Restored a Polaroid conversion

This is a Polaroid 110B converted into a 4x5 format fixed lens camera, converted by someone else, not me. The one that famous handsome US actor Bard owned, and everyone loves 4x5 would definitily loves to have one too.

Client sent it to me, asking to replace the focus knob that seems cool but awkward to manipulate, and get rid of those decorations to "make it looks like a normal camera".

I didn't know what those decoration for at the first sight, till I took off those decoration plate. Oh, there is one hole at the RF housing, beneath the decoration plate, cracked.

That explain something.

And the viewing window, converted into a round shape, claimed that improves viewing, I compared this with original viewing window, can not tell any difference, so I figured that must be my own problem, I am dull in some area, especially this.

I thought maybe I can learn something on this, I turned up the housing, to see how the view window were converted, then I found out that it was made by very sophisticated skillful hand, obviously, which beyond my ability and guts and I don't dare to copy, no mention to sell it out.

The RF housing was cut off at the end, to match the cutting body, so obviously there will be a cutting phase to compensate, that need some putty. Many converted Polaroids I had seen, were all get exposy putty with enough amount, to ensure that fragile end will hold the job.

But not this one, I thought the builder must be following kind of "lighter the better" philosophy, no matter how easy the housing cracks at that part, that was not his problem.

Managed to bring this cracking housing back to normal, the result is somewhat OK to me. Oh, and I replaced the cold shoe, hope it could be as good as the original one, that sticks with sponge tape onto camera body, so bold mind and so creative that I never think of.

Replacing focus knob is an easy job, but I do admire that original converted knob, so pretty, so unique, and so hard to use.

And the infinity stop, I replaced that Velcro version conversion has, for I still can not solve the secrets that fix lens with Velcro and sponge tape. I took off the Velcro, bring back into the original one from Polaroid, and added a steel plate to ensure the fix position. When replacing this part, I made the i.stop calibration, found that must be my calibration procedure has something to improve, for my calibration result did not agree with it, hope my client can live with my error.

Well, these were some thoughts while I did the job, and I think best to keep myself in Byron area, only function counts, deco is not my dish......