Drew Nikonowicz is a photographer with a passion for large format photography. He felt that large format photography changes the way that people see their world, and wanted a camera that help new photographers enter the hobby. His new company, Standard Cameras, is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for their Standard 4x5, a large format camera that comes in a kit.
Like so many engineering design projects, the constraints for this camera project were cost, weight, and durability. Drew wanted an entry level camera for educators, students, and new hobbyists. Frustrated with replacing or repairing his gear, he wanted the camera to be durable and able to work over a variety of terrain. Additional constraints were that the majority of parts had to be 3D printed, minimizing support for printed parts, and the rest of the parts had to be available from his local hardware store. The design is also modular with an eye on constant upgrading or reconfiguring the system.
The 4x5 accepts Linhof and Wista style lens board (every camera comes with a pinhole lensboard to get started), weighs 2 pounds, and has a front standard rise/fall of 35/45 millimeters with a 32 millimeter shift left and right, with swing and tilt functions. PETG filament is used to print the body components and the hardware is anodized aluminum and stainless steel. The FAQ from the campaign page also recommends that users obtain filmholders, a light meter, a tripod, and a dark cloth.
Several videos are on the campaign page showing how a user would set up and tear down the camera rig, along with examples of the photography done with the cameras and a time lapse video of a camera kit being fully assembled. It’s great to see someone with so much passion for their work that they want to share the hobby and bring in new users. The 3D printing and kit components should help new users really get a feel for the rigs and how the system components work together. If my engineering students were using this for a project however I would require measurable goals for cost, weight and durability. The campaign is already successful and ends on August 5, 2018 – kits assembled and unassembled are currently scheduled to ship in December 2018.