Bay 1 "TLF" - Twin lens Filter

stevelmx5

stevelmx5

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Since getting my Yashica 635 I've been wanting to make my own version of a Minolta Autopole so I can use a circular polariser. I'm looking to incorporate a couple of 37mm threads into a lens cap but am having no luck finding any for less than £15-£20. I realise they're not exactly 'mainstream' but I'm not paying that for an aftermarket plastic cap!

Just wondering if anyone's got any ideas for a supplier? I've checked the usual eBay/Amazon and even Rocky ;0)

Cheers
Steve
 
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stevelmx5 said:
Since getting my Yashica 635 I've been wanting to make my own version of a Minolta Autopole so I can use a circular polariser. I'm looking to incorporate a couple of 37mm threads into a lens cap but am having no luck finding any for less than £15-£20. I realise they're not exactly 'mainstream' but I'm not paying that for an aftermarket plastic cap!

Just wondering if anyone's got any ideas for a supplier? I've checked the usual eBay/Amazon and even Rocky ;0)

Cheers
Steve
Click to expand...

You might occasionally find one for a cheaper price on eBay or something, but they're not ordinarily less than the £15-£20 you've seen.
 
Thanks RJ, I had a feeling that might be the case. With wanting to cut two large holes out of the cap I was hoping for a cheaper option but I guess not :0)

Cheers
Steve
 
I had the same search for an F2 soft shutter release button..

I just paid the £15 in the end..
 
I've found a 3d model for a Bay 1 lens cap so am waiting to hear back from a local company with a cost to print it. Assuming they're not ridiculously priced I'll edit the model to add a pair of 37mm filter threads rather than adding them afterwards.
 
3dhubs.com I think
a step up to a big 77mm would cover viewfinder too, so u could do that and cut the adapter to have a viewhole
 
i have a 127 yashica, so i should check what bay size it is..
 
The best fit would be two 37mm filters which were interlocked so you could turn the top filter to see the effect through the wlf and the bottom filter would turn the same amount. I got a response from a local 3d printer and even though I supplied a ready to print 3d model they still wanted £55 to print it so that's a no go. I'm still looking at OEM lens caps but am spending my free time at the moment on the lightblock and customising my OM2

Also, my Yashica 635 is a Bay1 fit.

Cheers
Steve
 
Update :0)

While I'm waiting on the latest version of my Light Block parts to be machined, I've also been putting this together;

View attachment 41368

It's basically a Bay1 to 37mm thread adapter laser cut from acrylic so I can mount two CPL/NDs to my TLR and properly see the effect of them through the viewing lens.

All I need to add is a simple band around both filters so when I turn the top one, the bottom one turns by the same amount. I was originally going to fit a rubber gear between both filters but I think the band is the simplest way to go.
 
What an ingenious young man!
 
I've put together the design and a local company have laser cut it for me.
 
Not sure how helpful this is, but Heliopan filters are edge numbered so you can hold it in front of the viewing lens and check the edge number that best suits the photo. Then you screw the filter into the adapter on the taking lens and rotate it to the same edge number. The filters start at £49 for a 37mm, so not cheap buying new. :(

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/heliop...lar-polarising-filter-slim-mount-p-10185.html
 
Thanks for that Peter. I saw the original Rolleipol when I was first looking into CPLs on TLRs and the Heliopan filter looks like a modern version. I was hoping to put together a system that can use any CPL or circular grad without the need to swap filters around.

Cheers
Steve
 
I'm planning to order some more components to make up finished pairs of holders and polarisers. Before I do, I'd appreciate anybody's feedback about the usefulness of the adapters on a bigger scale?

Obviously I'd go through the Mods to make it official but if I put together a package would anybody be interested?

Including;

2 x Bay-1 to 37mm adaptor rings
2 x Circular Polarisers
2 x 37mm lens caps
1 x Linking band to join both CPLs so they turn together

The filter adaptors also work independently so you could fit a 37mm ND8 on the taking lens and leave the viewing lens uncovered for focussing/composition. Alternatively, you could combine both adaptors with ND grads to bring down sky exposure etc. I'm also looking at screw on 37mm lens hoods so there's no need to hunt down Bay 1 hoods.

View attachment 41496

View attachment 41497

View attachment 41498

I won't know costs etc before I look into larger scale component orders but if I can get an idea of interest it would really help.

Cheers
Steve
 
Does the Minolta Autocord take Bay 1 filters? If so, I'd be interested... it's the most likely way for me to shoot MF in the nearish future!
 
