Bausch and Lomb Unicum Lens for DIY?

[Hamish Gill]

A while ago I bought some sort of folding plate camera. All the mech of the camera is completely shot... Some bits are snapped and it's all bent and twisted
Anyway, on the front of it was this lens!

It's a Bausch and Lomb Lens with a "Two-blade return, rectilinear movement. Spring powered, pneumatic exposure control[ed shutter]" from 1897
- Antique and Vintage Cameras
I've also spied it on a few cameras here Antique Cameras

It didn't work, the shutter was jammed open so I had written it off as useless for a DIY project
Today I freed up the shutter!
And although sluggish on slower speeds it seems about right at 100th and 50th
It also looks quite good on the focusing screen from the old camera it was off

I'm thinking of trying to fashion some sort of 5x4 camera from it, but I've come a little unstuck as to where to source a sprung 5x4 back ...

anyone got any thoughts on how I might put something together?
I don't want to just copy Pete, but it's looking like the easy option at the mo

 

[Pete Askew]

Now that looks tasty Hamish. I reckon you'll be able to source a back pretty easily. For example:

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

 

[Hamish Gill]

Is that the same link three times?

I shall keep an eye on that ... cheers for that!

My other idea was to make somthing like my pin hole camera... Fix the lens at a set distance that would give me hyperfocal focus at a set aperture ... And just shoot within the limits

 

[Pete Askew]

It wasn't supposed to be.

LARGE FORMAT BODY PART ONLY AS SPARES REPAIR | eBay

 

[Hamish Gill]

... Cheers
There has to be something good I could fashion with that!!

I'm going to ask Tom ... See if he has any ideas!

 

[Davie Hudson]

that is totally steampunk ..... brilliant

 

[Hamish Gill]

It does have that look to it eh ...
Although I suppose it is actually from the era that steam punk sets out to replicate

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Didn't even realize Bausch & Lomb were around in them there distant days!

Very cool looking bit of kit Hamish - as Davie said, it's very Steampunk!

 

[Pete Askew]

Formed in 1853 in Rochester, NY. Not sure you could do much with their modern optics though!!

 

[Paul Lange]

If you don't end up buying the back from Ebay you could probably fashion something from 2 picture frames, some thick garden wire and some leather / vinyl.

This has got me thinking now....The glass from a picture frame could be ground to make a focus screen and a focus movement could be made with some metal rods and some threaded stud!

 

[Pete Askew]

Aha, things are hotting up now!! I used glass from a picture frame for my screen - just happened to be the right size.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Formed in 1853 in Rochester, NY. Not sure you could do much with their modern optics though!!

I used to use Bausch & Lomb 'modern optics' every day Pete!

Still do, but they sold Ray Ban to another company I see

Still love the polarized Ray Bans - in fact I broke a pair yesterday at Balboa Park (dropped them whilst taking photos in the botanical house) so had to invest in a new pair on the way home

Maybe that's why I like using a CPL on my photos - I'm used to seeing a polarized world of color!

 

[Hamish Gill]

If you don't end up buying the back from Ebay you could probably fashion something from 2 picture frames, some thick garden wire and some leather / vinyl.

This has got me thinking now....The glass from a picture frame could be ground to make a focus screen and a focus movement could be made with some metal rods and some threaded stud!

I shall keep my eyes peeled for what you come up with Paul!

 

[Thomas brookes]

That is beautiful!!!!!! I want one!

 

[Hamish Gill]

There's one on eBay for a silly £130
Mine cost me £1 though so I wouldn't bother if I were you

It is lovely isn't it ... If I come to te pub tomorrow I'll def bring it to show you, there is something wonderfully tactile about it!

 

[Hamish Gill]

I've just polished the timing cylinder and I swear by eye the timings are all as close as perfect as I could possibly need!
This thing is well over a hundred years old and I have cameras from the 70's that the shutter speed inst as acurate ...
The beauty of simple design ... Even a cack handed numpty like me can bring it back to perfect functionality

 

[Paul Lange]

I think if I do it it will be one for the summer when I can work in the garden though. Of course there is the matter of the dark room. I haven't got one yet! The DIY camera won't cost much to make but the bigger shed to put the dark room in will.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I dont have a dark room...