Author Topic: It's alive! The Agfa Synchro Frankenbox (6x9 and 6x4.5 mask, pinhole) (Read 4349 times)

cs1 · « **on:** January 27, 2018, 03:54:07 PM »

It's done. I've reworked my Agfa Synchro Box to allow both 6x9 and 6x4.5 with a removable metal mask and an additional film counter window for 6x4.5. Materials that I used: 0.5mm thick steel sheet, another Agfa Synchro Box for spare parts, a 12mm diameter o-ring (for covering up the film counter window transplant), super glue, and dull black paint. Main tool was a multi purpose tool for cutting and filing the metal, some aluminium pieces for bending the edges of the mask, and various other standard tools.

What I did is this: made a mockup of the mask from cardboard, transferred it to the steel sheet, cut the mask with my tool, bent it, filed the edges, made it fit snuggly, and painted it. Then I used the paper of a used film to figure out where to put the new 6x4.5 exposure counter window. Then I removed the spring loaded inlay that keeps the film flat in the film plain, drilled a new hole in the back of the box (thanks for the advice with the widening drill, O2Pilot), put the window from the spare box into the new hole, halved an o-ring to get a (more or less) nice frame around the new window, drilled a hole in the film flattener, transferred the light seal from the old box to the back of the film flattener around the new hole, and re-attached the flattener to the box. I call this new box the Agfa Synchro Frankenbox.

Work left: make a pinhole filmholder from the spare box.

Unfortunately it took me so long to work on the box that I haven't tested it with film yet. Stay tuned.

Bryan · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2018, 04:20:22 PM »

Nice job, looks great! I cant wait to see how it works.

cs1 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2018, 05:05:31 PM »

Thanks, Bryan. I hope to be able to try it tomorrow.

Francois · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2018, 09:35:50 PM »

It's probably going to be a much better camera than the Minox 35EL I just attempted to repair... (and yes, the Minox is such a piece of junk I have a hard time believing that a German company accepted to put its name on it!)

cs1 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2018, 06:54:06 AM »

I had two Minox cameras so far and had no luck with both of them. Don't get me wrong, the form factor is fantastic and the lens is great but the way they depend on electronics to fire the shutter is prone to fail. And it did fail for both of my copies.

I spray painted the mask for the box yesterday. Should be dry by now. If all goes well, I'll be testing the camera today.

02Pilot · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2018, 11:51:29 AM »

The common shutter failure mode on the Minox is easily remedied with a minor adjustment and a bit of cleaning. If the board dies, well, then it's dead, but the shutter can be dealt with. Mine was doing the intermittent shutter thing when I got it, and adjusting the position of one latch in the mechanism seems to have cleared it right up.

It is not the most robust construction, to be sure.

Francois · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2018, 02:53:07 PM »

I figured out what the problem was with the minox. There is a screw post on the left that holds a metal hold down clamp. That post broke and I tried to replace it with epoxy putty. But this hold down clamp is mandatory because it puts downward pressure on the circuit board so that the connection contacts that link the board to the camera contact the pads that connect the shutter and meter to the circuit board. I can't put enough pressure down anymore so it doesn't work....

I so wish they had made a box camera like shutter on it!
Just that and it would have been bulletproof.

cs1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2018, 04:47:16 PM »

The negatives of the film I shot with the Frankenbox today are currently drying. As far as I can tell from looking at the negatives, there're no light leaks and it looks like the mask has the right size. Also, all 16 exposures fit onto the film so calculating the window position for the 6x4.5 film counter seems to have worked. Phew...

I'll scan the film tonight and post a few results.

Shooting with the mask works if you keep in mind that only the middle third of the viewfinder is the actual frame that you shoot. It's small but with a little practice, framing the shot shouldn't be a problem. The tiny viewfinder is the compromise that I have to live with when shooting 6x4.5. I sure hope that there're no scratches on the film. But I tried to make sure that the mask is really smooth and has no sharp edges. So I have high hopes. At least there's nothing obvious visible on the negatives.

EarlJam · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2018, 06:22:49 PM »

Re framing - you could cobble up a wire-frame sports finder similar to those from Graflex and Bronica. I've toyed with making one of these for my Zero 2000 pinhole camera.

cs1 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:00:54 PM »

That's an excellent idea!

Happy news: the Frankenbox works as intended. I went to a lokal valley to take some pictures of crags, a river and trees. I used the 6x4.5 mask, put the camera on a tripod, and shot on Fomapan 100 (developed in Fomadon LQN 1+14). I didn't pay enough attention when packing and hence forgot my lightmeter so I had to use my phone and guesswork. The pictures of the trees were taken with the built-in yellow filter and I had to release the shutter four times to get ~1/8s because there was very little light. The picture of the crag was taken at 1/30s, f/8 (I think). What can I say: I'm quite happy with the results. The pictures are usable. Sure, you can see that the lens is -- well, a box lens. But since the mask puts the frame in the middle third of the original 6x9 frame, the really unsharp edges that this box produces are actually outside of the frame (in the middle, the box is reasonably sharp). But still the pictures have a nice box-ish character. And it seems like the polishing of the metal worked out nicely, there're no scratches on the film.

