In a version 3 you may consider using a more advanced system for metering film advance, the current system is very imprecise. If you don’t want to risk light leaks from a red window, make the film travel around a 16mm diameter roller with a rubber band wrapped around it and a 64mm diameter roller. Install a knob on top with a marker at one point. As the film goes over the roller, the marker on top will make one revolution per frame.
@@mcb187 Hi! Yes, a system for the metering of the film advance is going to be implemented. I'll go for the red window, since the configuration you propose was already thought, but wouldn't work properly. First of all, it can't be a 64mm diameter roller because it's too big for the size of the camera (also, wouldn't be 64mm in diameter but in perimeter). Adding a roller of half the size, or of a third of the size, would be better. But anyway, the friction of the whole system may possibly cause the film not to advance. If using rubber bands, the surface on the other side of the film should be slippery and perfectly flat to avoid any scratches. Even if it advanced, the empty spool where the exposed film is collected would need to have a "tensioning" mechanism to help that empty spool to turn. So the idea itself is great, but the implementation is not that simple.
Hello, I just started learning to 3D print and came across your project. This looks very cool! Thank you for sharing it. I have a few questions for you: 0. What software do you use for designing? Any recommendations based on your experience? 1. Do you have an estimate on your timeline for the STLs for your 3rd version (V3) and the rough build cost/time? 2. Any estimates on the final weight/dimensions for V3? 3. Does the lens focusing ring move smoothly with v3 version? It looks like V2 basically uses a "lens board" so the focusing is smooth. 4. Do you think V3 still allow frames?
Hi!! I'm glad you liked it. 0. I used Autodesk Fusion360, which works really good and it's easy to use. But lately I'm leaning towards using CATIA, way more profesional but more difficult to use as well. Anyway, any CAD software you use is great! 1. Version 3 is coming out this summer. It seems to be more compact and will add a few upgrades that will improve the design significantly, I hope. Build time would be approximately the same; cost may depend on if I implement some upgrades that are not decided yet. 2. As mentioned, V3 will be more compact (probably a little bit wider and taller, but shorter). Also, working to see how to add a (removable) handle, which will make the camera bulkier. Weight will be similar. 3. Don't understand the question. Could you rephrase? Thanks! 4. Allowing frames is something I'm not sure about, since it makes the design more complex. I'll try to add them, but can't ensure it. Thanks fot the questions and happy 3D printing ;)
@@javier_fernandez hello, thanks for your replies. 0. I’ll check out CATIA. I’m reading up to learn what decent free softwares exist. 3. It’s hard to explain with words. I’d love to see a demonstration of you focusing V3 and watch exactly how you adjust focus on the lens. 4. Okay, that’s understandable. One thought I had is that it would be nice to have the option for a “ground glass” back for times when you want critical focus or composition. However, it wouldn’t be worth it if that made the camera too bulky.
@@CertainExposures I thought about adding a ground glass, but found it hard to implement. V3 won't have a ground glass, but your thoughts and the ones of the people commenting makes me take things like these into account for future updgrades. Thanks again for your feedback!
Hi! Yes, that is what is happening. That's due to the knob turning clockwise. If the knob would have been located in the left-hand side and the unexposed film in the right-hand one, it wouldn't happen, but I preferred having the knob where it is. For version 3, I'll try to "fix" it.
A tip for heated inserts: only push them in 90% of the way, then use a flat piece of metal to push the rest. Gives a nice flush surface and a straight insert.
I would like to see something like this but that's just a body to attach the lens to the existing mamiya press back system. That way you could just use it as a small view camera and have access to all the accessories
the relationship between the turns of the film advance knob, the circumference of the take up spool changes so your turns will not be consistently 1.5 turns per frame. I presume that the film is kept flat and tension applied to the film so that the take up spool winds tightly by having the film frame positioned very closely to the back plate. Have you had issues with the frame scratching the emulsion?
