Building an 8×10 Large Format Camera Entirely By Hand
Photographer Dieter Schneider started building cameras about five years ago, and last year he fashioned a 4×5 camera using a CNC Machine. This year he took things to yet another level, creating an 8×10 large format camera entirely by hand without using computer-aided machinery. You can watch the entire build process in the 35-minute video above.
The camera features a classic look, was made using cherry hardwood and brass, and was designed for wet plate photography.
“I also spend a lot of time on the finishing process to make the camera look as good as I can get it,” Schneider tells PetaPixel. The entire build, from start to finish, took about a month.
Here are some photos of the finished camera:
Schneider says one of his upcoming projects is to build a portable darkroom for wet plate photography.