My conclusion is: it was a nice project and enhances the fun that can be had with this 3 € box (which is half the truth because I had to buy another one for 5 € as a donor for parts).

Adlerklippen by C S

Rock & Tree by C S

Tree by C S

Francois · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:31:12 PM »

On one of my pinhole cameras, I built a viewfinder using a screw loop and a 35mm slide. The camera was already 35mm so this was no problem, but for other aspect ratios, I could always have inserted a printed acetate or a cardboard mask in the slide frame.

Bryan · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:34:59 PM »

Those came out great, nice job. Making it scratch the film would have been my biggest concern with the modifications to the pressure plate.

cs1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:49:35 PM »

Quote from: Francois on January 28, 2018, 08:31:12 PM

On one of my pinhole cameras, I built a viewfinder using a screw loop and a 35mm slide.

That's a good idea. I've been thinking about how to mount the viewfinder. The Synchro Box has two very nice flash synchronisation terminals on top (see the first photo in this thread). I think that I might come up with something that will attach to those terminals. I still have plenty of steel sheet left. Maybe I'll try to build something from it.

Quote from: Bryan on January 28, 2018, 08:34:59 PM

Those came out great, nice job. Making it scratch the film would have been my biggest concern with the modifications to the pressure plate.

Thanks, Bryan. I made sure that I filed the edges of the new hole in the pressure plate properly. Luckily it only touches the paper of the 120 film (the Agfa Box only takes 120) so I wasn't too worried. But it's so smooth that it would even be ok if it actually touched the film. I still want to retouch the blank parts with some black varnish. That should help smoothing it as well.

cs1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2018, 07:28:56 PM »

Upcoming Frankenbox enhancement: a pinhole film holder. I've ordered a 0.38mm pinhole (which, if I used the pinhole calculator properly, should give me ~f/250 for a 100mm focal length; that's pretty much the distance of the original lens to the film plane of the Agfa Synchro Box film holder). The film holder comes from the spare box that I used as a parts donor. I'm looking forward to the pinhole holder. I'm a little nervous how it will turn out, this is my first pinhole camera.

Francois · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2018, 08:37:21 PM »

Don't worry about it. The fun thing about pinholes is that pretty much nothing can go wrong with them. Its a very forgiving technology

cs1 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2018, 07:28:45 PM »

The pinhole sheet arrived today and I couldn't resist modifying the spare filmholder right after work.

Doing the modification was quite straightforward. The lens of the original Agfa Synchro Box filmholder is held in place by a spring-lock washer and a thin washer underneath. After removing both you can basically "pry" the lens out of the front of the filmholder. Lucky enough I found a washer that has the exact same size and thickness as the lens. I taped the pinhole sheet to the washer with thin black electrical tape, painted the washer with grey and dull model paint, and put it back in place. To make sure that no light would come in from the rim of the washer I put some black tape around the rim. It's not exactly beautiful but it should do the job. The pinhole filmholder fits nicely into the box. I hope to be able to shoot some photos with it tomorrow.

John Robison · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2018, 12:29:54 AM »

Doggone you CS, why did you have to go and show us this? Now I keep eyeing my little Zeiss Nettar. (Which, because of the slow 75mm f6.3 Novar and limited shutter speed range I'm not really in love with.) There is a roll in it now but as soon as I shoot that I'll be looking closely at the back and pressure plate. Getting 16 shots on a roll instead of 12 appeals to me and it won't hurt for the far corners to go away. At this point I don't know who will win, the little voice in my head that says 'leave well enough alone' or the DIY devil that shouts 'whatcha afraid of, go for it!'

Blaxton · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2018, 05:24:28 PM »

My own Syncrobox is 3000 miles away but I will be hacking away at it as soon as I have the opportunity. Thanks for the inspiration and know-how.

Obliquely on topic—actually more off than on—is a review in this week’s New Yorker by Jill Lepore on Frankenstein, the original: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein

cs1 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2018, 05:56:00 PM »

Please let me know if there's more detailed information that you need. This box is so much fun, I'm looking forward to other modifications that you come up with. And please explain why your box is travelling 3000 miles without you.

I've shot a roll with the pinhole filmholder (6x9) today. I'll develop it tonight. I'm pretty excited about how it will turn out.

cs1 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 08, 2018, 07:05:41 PM »

I've scanned the pinhole shots and here're two shots. The film is a Fomapan 100 developed in Fomadon LQN. Please note that the shots where overexposed a bit and that I corrected the exposure after scanning (but it was maybe ~3 stops so it wasn't too bad). I'm not entirely sure if I used a wrong value for the aperture or if the reciprocity failure compensation was a little too much compensation.

