Building a Large Format Camera

I build a traditional 4x5 large-format camera from scratch in my home workshop. Commercial versions of this type of camera typically cost several thousand dollars, and even old, used cameras fetch high prices. Building one at home not only saves a lot of money, but is a very satisfying project for a hobbyist. It can be built without any specialized tools, and in fact, could be made with hand tools alone. This particular design is, however, not an appropriate project for a beginning woodworker. For photographers with very limited woodworking skills and budget, there are designs which are simpler and more forgiving.
This project requires several small, aluminum parts which can be made in the home shop without any specialized metal-working tools. I recently released a video showing more about cutting and shaping aluminum with woodworking tools. Here is the link to that video: • Shaping Metal with Woo...
I often post plans for my projects on my website. However, the early sketches and drawings that formed the starting point for this camera required many small changes on the fly, and I do not have a complete set of drawings with proven, accurate measurements that I can share.
I am far more careful with power tools than it often appears. Despite decades of experience with the table saw, for instance, I still rigidly adhere to a set of personal safety rules. Don't make the mistake of thinking that I am careless, no matter how my moves appear in the edited video.
For those viewers who want to make something similar, you can buy used film holders and lenses from a variety of camera stores, and online from sources like EBay. I bought the rack and pinion gears from McMaster Carr at www.mcmaster.com/contact/los-.... Local hardware stores will probably supply most of the screws, bolts, and nuts you will need, with the exception of knurled nuts and knobs and a few other items. I found the following on Amazon:
Knurled head screws • Shaping Metal with Woo...
Wafer head screws amzn.to/3bAZcOx
Threaded inserts amzn.to/2LKgNsC
Focusing knobs amzn.to/35D2ahI
T-track (matte black color) amzn.to/3qfpSIM
Aluminum angle stock amzn.to/3bETNpE
Fresnel lens amzn.to/2KfXzdY

[@megacube5482]

This the easiest explanation of the scheimpflug principle i have seen so far

[@neilkehler7150]

As a photographer and woodworker I am blown away by this beautiful project. Inspiring!

[@constantinosschinas4503]

*would love to see the bellow making!*

[@ocediis]

As a woodworker and a large format photographer, I'm totally inspired by this! Thanks not only for the assembly part of the video, but also the lessons learned throughout.

[@bikuda]

Hermoso video, perfecto. Muchisimas gracias por compartir. Seria impresionante ver una fotografia de esta camara, sería la cereza del video. Muchisimas gracias

[@PoignantPirate]

Do you have any photos taken with this yet? It's an amazing bit of workmanship, and I would love to see the result as well.

[@artfulcoyote]

Would like to see those as well...

[@robertyoung1777]

Glass plates, both coated and uncoated, are available from a company in Europe called Zebra Plates. I had a good experience ordering coated glass plates for my 100 year old 5X7 camera from them. I think they will make custom sized plates for customers.

[@jeanfrancoisim]

Very cool project, thanks for sharing!

[@karlgoebeler1500]

Perfect project for a school shop class

[@ryber3]

Brilliant work! As a long-time photographer and new woodworker, I found this fascinating to watch. I do hope you upload a bellows video. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheBjargu]

This is without a doubt one of the most interesting woodworking videos I have ever seen ! This is not only practical, but also gorgeous ! Congrats !

[@AlbosNoggins]

Very interesting video, thanks for sharing! Would love to see the construction of the bellows.

[@stephenbird9714]

That's fantastic, thank you for taking the time to share it.

[@johnward2964]

This is some of the best wood working on KZbin!

[@MarkPrimavera]

Amazing workmanship and planning! I've always been fascinated by view cameras and would have like to try one out. Thank you for sharing!

[@cdbflynow]

A great project done well. Thanks for sharing Paul

[@idiotluggage]

WOW! That is amazing! Look forward to watching a video on making the bellows.

[@stevestamper3509]

Absolutely Amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[@tonyja661]

Your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. Wonderful build

[@larrymatney52]

Well done and very instructive. Thank you for posting this.

[@sematagi9291]

I'm glad I stumbled across your post, fantastic, inspirational, I love both crafts, photography and woodworking, what a synthesis!

[@bridgetl.303]

I used a Speed Graphic large format camera back in the 70s, and was amazed at the detail one could achieve. After viewing your video, I realized that I hardly tapped into it’s full potential. Amazing design! Thank you for your insightful videos that are very well produced; I really enjoy them!

[@scottb.2022]

Awesome project and well executed. Love to see some pictures taken with it.