That's right, the film doesn't advance consistently but it was the simplest way to design it. Version 3 of this camera is on the way and a window to see the frame where you are will be implemented. Regarding the frame scratching: I didn't find any mark in my film, but relying on friction isn't the finest solution. I'll give it a thought! Huge thanks for the feedback :)
@@javier_fernandez I wanted to thank you for posting your design because it inspired a design feature for a 6x17 panoramic camera I'm designing. I have designed a 3D printed ratchet gear with dual pawls for my film advance after seeing your design. I started with a recessed area just like in your camera and it worked fine, but then I got to thinking I really wanted a lever action film advance like the toyo 4x5 roil film backs use. That feature just required a slight redesign, door handle return spring from amazon and a 20mm long M3 hex coupling nut from amazon. I've remixed the lid of your design adding my film advance lever system and will post it to printables soon.
That's how you gain a subscriber! I always wanted to recycle random lenses i had but i could not find any tutorials, this helped a lot. By any means, do you know of any way to order custom lenses to create what one desires? For example: superfast lenses are rare and expensive. I could make my own for cheap by ordering the glass from china or something, right?
Thanks a lot for the comment! I'm happy you found this useful :) I don't know any place where custom lenses can be ordered, but there are webpages like SurpluShed where you can find a wide variety of lenses. Hope this is useful!
What is the flange distance you used? I have read on internet, that press lenses has 53 mm from film to bayonet, but I have measured much more in your fusion 360 file. I want to create my own 3D printed medium format camera using that lense so I am wondering
Hi!! So I had trouble finding the flange distance on the internet, so I measured it myself. But another problem I found was where to measure that distance from (I mean from what part of the lens). Anyway, the distances in the Fusion file worked well for me and for other people that printed the camera.
@@javier_fernandez it is very difficult to find the technical data for such old cameras, even when information can be found on the internet it is frequently wrong, and lacks citations for people to check the original source. As you say even if we have a figure given for film plane to flange distance of 53mm we are often left uncertain as to what mamiya calls the flange. Is that the base of the helicoid, or the underside of the bayonette tabs, or the very back of the lens barrel? Without a precise definition we often guess and make do with the results, but it would be preferable to optimize the optical design. I am going to use my view camera to making a test rig so I can mount a lens and focus at infinity, then use a depth micrometer to measure the distance to the back of the lens mounting plate to determine my required body depth.
I'm thinking about doing that. I think it would be viable, but it will be a bulkier camera than I'd like for Instax/Polaroid film. Anyway, I'll give it a try!
This is such a cool project, kudos for making such a cool camera! Just 1 thing through, won't any light leaks be reflected around inside the camera due to the shinyness of the filament used? Painting the inside of the camera with matte black paint would help keep the film from overexposing.
Yessss totally. I must fix this aspect of the camera (by firstly ensuring that there are no mayor light leaks). Both painting and giving some "sawtooth" texture to the inner walls would help. There is a special black paint that reflects very very little light, but it would be nice to check if standard black paint works great. I really appreciate the feedback, it helps a ton for future versions of the camera :)
@@javier_fernandez I know what paint you're talking about. It's called Vantablack, it supposedly absorbs 99.95% of visible light. The problem is that it's quite toxic to work with, cracks and flakes easily and most importantly, costs quite a bit of money. Your best bet would be just using matte black paint or covering the inside with black fabric.
@@Stuntman175 That's obvsly the paint I was talking about. So already knowing that, I'll just go for matte paint (I think it would be easier than using fabric). Again, thanks a lot for the knowledge. Whenever I make another version of the camera, I'll make a video about it for sure.
@@javier_fernandez would you ever consider making an Instax Mini version of your camera? Plenty of cheap Instax cameras around to cannibalize parts for your build. You'd lose 1mm in width and height with a 645 lens due to the film size being 61mm x 46mm, but with careful alignment of the film plane, the difference could probably be split both ways. Maybe I'm just crazy, but I think it could work, film prices have gone through the roof, but Instax has remained more or less the same price... Edit: Instax Mini. Size matters, after all haha.
