Well, I posted a few images taken yesterday where I tried to use the taped-up Willtravel camera that I busted on Nov. 1st. I had given up on it, and had set it aside for over a month, but then, on a whim, after turning in my class grades this past Monday, decided I could put it off no longer. I had to investigate if the damage was as bad as it seemed. So I took out the components of the 3D printed camera that I had stored in a box and tried to assume my most stoic pose. I looked at the lens: I tried to see if I could cock the shutter, and it was not functioning, but I straightened it by unbending it with my fingers (I felt like the old psychic Israeli fraud from the 70s, Uri Geller, who could "bend" spoons with his fingers), and I managed to correct it. The aperture blades still opened and closed in different amounts, and I could cock the shutter, and the different shutter speeds sounded correct. The lens worked!
Then, I looked at the camera body to see what I could salvage. I took off the old helicoid and put in the spare that the creator had sent me (did he know I would have an accident with this camera?), then I fit the lens on the helicoid, then I taped the cracks and tried to straighten out what I could. I then took the camera to the Riverside Parkway the other day (yesterday), and took two awful images that were ruined by light leaks. Later on, after looking over the negatives gloomily, I could tell that the light was leaking in from the corner where the crack extended to the edge. But hadn't I taped it up? I had, but it was still not straightened, it was bent, and I could see where I would need some sort of clamp to close that gap where I insert the film holder. (I know, I know, none of this is making any sense to non-photographers.)
Well, today, Friday, after a quick drive down the 15 freeway, I went to Home Depot and looked for clamps. I bought two types, and one of them seemed to fit my needs when I installed it on my camera. Now, my camera will always need that clamp attached, but that is fine, it is a smallish clamp and if it works, then I would be grateful.
Where to test to see if it was light-tight? Well, I went to the Civic Center, a run-down building that is considered historical but which, I suspect, will be demolished in the near future. It is a little of an eye-sore.
First things first, it was about 1 p.m., and the light was very bright, because it was a cloudless day. Also, I had Catlabs 80 film in my film holder, so I knew I should expect a film ISO of about 100 (or 80, but I used 100). And, since I would be using an aperture of 22 to maximize focus (I can close it down even further, but not with Catlabs low-ISO film), I knew I would be setting it for about 1/60 of a second for exposure.
But, I could not get the quick release plate attached to the camera! I tried on all the tripod mounting gears, and it would not attach, I could not get a firm lock and thus, that meant I would not be able to use my tripod. Now I can confirm what I suspected, the accident was not my fault when the camera fell off my tripod back in November. It was the damn sockets where I am supposed to be able to mount the tripod, I can't attach it! Somehow, though, I managed to get it halfway in, and I took my chances and put it on my tripod, and focused with my loupe, and then arranged for my exposure, all the while moving the camera while setting the dials for shutter and aperture. (It is exhausting all the small details you have to attend to when using large format cameras. It will make you obsessive-compulsive.)
I saw then as I was about to take my exposure that the camera was crooked, but all I wanted was an exposed negative that I could take home and develop that afternoon, and I didn't want to risk moving the tripod gears to the left or right or forwards or back in case the camera did slip again out of the tripod release plate and fall and smash itself to pieces (and this time, definitively) on the concrete pavement. So, crooked and skewed as it was, I took the shot. I noticed that as I prepared to unscrew the camera from the tripod mounting plate it just came off, I had no need to unscrew it, and a chill ran down my spine. The camera should have fallen on the pavement, the camera will not allow attachment to tripod mounts. I should complain to the printer. I think I will tell him of this fault, but I will not demand a refund. I will tell him that I am operating with a damaged camera, though.
So, I took the negative home and proceeded to develop it. I loaded two negatives, one was of the Heritage Park shot (which I posted in the previous entry), but the other was this one. I was very nervous as I was finishing up with the developing part, but was also hopeful. I did repeat, though, the Buddhist mantra that desire is the source of all suffering. Do not wish for success, just accept what comes.
When I finally pulled out the negatives I felt the biggest thrill! I obtained a good negative with my repaired Willtravel camera! I had two bouts of extreme luck today, one was when the camera did not fall off the tripod because it would not attach to a tripod release plate, and the other was that the clamp worked, I had managed to eliminate the severe light leak that had ruined my two exposures yesterday!
Here is the negative and my inverted image:
I feel so much gratitude and relief. I will not demand a refund, but will try to use my taped-up camera as it is. It works! I am grateful. I will be able to continue my experiments with 8x10 photography, but when I used this camera, I will have to be extremely careful. What I need to find is a tripod release plate that I can attach to the camera. I will see if a 3/8 to 1/4-20 bushel will help solve the problem. I think that might be what happened. We'll see. For now, don't even think of using a tripod with this camera. Just use it hand-held and trust to my fingers, although I can see why so many large-format photographers have had calamitous experiences with their cameras which fall crashing to the floor. This is every bit as prone to danger as any hobby.
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