Big Boys Go Modern

As a frequent reader of my blog, you might have noticed that I am into trying/doing the unusual.

Here's my trick to adapt the mirror-less camera with the worst reputation ever (not justified in my mind), the Canon EOS-M to my Plaubel PECO Supra large format view camera.

Before going into any details, let's have a look why anyone would want to do that...
Large format cameras can provide a unique look, with all the possibilities of raise/fall, shift and tilt in many direction.
Today, when you are lucky, large format cameras come really cheap. So do their lenses, in particular when the shutter is not functioning properly anymore.
Here's the good thing, when using a modern digital back, be it a DSLR or a mirror-less camera, the shutter is in the camera, in front of the sensor. (Well in most cases at least, known exception: Pentax Q). So, we don't need a functioning shutter for the following project: Add a digital camera body to a large format camera.

For my approach, this is what you need:

A lens board for a Copal #1 shutter

Copal #1 lens board

M42 macro rings, 1 short, 1 long

M42 macro rings

Adpaters for T2/EOS and EOS/EOS-M

Canon adapters

The short M42 ring mount to the inside of the camera (see photo below), while the longer ring counter-screws on the outside. 

Assembly

In the recessed lens plate

Camera attached

Front side view

Here's the catch: M42 and T2 are not exactly the same threads. Don't apply any force! Your T2 adapter will be destroyed.
A regular M42/EOS adapter is too short to clear the camera from the recessed lens board.
Here are 3 options:

1. get another M42 macro-ring
2. get a non-recessed Copal #1 lens board
3. fabricate a Copal #1 lens board

It might be easiest to actually make Copal #1 board from a sheet of aluminum...
For now, the setup works just fine, although I do prefer using large format film with my large format cameras.

Like Chinese Food?

Here are your free processing trays!
No joking here... honestly. I do like Chinese take-away food, and the particular restaurant provides me with free paper negative processing trays.
Right... let's talk about size. Size matters, doesn't it?
My next step in photography was supposed to be large format and it was. I obtained a LF studio camera for a decent (still high) price. For further adventure, I decided to also get a more portable view camera. Ebay-fate decided that my portable camera would be a Ihagee-Photoklapp Patent-Duplex. Anyway, talking about size, we need to consider 12x9cm. Although this size is considered "large format", it still feels somewhat small, in particular when having the developed paper negatives in hand.
Speaking of paper negatives, they look real good, however, the paper I used shows a lot of structure and even maker's marks and is therefore not suitable for contact prints.

left to right: caffenol - water stop - fix - wash

Yep, what you see are paper negatives in the fix and the wash baths.

The paper negatives scanned:

f/11 - 1s @ ISO 6

f/4.5 - s/4 @ ISO 6

The light leak on the bottom of both exposures is due to me having pulled the dark-slide out too far, thereby allowing light to leak into the cassette.

For you technical guys out there, I was using grade 4 matte paper.

OK, I owe you digital photos of the scenes, which I took with my Pentax Q and the 01 standard prime.

Pentax Q, 8.5mm f/8

Pentax Q, 8.5mm f/1.9

You will notice, there is much more drama in the large format photos.

Mechanical Cameras (chemical that is)

Some time ago, I got myself a collection of 4 "untested" (i.e. defect) vintage cameras for real cheap from a world renowned auction site.

The jewel of the collection was a Minolta A5, with a jammed shutter (blocking the film advance lever). I slowly pealed the layers off that thing, and like an onion, it presented the guts, ever so slowly. Finally, I got the lens barrel holding the shutter mechanism separated from the rest. Some tweaking even got the shutter back to work... However, to the present day, I was unable to reassemble this particular camera.
Main problem: I can't get the lens back into the threaded mount. Potentially this camera is a total loss :-(

Second in place was an Argus C3. This camera had a problem with the cocking mechanism, which opened the shutter incidentally. Not good, that for sure. Also the tripod mount was fill with a broken off screw, which is not good either.
The quick fix for the shutter cocking mechanism was to tighten up the shutter release and fix it in the timed position. OK, now, the bulb mode is gone ... but what is a bulb mode good for, if you can't use a tripod? Mind you, the broken screw in the tripod mount.

In third place, a Fujica Half. Actually, this camera was the main driver to place a bid! Again, the shutter was jammed, blocking the film advance lever, similar to the Minolta A5.
Seems that fixes are much simpler with the Fujica. Carefully removing the black rubber, the front-plate of the camera, which is held by 4 screw only, can be easily removed. W/o the front cover, the shutter release mechanism is exposed. Upon wiggling said release a bit, it loosened up and finally released, allowing for cranking the shutter.
The Fujica Half is back in business! Even the automatic exposure stuff seems to work.

The forth and final camera in the bundle was some cassette film plastic thingy not worth any further mention....

At the end, 2 out of 4 cameras a working fine. A third may potentially be rescued, although, I doubt if there is any incentive to rescue this particular Minolta A5 over just trying to get a working one for cheap.

Long live 135 film!