No problem pingu666. Once I've got some costings together i'll be able to give a price for a complete set versus just the adaptors.

Cheers
Steve
 
ChrisR said:
Does the Minolta Autocord take Bay 1 filters? If so, I'd be interested... it's the most likely way for me to shoot MF in the nearish future!
Click to expand...

Looking around I'd say the Minolta is Bay 1. Easiest way to check is to measure across one of the lenses. Bay 1 is 30mm across the inside of the outer chrome surround.
 
ChrisR said:
Does the Minolta Autocord take Bay 1 filters? If so, I'd be interested... it's the most likely way for me to shoot MF in the nearish future!
Click to expand...

Yes, the Autocord accepts bay 1 filters, also known as bay 30 in Yashica parlance.
 
The components for my second filter holder arrived today so I'm almost ready for a trial run. I should also be getting a variable ND2-ND400 filter tomorrow as well so I can shoot some long exposure shots with my Yashica 635 :0)

In the meantime, I've linked my two lens caps together with a short tether and am working on a hotshoe holder for them so they don't get lost. It's basically a hotshoe cover that slots in and has an integrated 37mm ring so one of the lens caps can be clipped to it and the other is then attached to it. Before I progress this with the laser cutter tomorrow I'm just wondering if losing lens caps is only something I do or if it's a regular occurrence so the holder would be useful as part of the set?

Cheers
Steve
 
stevelmx5 said:
Before I progress this with the laser cutter tomorrow I'm just wondering if losing lens caps is only something I do or if it's a regular occurrence so the holder would be useful as part of the set?
Click to expand...
I'm always "misplacing" lens caps.
 
No, not just you.... ;)
 
I generally buy a job lot of them and keep them in house so when I get back and I'm sorting gear away I can put a cap on lenses which have lost one. I've got step up filters on all my LF lenses so they take the same lens cap as the RB keeps things simple.
 
Fair comment Steve about standardising lens caps. I think I'll put together a cap holder at the same time and see if it gets in the way on the TLR.

Cheers guys
 
Looking good now in their presentation box :0)

View attachment 41868

I've now got my own filter holders ready to use as well as a supplier lined up for the components I need. Just been speaking to the laser cutting company about closed cell foam for holding the pieces in the box so that's the next step.
 
The 'TLF' "Twin lens Filter" is now in the testing phase so I should have some side by side comparison results as soon as I finish this roll of Portra 400 and get it developed..

The New "TLF" - Twin Lens Filter by Steve Lloyd, on Flickr

The New "TLF" - Twin Lens Filter by Steve Lloyd, on Flickr

I'm also testing a 9-stop ND filter for some long exposures. This is the major benefit of the TLR having separate viewing & taking lenses over an SLR's single lens :0)

The New "TLF" - Twin Lens Filter by Steve Lloyd, on Flickr

Hopefully, if I can get a bit of spare time, I'll be able to start the Kickstarter campaign within the next month. I've been working on costings for the components and looking at a selection of rewards;

£1 - "Put your name on the thanks page at www.TLF.Photos" - Add supporter name to the thank you page at www.TLF.Photos
£1 - "Unique Supporter Wristband" - Unique TLF.Photos edition wristband
£5 - "TLF Supporter Patch" - Unique TLF patch for your camera bag...made by my mum!
£15 - "Early Bird Single Filter Holder" - Single standard filter holder to mount your own 37mm ND filters to taking lens
£25 - "Early Bird Standard TLF Kit" - Full CPL kit containing two filter holders, two CPLs, two lens caps and a sync band
£45 - "Early Bird Pro Kit" - Full CPL kit plus additional 'Pro' kit containing yellow filter, lens hood and ND2/4/8/400 Screw on filter set

The first 3 rewards will be Kickstarter only and the other three will also be sold after the Kickstarter campaign has completed.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts/suggestions from the experts both around the TLF itself and the Kickstarter rewards I'm planning to offer.

Cheers
Steve
 
For me the vanity rewards and wristbands are all a bit pointless but supporters of Kickstarter campaigns seem to like them. Loving the Pro kit idea with ND set and CPL and much as I like the idea of the presentation box for gift giving purposes I'd prefer a wallet to keep everything safe and organised. I'd also like to see a yellow/orange/red filter set. Just my twopenneth Steve but in general a cracking idea.
 
Thanks Nick. I agree about the vanity rewards but having been looking at some of the most successful campaigns and Kickstarter's own advice videos they seem to be a good way of building interest and funding for people who may not actually use the TLF themselves.

