Box camera modifications

[steveo_mcg]

Any one know of a good way to add a shutter release cable to a standard box camera?

 

[Nod]

Box as in Brownie?

Pretty sure there are a few slightly Heath Robinson gizmos involving elasticated straps which add a cable release socket wherever you want one. THIS one is a Hama one - Bristol Camera link purely because that's the first one that popped up in a search!

 

[steveo_mcg]

Box as in Brownie?

Pretty sure there are a few slightly Heath Robinson gizmos involving elasticated straps which add a cable release socket wherever you want one. THIS one is a Hama one - Bristol Camera link purely because that's the first one that popped up in a search!

Yeah, Brownie type camera's. I like to mess around with them now and then. The ones I've got the shutter is bidirectional so shoving the lever up fires it as does pushing it down.

Not sure the hama thing would work as the shutter doesn't return like on a normal camera.

 

[Alastair]

The two-way shutter leaver on a box brownie operates in a very similar manner to a set of model railway points - so a DIY cable socket release to give yourself the longer throw/recovery without the spring-return using a length of bowden cable should do the job.

 

[steveo_mcg]

I think I get you, bit of outer cable from a bike brake glued to the camera body then some inner cable epoxyed to the shutter release. Then use the cable as push pull.

One good thing about box cameras if it doesn't work I'm not exactly out of pocket.

 

[Alastair]

I wouldn't epoxy it, maybe drill a small hole through the lever and solder a bent brass rod to the end of the cable.

If you search for "wire in tube" point control systems you should find the basic types described on the model railway forums.

 

[Nod]

Gotcha! Yup, points operating rods would work - very similar to R/C control linkages on model aircraft. A "kinky" arrangement on the camera end of the rod could be utilised so the "cable" release is easily demountable if/when required.

 

[stevelmx5]

Could you use a standard locking shutter release cable? Once you've attached the cable to the body in the most suitable way you could then bond the internal wire to the shutter button of the box camera.

You could press the remote shutter release once to trip the shutter and it locks in. Then, release the locked cable and pull the button out to fire the camera again?

 

[steveo_mcg]

I wouldn't epoxy it, maybe drill a small hole through the lever and solder a bent brass rod to the end of the cable.

If you search for "wire in tube" point control systems you should find the basic types described on the model railway forums.

Gotcha! Yup, points operating rods would work - very similar to R/C control linkages on model aircraft. A "kinky" arrangement on the camera end of the rod could be utilised so the "cable" release is easily demountable if/when required.

Cheers gents that's clear now.

Could you use a standard locking shutter release cable? Once you've attached the cable to the body in the most suitable way you could then bond the internal wire to the shutter button of the box camera.

You could press the remote shutter release once to trip the shutter and it locks in. Then, release the locked cable and pull the button out to fire the camera again?

.

That would work. Attaching the shutter release cable could be tricky since there is nothing to screw into so I'd have to permanently bond the end of the release of the release cable to the shutter but that's not a problem really.