build the support mechanism for the film holder and fresnel.
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