Building the CCB 617C Medium Format Panoramic Film Camera: A 10-Year Journey by Miroslav Francuz

Written by Miroslav Francuz

Around 10 years ago, I became interested in pinhole photography after years of shooting with 35mm and medium format cameras (and the occasional large format). Shortly after, I built a pinhole camera out of wood to experiment with it.

That woodworking product ended up being very appealing, and the camera ended up being very compact.

At the same time while building this 6×6 pinhole camera, I became intrigued with the possibility of wider, panoramic formats on 120 film, so I redesigned the same pinhole camera to hold wider 120 film. The goal was to keep the film very flat and for the camera to be configurable and made in different format widths.

Fast forward to the featured camera in this article, the latest iteration of the medium format panoramic CCB 617C film camera.

About the CCB 617C Medium Format Panoramic Camera

The CCB 617C is a panoramic medium format film camera that can give you XPan style images on 120 film. It is 3D printed with ABS glass fiber for durability.

The back of the CCB 617C is designed with film flatness in mind, holding the film securely in place so the lines in your images come out straight without any warping or sharpness issues. It has a Graflok adapter option for use on 4×5 cameras.

Specifications for 617C and 612C

These specifications are subject to slight changes for the final production model after the Kickstarter campaign ends.

Film Format: Uses standard 120 medium format film with a negative size of 55x170mm, producing 4 exposures per roll of 120 film
Width: 253mm (9.92″) – 612C: 203mm (7.95″)
Height: 111mm (4.37″)
Depth – Body Only: 37.75mm (1.37″)
Depth – With Back Door Hardware: Adds 7.25mm to the depth
Depth – To the Front of the Lens Board with Schneider 90mm SA: 100.75mm (4″)
Weight – With 90mm SA Cone, Helicoid, and Lens Board: 425 grams (612C – 375 grams)

Using the CCB 617C & Example Images

Over the past 10 years iterations of these 6×6, 6×12, and 6×17 cameras’ use steadily increased in my photographic outings. Enough talk here. The proof is in the pudding. Here are some of the interesting outings with this camera.

On the shores of Lake Huron lies Goderich in Ontario, Canada and is dubbed as the “Canada’s prettiest town” although there’s a lot of competition out there in this regard.

Here is an interesting combination of a shot from a beach and dock in the harbor showing an industrial landscape in an unexpected place with the largest salt mine in the world. Golden sunset hour brought out some rich warm colors to the industrial setting that seemed out of place at the beach in Canada’s prettiest town. Deep blue water of Lake Huron on the bottom with textured waves completes the scene.

Going south on the Lake Huron shore there is the tourist town of Bayfield. Provincial Park Pinery is right next to it.

This area is a very interesting photographic place in all seasons. A number of different types of scenery is present there. From dunes to lush forests and anything in between. A couple of shots from the peak of summer and from the winter.

Heading east from these two there’s Long Point Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Erie. It’s part of the World UNESCO Biosphere reserves and is located on the largest freshwater sandspit in the world. Fascinating area with marshes, dunes and treed areas with Long Point Provincial Park and protected Long Point National Wildlife Area.

View from the top of the Niagara escarpment in Hamilton, Ontario.

What’s In My Bag These Days

It fluctuates slightly based on the weather and occasion. Most of the time Hasselblad or Rolleiflex coupled with the CCB 617C and 45PS point and shoot cameras, sharing the same lens for maximum portability.

There’s space for a Nikon digital with a lens if needed, but that’s getting more rare in my case. 45PS is sometimes replaced with field 4×5 camera or 57PS.

Yes, it can get heavy when I start adding accessories indeterminately if you’re wondering. If I don’t throw in every accessory that crosses my mind, it’s a set of gear that brings many capabilities in a reasonable package.

Improving the CCB 617C & Creating More Cameras

Today, I’m very happy with the results of making a completely new 617C camera and a line of other cameras adding new affordable options for the film users today.

The main goal that started with film flatness ended up, after much work, time, and funds invested in the camera line, with dimensional specifications that are not only meeting but exceeding the ANSI specifications requirements. In return, the resulting specifications mean that it will deliver the full performance of the lens used. Every photographer wants the camera to get out of the way and they will do just that.

CCB 617C and 612C have new options and features compared to the existing model. Graflok adapters for use on compatible 4×5 cameras, ground glass attachment, interchangeable lens cones, reducing format masks, and pinhole cones are added to the offerings.

LF models 45PS, 57PS, and 810PS are using most common large format films available today and are lightweight and compact options.

The same lens can be used on multiple or all of these cameras if desired. It will only depend on the lens coverage.

All of these models and selection of add-ons are available in the ongoing Kickstarter campaign.

Thank you so much, Miroslav! You can learn about Custom Camera Building on their website and Instagram.

Leave your questions about the CCB 617C medium format panoramic film camera below in the comments, and if you want to support Custom Camera Building’s new Kickstarter, check it out here.

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