All in all I'm happy with the results. The round corners are quite nice. I think that they aren't caused by the pinhole but by the rim of the camera's lens which is quite pronounced. The only thing I did was to crop the image slightly so that the corners are about the same size (the pinhole seems to be a little off centre).

Cemetary by C S

Alley by C S

Francois · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2018, 09:20:39 PM »

The borders are most probably the rim since we can see some detail in it.
If it was inside the box it would just be a shadow.

Blaxton · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2018, 09:57:00 PM »

I like everything about these pictures: hacked camera, pinhole, and maybe best of all, the round corners. They put me to mind of one of those glass balls with a quaint country scene inside and, when inverted, falling snow—Rosebud.

cs1 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2018, 04:15:44 AM »

Quote from: Francois on February 08, 2018, 09:20:39 PM

The borders are most probably the rim since we can see some detail in it.
If it was inside the box it would just be a shadow.

Yes, I agree, that's what I was thinking, too. Since the borders are somewhat decorative and since there's nothing I can do about the rim, I book the pinhole modification as a success.

Quote from: Blaxton on February 08, 2018, 09:57:00 PM

I like everything about these pictures: hacked camera, pinhole, and maybe best of all, the round corners. They put me to mind of one of those glass balls with a quaint country scene inside and, when inverted, falling snow—Rosebud.

Thanks, Blaxton. It's become an even more lovely and versatile camera. The next project is building the 6x4.5 viewfinder.

cs1 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 09, 2018, 02:17:11 PM »

Project recap:

To motivate people to try and modify other boxes, I'd like to quickly recap what I spent and used. In terms of material, I bought this:

2x Agfa Synchro Box: 3 € and ~10 € inkl. P&P^*
Sheet of 0.5mm steel: ~3 €
0.38mm pinhole (drilled, not lasered; a drilled pinhole is much better) from a German vendor on a well known auction site: 9,90 € inkl. P&P
Black spray paint: ~5 €
Black o-ring, washer, black electrical tape, black duct tape: don't know, I already had it, it can't be much

If you have the tools (a Dremel or equivalent helps, so does a drill) it means that you can build a box like that for ~35 € (that's currently ~43 US$) -- that includes the main camera and the donor camera!

^* I'm sure that any other box with a removable filmholder will do.

astrobeck · « **Reply #24 on:** February 23, 2020, 04:38:53 PM »

well....at your suggestion in the other thread, I bought a spare Agfa Box Synchro to convert to pinhole.
It's really hard for me to hack up certain cameras, and box cameras fall into that family, so we shall see when the little box gets here if I still have the nerve to do it!

Having a nice 6 x 9 negative is just deluxe in my book, so thanks for the idea to make it a pinhole!

Your conversion is superb!!!!!!!!

P.S......so it's possible to remove that lens without damage? Did I understand that correctly?

cs1 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2020, 09:10:41 PM »

Quote from: astrobeck on February 23, 2020, 04:38:53 PM

P.S......so it's possible to remove that lens without damage? Did I understand that correctly?

Yes, it's very easy. The lens is held into place by a very simple spring-lock washer. No glue or other surprises. All low tech and if you use a plastic tool for removing the spring-lock washer, you even gain a spare lens. You can see the washer if you look at the lens carefully from the front of the camera. Please feel free to send me a DM, I'd be happy to help you remotely via Google Duo or similar. We Bluegrassers and Filmwasters need to stick together.

John Robison · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2020, 03:57:59 PM »

What a fantastic and neat job. That mask is so precise it looks like a factory conversion.
Another advantage is getting 16 exposures on a roll of 120. I’ve been converting a Kodak Tourist to take a 120 roll in the feed position. (Since I do my own developing I’ll continue to use the 620 spools for take up.)
Upon checking 120 film prices it could very well be $1 a shot for some film when used in 8 exposure 6X9 format. At least here in the US from big retailers like B&H even the least expensive B&W is $4.29 for Foma.
HP5 is $5.49 and Tri-X is $7.59
Film sticker shock!

cs1 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 26, 2020, 08:21:26 PM »

I think that Fomapan is indeed still very reasonably priced in Germany. It's no wonder since it's produced in the neighbourhood (Czech Republic, if I'm not mistaken). Apart from being reasonably priced I get results with Fomapan that I like a lot. So it's win / win.

Francois · « **Reply #28 on:** February 26, 2020, 08:46:02 PM »

Yep, it's Czech film.

cs1 · « **Reply #29 on:** March 08, 2020, 03:48:22 PM »

It's been ages since I used the Agfa Synchro Box the last time so I shot it yesterday. It still is a fabulous camera to use. I'll try to develop the film tonight.