Victor E. Doak in Drammen, Norway, has recently built a 4 x 5 inch camera based on my design. Victor writes in an email:
“It took me most of the fall to get the parts, most of the winter to put them together, then a good bit of the spring to put together a darkroom. I finally got there.
The pictures of the camera are at winter vacation. I did modify the rear standard somewhat as you see. I also cut down the front frame, primarily to reduce bulk, but it also looks better to me. The wood is cherry I got here in Drammen at Interwood AS. I started out cutting it down and planing it by hand for the most part. (Which, by the way is the last time I do that. Next time I find a table saw!) In the end I did use a band saw for the joints. I made the bellows with Porters Darkroom cloth and Doug Bardell’s “recipe”. The ground glass is window glass from a local “glassmester”. I used Wurth valve grinding paste to grind the glass. It didn’t do a half bad job. I expected to buy glass but ended up using the one I made. The lens is a Fujinon 150mm I got at a good price on eBay.
Thanks for the inspiration, the ideas and the plans. I am enjoying using the camera as much or more than I did building it!”
If you want to contact Victor, his email address is: doak@online.no
6 May 2007. Last updated 22 April 2009.
Jon Grepstad 