I've decided to drop the wooden display box and use a card box with inked branding instead to keep the costs down. The wallet is a good idea and some of the suppliers I've been speaking to include those with their filters so that won't be an issue. Good idea about the coloured filters too, I put a yellow filter in the Pro kit initially but will price up additional orange/red filters too.

On another note, I've just speaking to Bellamy Hunt (JapanCameraHunter.com) through Facebook about me sending him out a full kit to test out for me :0) He doesn't currently shoot with a TLR so can't test one himself but is happy to promote my campaign which is brilliant!

"Hi Steve, Thanks for the mail. I would be happy to promote your kickstarter for you, that sounds like a really good idea. Although I don't shoot a TLR so I don't have anything to test it on. Can you drop me a line through the site? Thanks Bellamy"

I'm considering getting in touch with Lomography too as another way of broadening my market so that's the next step I think.

Cheers
Steve
 
Both cracking ideas and contacts Steve, it might also be worth contacting the guys at The Film Photography Project in the States, they champion the use of film through their online shop and podcast (which is an acquired taste but good fun once you get the hang of it). Good move dropping the presentation box, fine if you're selling camera bling but a little unnecessary if your selling a functional addition to what is after all a fairly niche market. I look forward to seeing the launch of the Kickstarter campaign, you can count me in. Just as an aside will there be different kits for different TLR cameras like the Rolleis, Yashicas and Mamiyas?
 
Thanks again mate, all help and obviously support appreciated! I'll get in touch with the Film Photography Project now.

At the moment, the adaptors are only for Bay1 mount TLRs. So long as they use the same mount it should work ok with any manufacturer. The silicone band linking the polarisers has some stretch to it so it can account for any difference in lens spacing. The wooden box was given to me by the local laser cutting company I'm using as they use them themselves to laser engrave logos/text for craft users etc. Whilst it's a good size for the filter kit, I can get an equivalent sized white or brown card box for a quarter of the price which can also be used as the shipping container so covers two requirements.

My next job is to finish off designing the cutouts for the flight case foam to hold the pieces securely in the boxes and get some quotes for yellow/orange/red filter sets. Oh, and I've just bought a Polaroid 110A so I'll be converting that to use Fuji FP100C unless I can find a cheap 4x5 Graflok back :0)
 
I picked up this project again last night after my 110a conversion took over my time. The initial test shots I took in the Lakes showed some vignetting at smaller apertures which I put down to the filter being slightly too far away from the lens so it began to show at around F8 upwards. As a result, I've removed one of the acrylic spacer rings and cut the rear of the metal filter holder down by around 2mm. By moving the locking ring closer to the front end of the holder and shortening the rear tube I can now mount the filter closer to the lens which should remove any vignetting.

I was also a little bit unsure of the rubber band method to interlink the two filters. Whilst the band I'm using isn't the final width, the diameter will remain the same and it felt a little too tight which lead to the holder coming unclipped from the lens a couple of times when the polariser was turned counter-clockwise. Obviously, if the filter is only turned clockwise this won't be an issue as the adaptor naturally tightens further onto the lens when turned that way. As an alternative, I've revisited my original idea of having a rubber connecting 'tube' between the two filters which they both touch against causing the bottom filter to turn when the top one is turned. I need to put together a couple of test pieces to see if this method would be smooth enough but my main concern with that is that not all TLRs have the same distance between lenses so it could mean having different pieces for each different make/model of camera which isn't ideal.
 
I need to clean up the adhesive edges and spray the adaptor but this is how it looks now.

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1455897177.612947.jpg

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1455897183.784442.jpg

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1455897191.454104.jpg

The other benefit of the filter being closer to the lens is that it's much more secure as there's less distance between the locking ring and the front edge. I'll do some more testing using a thinner rubber band to see how well the holders stay locked in place.
 
Well, that works much better :0)

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1456047583.495608.jpg

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1456047592.511630.jpg

The combination of thinner rubber band and the filter holder being tighter to the front of the lens makes it completely stable. I've been rotating the lenses left and right continually and the band hasn't slipped and the adaptor hasn't unclipped so all good.

I'm going to tidy up the adaptors and spray them black then I'd appreciate it if someone with a Bay1 TLR could test them out? I'm happy to cover postage in return for some feedback. I'll send them with dual cpl filters as well as the 9 stop variable ND for long exposures. Of course, any 37mm filters you've already can also be used.


Cheers
Steve
 
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