@@Stuntman175 I like how you think ;). I've thought about it quite a lot, but haven't developed that idea yet. As you said, it's a similar design, and the main obstacles I could find are already faced. Also, being able to have an instant print would be soooo helpful to make fast design decisions.
Hey I was curious about a camera body for a medium format digital back. have you built one, or might you know how... I have a ton of mamiya glass that id like to dust off. (cheers)
That's a really interesting question. The design of the camera wouldn't change much, plus it should be easier since you just need a piece that connects the lens and digital back. I think it would be a project that would work perfectly. If you have any design doubts, don't hesitate to contact me (I hope I can help)
Hola buenas! Si te refieres a que se vea mal la imagen, poco tiene que ver con que esté descentrada alguna lente. Es obvio que la calidad iba a ser la que es, pero porque estoy usando lentes no diseñadas para usarse en la configuración óptica que usé. Además, justo para esa foto usé un diafragma bastante abierto, por lo que todas las imperfecciones son más notables.
Hola buenas! Si te refieres a que se vea mal la imagen, poco tiene que ver con que esté descentrada alguna lente. Es obvio que la calidad iba a ser la que es, pero porque estoy usando lentes no diseñadas para usarse en la configuración óptica que usé. Además, justo para esa foto usé un diafragma bastante abierto, por lo que todas las imperfecciones son más notables.
@@javier_fernandez well, considering that you've used lenses from old binoculars, then measured the radii and thicknesses of the lenses and put it in a simple web program for raytracing, you've got some surprisingly okay results. Generally from a triplet you would expect a much better image quality. What you could've done is make a system and optimize it in zemax or other optics program (there are quite a few, free too, like new quadoa trial) and see what premade singlets you can order and then optimize it further with ordered pieces
Great project. Maybe you should do a light sealing between frontplate and housing. I think the 4 crews are not enough to keep it complete dark. It looks like there is some little light coming in anywhere... what do you think?
Thanks for the comment and the ideas! The four screws just hold the front plate in place, and the light proofing is achieved (or I think is achieved) due to the front plate's geometry entering the housing. Anyway, as other comments mentioned and you did, little light is coming in. I'll give it a thought about what could be done. A sealing foam or similar would be really nice. Thanks again for the feedback!! It's truly helpful.
Regarding light leaks; saw a vid in last 2 days of a commercial low volume manufacturer who sent a demo model to a 250k subscriber channel. Light leak caused by a change in printing material. It wasn’t truly optically opaque…. Yoiks.
I have wanted to make a Frankenlens like this for so long. I have 100s of optical elements carefully stored in a large spare parts box from various old photography lenses (been repairing vintage lenses for about a decade and some are too far gone, so i just save the Glass elements), and a project like this would be so fun. I'd like to figure out how to build some type of testing box for trial and error testing of the elements because i really dont know the exact properties of all the various lenses I have.
What you want to do is basically what I did, despite the video showing an optical analysis. I took the lenses and put them in front of a planar surface (not necessarily in a very dark environment) and tried several configurations. The image I was projecting was the landscape I see from my window. That way, in addition to seeing the image, since it is an image at infinity I also get the maximum distance between lenses and sensor/film (it not mistaken, when you focus at infinity the lenses are the furthest away from the focal plane, and when you focus closer the lenses also come closer to the sensor). This maximum distance is important to get an idea of the size that the lens is going to be. Then, the rest is basically designing the housing in CAD. It feels that you can achieve a really good result with all the lenses you have! :)
@@javier_fernandez Hm interesting. I did some research to try to figure how this works (I had a feeling the shutter was in the lens but I couldn't quite tell) but there isn't much online. Do you know where I can find the details of this mechanism? Thanks!
The other route is ground glass lots of 3D printed backs dark slides. Load Polaroid put Darkside backing into bag with Polaroid camera drop another back on.
I think so! In fact, it is something I've been thinking for a while. But it seems it would be more difficult than what it may look at first sight. If I ever do it (or something related to Polaroid film) I'll probably uploaded here.
