Re: ATM [~OT] Roll film holder plans?

[The Silent Observer <silent1@ix.netcom.com>]

matt@considine.net wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Does anyone know of 'net plans for a roll-film holder/camera body?  I'm
> looking for something that could be made by an amateur and would incorporate
> some sort of film advance mechanism.  The ATM relevance is that it would be
> used on a telescope to replace a heavier commercial camera body.  I guess
> the part I can't figure out myself is a simple, clean film tensioning and
> advance mechanism.  Anyone with any thoughts?

You might check around in the links on and from this page:

http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~mukluk/oat.html

There are several links there related to pinhole photography; I've
forgotten which one is the one of interest, but there is one (or a link
from a link) that includes designs for completely homemade pinhole
cameras that use standard safety backed film (like 120 or 126), indexed
solely by the frame numbers printed on the safety paper back.  This is
noteworthy, in part, because 35 mm film will fit in a 126 cassette, and
could be respooled into a modified cassette and used with this type of
back (you could even use the 126 film directly, if you can still find
any).  Also, the 126 cassette has a molded in flange for a light trap
that would have been built into the camera; this can be used to
interface to an extremely simple camera body.

Another alternative would be to obtain the cheapest, lightest plastic 35
mm snapshot camera you can find (I've got one beside my computer that
cost $5, new but with a non functional flash), and hack it up for the
film back; you might even be able to beg a disposable camera's works
from a processing lab (they get a few cents to recycle them, but
many/most just throw them away).  These can be reloaded with fresh film
in a darkroom or changing bag, and have the advantage that they wind the
film _into_ the cassette as you use it, so frames older than the last
shot are protected from light.  And of course it'd be very simple to
hack the lens and shutter off such a camera and add a dark slide to
allow use with black hat exposure control.

-- 
It is well to approach all wonders and miracles by gradual stages or
degrees . . .
                                                           Fritz Leiber

Donald Qualls, aka The Silent Observer           NAR # 70141-SR Insured
Rocket Pages                http://silent1.home.netcom.com/launches.htm
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Opinions expressed are my own -- take them for what they're worth
and don't expect them to be perfect.