At first glance, this seems crazy: a camera for all types of lenses. Impossible! Different physical sizes, different mounting method, different optical geometry. How to combine all this? And most importantly, is it really possible to produce different
cameras for different types of lenses?
Ok, let’s make the design modular. Large format cameras have such a detail – a lensboard. The lens is fixed on this board (sometimes together with the shutter). These boards are easy to remove and easy to attach. Maybe you should take a closer look at such a modular design? Our camera itself is designed to use lenses that are as close to the film plane as possible (for example, LTM – the distance between the lens mount surface and the film is 28.8 mm). And to install other lenses, the necessary distance for the film is provided by an increase in the size of the lensboard. You always can move the lens forward.
But what about the range of lensboards? After all, it is impossible to support the production of dozens types of boards and produce something completely unusual to order. Of course, this is impossible. However, we should not forget about modern technologies. It is enough to produce the most popular options for lensboards, and describe the rest as open architecture and enable people to print the boards they need on a 3D printer. The strength of usual ABS plastic for mass printers is quite enough to mount the lens, and 100% filling of the print with black plastic will provide sufficient light isolation.
Attaching the lensboards to the camera can be the easiest. We do not need a quick change of lensboards on demand. Lensboard change is needed only when adapting the camera to another lenses system. Therefore, mounting can be as simple, as four screws on the front of the camera. As long as it’s safe and simple.
I think this is a great idea. Imagine: you have some good LTM mount lenses. Therefore, you bought yourself a camera with a lensboard for such lenses. And later, you accidentally saw some great M42 mount lenses at a flea market, and bought them too. To try them out, you can download a 3D model of the required lensboard from the site and print the board by yourself. After unscrewing the four screws, you change the lensboard on the camera, put in new lenses and shoot! That’s all! And if you decide that you want to continue using M42 lenses, then you can buy the right lensboard made of metal. Here is such an openness and versatility! Any lens can be used this way. Even something very rare and unique, you just need to print the required lensboard.
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