The Obsession 617 usually incorporates the Super Angulon 90mm f8 lens with helical focusing ability down to 1.2 meters.

This pair marks numbers eleven and twelve of the 6x17's I've built so far, now that's a real Obsession!

The very first Obsession 617 took me 10 days to design and build.....it proved to be very successful, so I have now built more.  The body parts consist of 3mm aluminium, film advance and film spool spigots are machined from brass with the top and bottom plates are fabricated from  'Foamex', a rather tough, very lightweight UV stabilised plastic.  Lenses are sometimes difficult to find, however the 90mm f8 Super Angulon is the normal lens I have found to be excellent for the job.  My own (new) Obsession features a Super Angulon multi-coated 90mm f5.6, but fitting this lens does require some modification of the lens cone, so it` will remain a 'one off'.  The first few Obsessions were fixed focus having the lens set to its respective hyperfocal distance.  This proved great for most subjects, especially landscapes, as at f22......... (the Linhof recommended aperture to obtain full coverage at the corners on the 6x17 format), everything will be in focus from around six feet to infinity.  Although fun to build, the camera can be quite time consuming, however, when one views the big wide transparensies on the lightbox, the work load is soon forgotten.   I can build these cameras for around $900US, ready to go, including the lens, an appropriate finder, a new case and cable release.  A ground glass back costs $150US more, but is very handy for close focus and tight composition.  (I used such a back when shooting 'The Last Supper')  No interchangable lenses are offered, as I much prefer to work around one nice glass that I know and love.................These cameras MUST be an obsession, otherwise I wouldn't keep making them, would I?

This latest Obsession 617 was only completed today....I love that big 90mm f5.6 Super Angulon the remnant of a Linhof 617 that was retired!

Inside my Obsession 617 looks just like this....

The results from the Obsession make it so.........

A beautiful Tasmanian view of the Derwent River north of New Norfolk was recently taken by Paul Woodward with his Obsession 617 . Whilst driving he spotted this view, came to a halt and took a single shot,  obviously the right one!     I fitted Woody's Obsession with a 115mm f6.8 Grandagon lens.

Melbourne's beloved Flinders Street Station main entrance at night.....30 second exposure @f22.