[@jeswinpk]

Brilliantly explained. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

[@jasonbailey9139]

That is a true labor of love--so much precision and time went into it that build!

[@SickOfJunk.]

I built a large format camera during covid 2020.... mine is a lot more simple design... i wish i seen this video...thank you for all the ideas

[@jpcgordon]

Absolutely incredible build.

[@RobertBrazile]

Great to see another woodworker into LF. Been doing dry plate and other LF work for 4-5 years now and these hobbies feed each other so well.

[@t_h_visuals]

What incredible craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing.

[@jwiz1911]

What a beautiful project! I had to give up on large format photography due to the cost and availability of the film, but I miss it. So much fun learning how to 'drive' one of these cameras. Outstanding work!

[@rosswilliams3283]

Thanks for sharing. Really cool project

[@WilliamAlanPhoto]

Fantastic. Well done. 40 years ago, I wanted one of these so bad!

[@rickciaburri5722]

Wow! It's beautiful as well.

[@ulpilotrmh]

Wonderful project Patric. back in the 70s I had a deal with a local Hobby Shop to build and display any new plastic kits that the shop recieved. None of the cameras I owned could do justice to the quality of the models I could build at the time and I found a view camera was what I needed. The camera I built uses the back portion of a polaroid portrait camera and the lens is from an antique Kodak Folding camera because it is self contained with shutter. I taught myself how to make the bellows by dissassembling the bellows on the kodak. I made the bellows using Contact Paper shelf liner, heavy black construction paper and black cotton fabric and it is still 'light tight' today. By the way the camera worked. I would add Photos of the camera if I knew how to do that here.

[@stevenlennie]

That is some incredible craftsmanship.

[@leiflundquist468]

Fantastic work!

[@EduardoRomero1965]

This is heaven sent. Thanks so much! I have 3 4x5, an Intrepid, a Crown Graphic and a Cadet Wide Monorail. I want to build a 5x7 since I have the lenses and film holders and a 8x10 to make contact prints. Thanks again for the detailed explanation.

[@Larken42]

You make this look easy, sir. Truly a gift to watch a master craftsmen at work.

[@2logj]

Wow what a great artist you are.keep us inspiring with your DIY.

[@Dadmadeit]

Awesome project and well executed. Thanks for sharing!

[@ElRel]

Magnificent video. Your take on woodwork is very special to me

[@MarceloCN]

One of the greatest tutorial of building something i ever see. Great work great editing.

[@digamylakias]

Hi Patrick, Congratulations for your incredible job. Your video is very very good, and really I like the way you are explaining everything. It is really rare to find a video sharing all these details. I appreciate very much the mindset and the will to share.

[@creiij]

That is a beautiful peace of art worthy a thousand pictures =)

[@maheshmehendale9210]

Very intricate piece of work !!!

[@constantinosschinas4503]

trully wonderful build. it looks beatutiful and original. great craftsmanship.

[@supplanterjim]

One _loves_ to watch human creativity in action!

[@antoniomoscato2152]

I believe that you are all around the Best woodworker ever seen! My congrat's! 😳

[@gschiavon]

Fascinating! Great job!!

[@thomaskarsch9495]

Whish I had your skills. Thanks for sharing this amazing and motivating video. Craftmanship at its best!

[@robert.aleksander]

Amazing skill and great looking camera!

[@bluzizalright]

Beautiful work and camera.

[@imaginarypoint]

When on watches this man's video. One is watching a master at play!

[@adamcoe]

and built the bellows too. damn that is incredibly impressive. definitely post pictures you take with this gorgeous piece.

[@richardlewis8557]

About 45 years ago or so I built a 4.5 cm X 6 cm view camera. Mine didn’t have rack and pinion adjustments as I built it on a monorail as I already had the bellows on hand. I used it for several years and always wished I had done it in 4 x 5 format instead. This has given me the urge to build one again. The bellows construction really intrigues me. Wood love to see how it’s done. Thanks for sharing.

[@shedtime_au]

Beautiful work, congratulations on a project well made.

[@rodneykiemele4721]

Heck of a project

[@tcsyme]

Nice job Patrick! I would love to see the bellows construction as well, as I am currently drawing plans for a 5x7 camera similar to your 4x5. Thanks!

[@phooesnax]

Excellent job!

[@craftwerk6762]

Wow... very artful work, Sir. 👍

[@seanlennon5044]

Awesome, love to see you develop this further.

[@karlh6700]

There's a pun there someplace

[@stevenscherbinski1512]

Nice job! What a great looking camera.

