Haynes build your own TLR

TheGreatSoprendo

TheGreatSoprendo

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Got one of these kits for Christmas but haven't got round to building it (or using it, obviously), yet. Takes 35mm film.

Anyone tried one before?

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I also got one for Christmas :) I built it one afternoon, not too taxing but a nice way to kill an hour or so. I've taken a couple of test shots but nothing has been developed yet. It's a good job it's f/11 as the focusing leaves a fair bit to the imagination but it's all in the name of fun!

Interestingly, it says it can only handle a maximum of 24 exposures per roll, which was slightly annoying as i had loads of 36 in the fridge, Poundland Agfa Vista soon sorted me out though :D
 
looks like a Recesky tlr, a few folk on here had one at one point.
 
I also got one for Christmas :D Wasn't too hard to put together and was a fun way to kill an hour or so. Haven't used it yet although I have loaded it with poundland film ready. I've heard that they can leak light around where the back closes, so I might put some electrical tape over before I try it out properly

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Haynes TLR Kit £19.99 or Recesky TLR Kit £6.68 I know which one I'd pick.

We did a build your own a Recesky TLR and shoot a roll of film challenge a few years back, good fun but not the best quality.
 
Thanks all. I won't tell the wife about the price of the Recesky ;)! Rather looking forward to messing about with it.
 
RaglanSurf said:
Haynes TLR Kit £19.99 or Recesky TLR Kit £6.68 I know which one I'd pick.

We did a build your own a Recesky TLR and shoot a roll of film challenge a few years back, good fun but not the best quality.
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the nice box does make it a better looking gift though.
 
ebay.

theres a diy compact you can get too

i wanted a konstructor but bit meh on how the default lens rendering so never really bothered
 
I don't "do" the e-bay thing. I'm guessing that the plastic lenses in the kit are pretty basic, single element things, so would it be practicable to put glass ones in instead to improve IQ or would that be a bit of a turd polishing exercise?
 
Nod said:
I don't "do" the e-bay thing. I'm guessing that the plastic lenses in the kit are pretty basic, single element things, so would it be practicable to put glass ones in instead to improve IQ or would that be a bit of a turd polishing exercise?
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Pointless exercise IMHO, if you're going to buy a DIY plastic camera then embrace its quirkiness and unpredictability, if you're going to faff around fitting a proper lens then you may as well buy a proper camera in the first place.
 
I would tend to agree, Nick but with a roll of 36 costing the best part of a tenner (inc D&P), I'd rather have something half useable rather than a blurry mess.
 
Nod said:
I would tend to agree, Nick but with a roll of 36 costing the best part of a tenner (inc D&P), I'd rather have something half useable rather than a blurry mess.
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Then TBH I'd avoid the Recesky, it's probably not the camera you're looking for.
 
My OH bought me one of these in WHSmiths in Truro while on holiday a couple of weeks ago, for me to make one rainy afternoon in the tent.

I'm actually looking forward to shooting a roll of film in it. Not that I've bought any yet!

Anyone actually used one? From making it there doesn't seem to be anything in the winding mechanism to lock the film in each frame. How do you know how far to wind between each shot?

Also, with there being absolutely no way to control the exposure, which ISO of film is recommended? And is a bright sunny best or flat, overcast conditions?
 
For exposure control you match the film to suit the lighting conditions and the fixed shutter speed of the camera, and hope the lighting conditions stay consistent each time you're out with the camera! For colour film, as a rough starting point, perhaps try 100 ISO for sunny bright weather, 200 ISO for bright/spring autumn days, 400 ISO for overcast days, 800 ISO for dull days (but the higher the ISO of the film the more chance you have of detecting light leaks!). However, there may be advice in the instructions that contradicts this, as it depends on the lens aperture and shutter speed, in which case I'd go with what (if anything) is suggested. Keep some simple notes about what you've done and learn from any mistakes. Also, watch for camera shake, as this is likely to occur if the shutter has a fairly slow speed (below 1/125th of a second) - this can often be mistaken for poor lens sharpness.

For black and white consider trying Ilford XP2 400, which has a wide exposure latitude meaning you can shoot it at 200 ISO in sunny conditions and 400 ISO in duller ones, on the same roll of film without changing the development time. It's also a C41 colour process film, so the same price to develop as standard C41 colour print film. Hope this is useful.
 
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JayJay said:
From making it there doesn't seem to be anything in the winding mechanism to lock the film in each frame. How do you know how far to wind between each shot?
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With many less sophisticated 120 cameras, there's a "red window" on the back of the camera, through which you can read frame numbers on the back of the film. Was there anything like that? It often has a sliding window to reduce light leaking when you're not winding on...
 
It's possible, but as it takes 35mm film as far as I know that would limit use to Ilford Ortho which is now available in 35mm. A sprocket hole counter is possible as another simple mechanism. If I remember correctly after over 50 years, that was the way the counter works in my Watson bulk film loader (bought 1967).
 
Thanks all. Very useful info.

There isn't a window on the back (something I just about remember from using film cameras years ago!), but there does seem to be a sprocket marker.

I'm assuming it's one full revolution per frame.

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With two arrows on the camera body and one on the rotating bit, I'd be tempted to think that it's half a revolution per frame.
 
Nomad Z said:
With two arrows on the camera body and one on the rotating bit, I'd be tempted to think that it's half a revolution per frame.
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Aye. I had the same thought, but thought half a rotation didn't seem enough. I suppose I'll have an idea when I actually put a roll in and turn the winding knobs.
 
JayJay said:
Aye. I had the same thought, but thought half a rotation didn't seem enough. I suppose I'll have an idea when I actually put a roll in and turn the winding knobs.
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It depends on the diameter of the part inside that engages with the sprockets. The pitch of a frame of 35mm film is about 38mm, which equates to a diameter for the internal part of about 12mm (pi x diameter = circumference). If the film plane is 6mm (the radius) away from the axis of rotation, then it's a full turn per frame. If the film plane is more like 12mm away from the axis of rotation, then the circumference of the internal part is about 76mm (from a diameter of 24mm x pi), which means it covers two frames per revolution, and thus half a revolution for one frame.
 
To me a while but I see it now.... :)
 
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