Modern digital cameras are impressively small, but sometimes big is beautiful. Large format film cameras, most often designed to accept 4"x5" cut sheet film, have a certain charm. It isn't just because the big film is cool, but also because of features like very flexible tilt and shift. Features that ought to be able to work with your mirrorless camera body....
This instructable is about building your own adapter to mount your mirrorless camera in place of film.
This isn't the first digital sensor mount I've made for a large-format camera; in http://aggregate.org/DIT/4X5/ I describe how I packaged the sensor from a cheap webcam so it could be used in place of a 4x5 film holder. It was way back in the late 1970s that I built a back to mount my Minolta SRT101 film SLR on the very same 4x5 camera. In fact, on eBay for between $150 and $200, there are now various sellers offering similar backs with the additional feature that you can slide your DSLR horizontally in order to create stitched panoramas. They don't seem to come with mounts for mirrorless cameras, but you can always just stick an adapter on the DSLR mount to convert it to your mirrorless mount. Sounds pretty good, right? So why build your own?
Well, first off, the unit described in this instructable costs more like $10 to build. No, the digital camera can't slide for panoramas -- but that's ok, because most large format cameras allow the lens and/or the entire back to do that, giving exactly the same functionality! In fact, the lens can shift in both the horizontal and vertical directions, giving better functionality. However, the primary motivation is more subtle and more important: the mounts of necessity force a DSLR to be quite far behind the original film plane (unless you can push your DSLR partly inside the open back of the camera, as in http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:18989), making it impossible to reach infinity focus with some lenses. The shorter flange distance on mirrorless cameras, combined with the lack of front-facing protrusions, allows them to come much closer to aligning with the intended film plane of the large format camera... so infinity focus is much more likely to be feasible and lens tilt and shift features are less likely to be impeded by mechanical obstructions.
This instructable is about building your own adapter to mount your mirrorless camera in place of film.
This isn't the first digital sensor mount I've made for a large-format camera; in http://aggregate.org/DIT/4X5/ I describe how I packaged the sensor from a cheap webcam so it could be used in place of a 4x5 film holder. It was way back in the late 1970s that I built a back to mount my Minolta SRT101 film SLR on the very same 4x5 camera. In fact, on eBay for between $150 and $200, there are now various sellers offering similar backs with the additional feature that you can slide your DSLR horizontally in order to create stitched panoramas. They don't seem to come with mounts for mirrorless cameras, but you can always just stick an adapter on the DSLR mount to convert it to your mirrorless mount. Sounds pretty good, right? So why build your own?
Well, first off, the unit described in this instructable costs more like $10 to build. No, the digital camera can't slide for panoramas -- but that's ok, because most large format cameras allow the lens and/or the entire back to do that, giving exactly the same functionality! In fact, the lens can shift in both the horizontal and vertical directions, giving better functionality. However, the primary motivation is more subtle and more important: the mounts of necessity force a DSLR to be quite far behind the original film plane (unless you can push your DSLR partly inside the open back of the camera, as in http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:18989), making it impossible to reach infinity focus with some lenses. The shorter flange distance on mirrorless cameras, combined with the lack of front-facing protrusions, allows them to come much closer to aligning with the intended film plane of the large format camera... so infinity focus is much more likely to be feasible and lens tilt and shift features are less likely to be impeded by mechanical obstructions.
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Signing UpStep 1: Stuff You'll Need
There are lots of options for parts, materials, and tools in this project. Read the whole instructable through to make sure you have everything you need before you get started making. Here's a rough list of stuff you'll need:
There is a good chance you have pretty much all the above -- except the extension tube set. You can get that on eBay for less than $7 shipped. They're made in China, but you can get them shipped from within the US for about $0.50 more.
- A mirrorless camera (which should not be harmed by any of this)
- A large-format camera (which should not be harmed by any of this)
- A cheap extension tube set -- the kind with front, back, and three screw-threaded in-between segments
- Any tools required for removing the large-format back (typically a screwdriver)
- Material for the board; probably either scant board or plywood
- A saw and sandpaper to cut and finish the board to size
- An adjustable hole saw or other device that can make a hole in the board
- Paint and brush or other finishing materials
- Glue for setting the extension tube in the board hole
- Electrical tape or other light-sealing material (e.g., black paint)
- Thin metal/plastic and craft foam to make flat springs to hold the back in place
There is a good chance you have pretty much all the above -- except the extension tube set. You can get that on eBay for less than $7 shipped. They're made in China, but you can get them shipped from within the US for about $0.50 more.
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However, a large format camera has, well, a large film/sensor to capture images.
At best, a compact mirrorless camera will have an APS-C size sensor, which will be 0.8625" wide. This means a x5.8 ratio as comparing sensors.
The whole point of medium and large format cameras is exactly working with a much bigger sensor size, which will produce much better image quality.
I don't mean to be offensive at all... maybe I'm missing something?
I have many goodies I can put in front of my NEX cameras: over 100 lenses, a tilt adapter, bellows, etc. The tilt/shift abilities of my old 4x5, plus the huge extension of the bellows, can do things none of my other equipment can. Also, the "look" of the large-format lens images is surprisingly different and desirable.
Of course, it'll be more impressive with a 500MP 4x5 sensor. ;)
I had a long message but the instructables robot said my session expired. so I lost everything.
Again, it's a great idea :)
I guess it would be too scary for me to mention that I want the sensor to be capable of high-speed video at 500MP.... :)
Now... 500Mp at 60fps (not very high speed anyway) would mean 90GBPS transfer speed...
Not meaning to sound pedantic, but... I don't know of any storage capable of registering 90Gb is a second... not too sure about any suitable size electronics capable of such transfers... I might be behind the times now though.
I'll be looking forward to future announcements in that area. :)
Thanks for this very interesting instructable, it's got my mental gears turning.
The whole advantage of a 4x5 camera is the huge "sensor", not the lens. I would think this project is the equivalent of putting a telephoto lens on your digital camera -- but because the lens was designed for a huge frame, it probably is not an optimal telephoto lens for the tiny sensor of a digital camera, although I read your evaluation that it seems quite OK.
Also, because the image is such a telephoto view, the usefulness of focul plane tilting, etc. seems reduced.
Am I missing something?
-SB
The detailed instructions are excellent
I have got to try this on my 8x10 Gundlach Korona.
Thanks Professor.
Mickey
I had not thought about doing this... very nice idea. If I do it and it works well enough, I'll make her an aluminum or steel backing. (CNC is a good thing!)
Thanks for such a great idea!
Jerry
Neat idea, did this kind of thing a few years back with either my Omega 4x5 or Cambro 8x10 with an adapter. Great Instructable !
For really long lenses and/or high-magnification macros, you can even push the NEX further back by simply screwing more tubes between the fixed tube and the body-end tube. I actually had to do that to get infinity focus on the Goerz lens, which has a back focus longer than the bellows. Of course, the "tunnel" created by extra tubes limits how much you can shift the lens before vignetting.