Sasquatch 617
A Panoramic Film Camera
-
Cameras that shoot 6x17 aren’t common, primarily because those made decades ago are now either collector’s items or are priced well above what most people can afford. However, this unusual aspect ratio has been slowly gaining interest among those in the analog community looking to explore a new way to shoot cityscapes and landscapes. The Sasquatch 617 is designed to fill this niche with a great build at a great price.
-
When shooting in 6×17, a single roll of 120 film gives you just four frames. That might seem shocking, and downright irresponsible to some, but this limitation changes your approach to capturing a moment. You spend more time observing and thinking about a composition, and waiting for the right moment before triggering the shutter. This experience is less about taking a dozen snapshots of something but rather slowing down with four shots to capture moments in one expansive image.
-
The panoramic frame of 6×17 seems to capture wider than your field of view. The medium-format panoramic is perfect at capturing cityscapes, landscapes, and environments, allowing you to immerse in the rich details of the negative scan for hours. Unlike traditional image formats where the edges of the world feel cropped, this camera captures beyond what your eyes can see.
Explore Features
Materials
The camera frame is constructed from 304 stainless steel. This material is selected for its high strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. The frame provides a rigid and stable foundation for the camera's internal components, ensuring long-term structural integrity.
304 Stainless Steel Frame
The camera body is created using 3D printing technology with a polycarbonate filament. This method allows for the production of a lightweight yet highly durable and impact-resistant shell.
3D-Printed Polycarbonate Body
Choosing the right filament for the camera’s plastic components was critical to ensuring that the Sasquatch 617 meets our customers’ expectations. We chose exclusively to use Prusament because we trust that these materials developed by Prusa Research will deliver premium quality performance and precise tolerances for every part in the camera's assembly. We’re proud to announce that every printed component of the Sasquatch 617 was printed with Prusament.
Printed with Prusament PC & PETG
Summit Edition
For those drawn to higher places and greater horizons, the Summit Edition is made to go further. It features a 304 stainless steel front lens cover for added protection, a stainless steel back panel to improve the rear door's rigidity, and a sleek, blacked-out front logo.
Compatible Lenses
The Sasquatch 617 does not come with a lens; the lens must be purchased separately. Please choose a suitable large format lens that has a 90mm focal length with a rear lens element diameter of less than 61mm, as well as a working shutter. For your convenience, we've included a couple of eBay links below for the lenses that we have tested and know will work with The Sasquatch.
Behind the Build
Our product development process started on the drawing board with sketches of the features we wanted to include on this camera. During this stage, we worked out the mechanical details such as the rear door latch, the knob assembly, as well as subtle design features to give this camera a tactile and refined feel.
Development Drawings
The sheet metal body was perhaps the most challenging to get right, yet rewarding aspect of this camera. We decided to use a rigid exterior shell because it allows us to confidently build 3D printed components onto the frame, whilst maintaining the camera's durability and overall quality. We chose to use stainless steel instead of aluminum because it met our requirements for rigidity, as well as give the Sasquatch a premium look and feel that helps it shine above the rest of the competition in this segment of affordable 6x17 cameras.
Stainless Steel Body
Prusa Research - Core One Sponsorship
We’ve used many 3D printers for over a decade, and Prusa has always been our first choice. We prototyped all of the components in the Sasquatch on two of our personal Prusa MK4S's that we've owned for years. However, with the overwhelming support on Kickstarter, we knew we'd need more printing power. So we reached out to Prusa Research, requesting their support to provide us with a new Core One printer. This printer has over-exceeded our expectations, giving us full confidence that it will meet both the demand and quality standards expected by our customers.
Once our conceptual drawings were complete, we brought our ideas to the physical world with many stages of 3D printed prototypes. It was during this stage that we were able to consider the manufacturability of each component, inclusion of hardware, and the assembly process. Here's a snapshot of that iterative journey.
