Lightproof Mechanical Iris

thingiverse

I designed an optical mechanical iris system for my view camera that prevents external light from entering the lens housing. Modifications were made to an existing open-source design found on http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:773759. The new modification provides a snug and watertight seal, essential for creating detailed wet plate collodion images. By scaling up the original model by 1.5 times, it accommodates my various lenses, and despite some difficulty moving it, this adjustment eliminates the need for additional hardware like a butterfly nut to maintain its position. Close examination of photos made using this system will reveal that they incorporate a photocopier lens due to its unique cylindrical shape. In order to secure the lens within the housing and prevent any light leaks, two small washers were strategically positioned as spacers, thus providing additional support while optimizing optical performance. Wet plate collodion processes require a lightproof environment to produce high-quality images, which this system reliably delivers.