I loved it! I've been meaning to create my own 8x19 camera from foam board, and these instructions are perfect.

Exactly the video I needed!! I’m learning so much from you Joe! The time you take to create these videos and the passion you have for this craft, I’m beyond grateful! Those images are absolutely beautiful and you have given me more confidence to try building a box camera of my own. Thank you so very much!

I find Rustoleum frosted glass spray on 2mm acrylic makes a very good ground glass and it's quick and easy to cut acrylic with a scoring knife and the whole process takes about 10 mins of labour.

Thank you for the very good explanation..

yuou have no idea how greatful i am to have found this video.
not specifically the lenses, but more so the eggs to making this cake.  thank you

WOW!  Thank you Joe, for the making of this VID.
This is exactly what I too have been working on for about two years.


You explain better than I about the use of different "glass" for the building of DIY designs.

I learned a lot from you and so thank you very much for all your hard work you put into this on YouTube!

This is the video I've needed for motivation to build a box camera!

I have been trying all lenses over my house to try to get large exposure after watching your video, and the drawing "Tracer projector" is giving the best results to print on very large paper. Thank you for sharing your experience, this is really motivating for trying photography alternative methods of printing.

Thank you, Joe!!!! Good job!!! This camera system is a good option to take pictures in a real cheap way. The negative film is too expensive now a day so, this is a good way to keep taking pictures!!! Greetings from Venezuela!!!

WOW! Those shots at the end are awesome! Thanks for all your great photography videos. You have really changed and widened the options I should consider to capture an image. I'm very grateful for the time and effort you spend to produce these videos.

Thank you. This is so encouraging. I'm definitely going to try making my own box camera now.

Wow that is so sharp! I'm now inspired to make one.

Great video Joe. I am playing around with this low-tech stuff in film-making and this was great to see thank you. Your Cherub image at the end is exactly the look I am going for. Best wishes from me (and all the mice in the workshop) 🔨🐭🐭🐭

Fantastic Sir! 🙌🏽👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thak you Joe you are the only one who share really good info about lenses for big format thank you so much i learn a lot from you

Cool stuff, Joe. I have been working on a similar project but never thought about building a foam core box camera, I have been making lens boards out of black foam core sheets to use on my 4x5" Chamonix and 4x5" Cambo. This is because my goal is to make a soft-focus portrait lens or pictorial landscape lens then create images on 4x5" B&W and color sheet film.

As an experiment, try testing those enlarging lenses backward. Yes, have the rear element facing the world. Just curious.

BTW, you can find sheets of Fresnel material (page magnifiers) and large magnifying glasses at Dollar Tree stores. My newest lens is based on one of those magnifying glasses.

My newest idea for my Chamonix is to take a metal Technika-style Copal #3 lens board made by LuLand ($15 on eBay) then epoxy glue a step ring to it that has an 82mm thread facing forward. Then I use 82mm to [whatever]mm step down or step up rings to hold lenses. The advantage of this is the step rings have a bit of metal where I can glue the lens I am experimenting with. I can buy step rings from eBay sellers for as little as US $1.50.

I use clone Cokin adapter rings as apertures. They are nicely machined metal, black, inexpensive and are available in a myriad of sizes. A clone Cokin filter holder can be glued to the back of the LuLand lens board or screwed onto the front one of my soft focus lenses if I add an adapter ring to the front of the lens.

I may buy a new Packard shutter then attach it to the back of a LuLand lens board. Or I may think about building a Guillotine shutter whose timing is controlled by an Arduino timer. Or I will just get a 4x5" Speed Graphic then use its focal plane shutter and modify a Speed Graphic lens board with a step ring. But, one way or another, I know I want shutter speeds I can trust.

All fun and something to do on the upcoming cold winter days.

Sources:
Technika-style lens boards (and other kinds) by LuLand:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Luland-Linhof-Wista-4-5in-compur-copal-3-lens-board-99-96mm-NEW/182873537550?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Step Rings:
http://www.ebaystores.com/fotocity/_i.html?_nkw=step+ring&submit=Search&LH_TitleDesc=1&_sid=1204361519

Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Great video, Joe! This is the stuff that gets me excited.

Great!

Great video. Thank you for the new knowledge and inspiration! I will be looking through what else you have I can learn from. ❤