[@denisblack5689]

wow, that is something new, unusual and interesting! thanks for showing;)

[@josephvargas6166]

magnifique travail ...pour essayer d'en fabriquer un en ce moment , je connais la difficulté d'un travail aussi propre

[@hfkwong109]

Amazing work.

[@normanrehme3836]

Well done in all respects. Beautiful and big project to attempt; nice video work and production, too. Congratulations!

[@jeffw2055]

What a satisfying video. Definitely going to build one of these one day.

[@no-one3795]

Nice work. it's amazing to see that we can actually make our own camera.

[@AlexanderLakidon]

awesome! very enjoyable production video!

[@thethirdman225]

Wonderful work. A credit to you.

[@Josh_Luijsterburg]

Well done my friend. Proud

[@tseumd58]

Awesome job thanks

[@rickkempf77]

I love your channel sir!

[@paulwestlake4278]

When I worked as a tog, I would have given my all for one of these. A beautiful job there.

[@Tugmun11]

Amazing project really enjoyed this video, very well done the video as well as the camera. excellent

[@phillip2446]

this is so cool

[@mike747436]

Congratulations for attempting this. I thought about doing something similar, but every time I look at my Chamonix 4x5 I realise I couldn't make a better job of it.

[@black-and-light]

A beautiful camera. I would buy it immediately. However, as a wetplate with appropriate plate holders and at least 8x10, or larger. Very nicely done, thanks for the video!

[@nicbuo8319]

Patrick, well done fantastic content

[@Paul-mx2yj]

Very nice work !

[@billpickle2875]

Excellent job. I have always fancied trying this myself and i think i could manage most of it. The part i always seem to have a mental block on is properly measuring and placing the focus screen to the correct place relative to the film holder.

[@LZP123]

Would love to see some photos taken with this! Maybe in a community post? Very impressive work! It looks beautiful and very well made!

[@sickofjunk]

I love you video.. it is what I was looking for... good information and a video to follow along your build... Thank you Thank you Thank you

[@csreiter]

Very cool!

[@Hiksan5]

A lovely project, enjoyed the video and your workmanship. Spent a good part of my time as a photograpy student using a large format cameras and felt taken 20 years back in time (not wooden ones though, the ones made by Swiss brand Sinar). Still have one on the attic for when the day comes when I get to make an extra special project where there is both time and budget to go all analogue again. Would love to see how this camer is to work with - and perhaps, if you want to share it, a bit about what you intend to use it for. Keep up the good work

[@markbernier8434]

I don't know why this popped into my feed but I am very glad it did. Kudos on a very very well done project. Back in my day I used a number of different wooden view cameras as well as the venerable Speed Graphic I also had the use of a monorail view camera for a time and some of the Ektachrome transparencies are my best work. I would have been glad to use yours as well. I did notice the lack of a shutter on the lens you purchased, I wondered why that was as film in a holder is sensitive enough for a shutter to be necessary, but you mentioned wet plates, which would not need a shutter, but would need a different type of "film" holder which you do not mention at all.

[@normandcharpentier1918]

This is an amazing videos!!!

[@Lisbikes]

Thank you!

[@kidonlsd6256]

Amazing work of engineer art

[@JohnHReed-xp4dy]

I love and hate this video. Love the camera and details and the content, and I want to build one to shoot with... Hate that it reminds of how far I have to go with my woodworking ;)

[@waynesimon2963]

Patrick that was a remarkable job with an excellent result. Hopefully we can view a few images taken with your camera in a future video.

[@LuigiBarbano]

Great job!

[@MakarovFox]

amazing

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

Amazing Workmanship man, have gotten into 35mm film cameras in the last year, would love to get into taking Pictures on Glass plates with one of these.

[@-lll-ll-llll-AVE]

Absolutely brilliant!!! You put out such neat content, and your woodworking is top notch. As a (beginning) cabinet maker -particularly inclined towards handtool woodworking-, and an analog photography enthusiast, I had already thought of making a large format camera. Your video made me smile all the way and now I’m sure, I have to make one! Perhaps I’ll even try to make it completely by hand, electricity-free just like the camera in-use. If so, I’ll need to follow plans, and I’d be very interested in yours if you can bear updating them to the final design. Thanks for your content, looking forward to a video on the bellows! Antoine

[@jimscheltens2647]

It would be nice to see some photos taken with the camera. Always enjoy your work. Thanks

[@easypeasy4374]

You're incredible

[@willd2609]

Astounding! Would love to see the pictures it takes!

[@user-em7fy4ls9n]

perfect system gold hand God blessings all life many art hunting

[@MCsCreations]

Really interesting project, dude! Beautiful work! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