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stradibarrius
7-Mar-2013, 17:15
I am looking for a recessed lens board for my 90mm lens to go on a Cambo 4x5. My question is "is there only one depth board"? On the Cambo website the show a recessed board for either a#0 or #1 shutter but there seems to be no difference in the depth of the board. If I were to use a wider lens than my 90mm wouldn't I need a deeper board?

Dan Fromm
7-Mar-2013, 17:42
Barry, you don't need no steenkin' recessed board to focus a 90 on an SC-2.

With a bag bellows, the tripod mounting block behind the rear standard, and the rear standard reversed on the rail the camera's minimum flange-to-film distance is ~ 40 mm. This isn't theory, I've measured. The camera has to be flopped on its side to shoot in landscape orientation. Don't use the tripod head to flop the camera over, rotate rail and everything 90 degrees in the tripod block.

Accumulate your small monetary units and watch for a bag bellows. I got a 4x5 Cambo bag bellows last year via eBay for $57 delivered. Latest most best, too. Just be patient.

Alternatively, since you have, I think, a well-equipped shop, make one. Sacrifice two 4x5 Cambo boards to make bellows frames. Make two 10" squares of bellows cloth, whatever that is, cut openings in slightly larger than the holes you cut in the boards. Sew or glue the squares' edges together, turn the bag inside out so the seams are on the inside, glue to the mutilated boards. I got this recipe somewhere (not bookmarked, shame on me) on the 'net. I don't have the tools to cut square holes in boards but that fiend Adam Dau offered to cut two boards (2x3, 4x5) for me for less than the price of a Dremel tool. I'm waiting for my stuff to come back from SKGrimes, and when it does I'll make a stepped bag bellows this way. Until convinced otherwise, I plan to use 1.5 mm neoprene/nylon wetsuit fabric. Much too thick for normal bellows, should be ok for a balloon.

If you do this, don't shop on eBay for boards to mutilate. KEH's cheapest will do just fine.

stradibarrius
7-Mar-2013, 17:51
Thanks Dan. I can place both standards one the same side of the mounting block and the 90mm will focus, it is really unbalanced though.

Dan Fromm
7-Mar-2013, 18:37
Thanks Dan. I can place both standards one the same side of the mounting block and the 90mm will focus, it is really unbalanced though.

You want the proverbial egg in your proverbial beer.

photonsoup
7-Mar-2013, 21:11
I really hate the recessed lens board. My fingers are to fat to comfortably reach the various controls. My 90mm 4.5 came on a recessed board (Cambo) and I put it on a flat one. It also had a right angle adapter for the release cable, can't use a release cable by itself. Much easier to deal with. I will sell you my recessed one if you want it. I like my eggs and beer, my camera has the double dovetail rail. The mounting block slides right past the standards to wherever I want to put it!