Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Arca Swiss lens plate

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Slovenia
    Posts
    233

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Hi!

    I just bring home used Arca Swiss F-line, so I guess that I'm a owner of a LF camera from now on. I hope to become LF photographer in the future too.

    Here is my question: the camera came without lens board, and these came rarely up on E-bay.de. I'm looking toward asking a friend who is a machinist to make one for me. But for this I would need mesurements. Do anybody have them at hand?

    Thank you in advance
    Marko

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Besançon, France
    Posts
    1,617

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Currently there are two lensboard sizes in the F-line : 110x110 for the 6x9 and 171x171 for the 4"x5". Please tell us which is yours. Arca Swiss boards are not a simple flat panel, they are precisely machined to be perfectly light-tight without any additional felt or foam like in old pre-F Arca Swiss cameras. So you need additional measurements in order to get something that works perfectly. Moreover standard 171x171 boards are slightly recessed boards in order to have access more easily to full movemements with a wide-angle lens.
    I do not know how much you intend to pay for a custom-made board by a competent machinist, but you should know that second-hand 171x171 Arca Swiss boards can be found (not every day, I agree) in Paris for 45 euros ; used 110x110 boards go for about 30 euros.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Slovenia
    Posts
    233

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Hi Emmanuel!

    Thank you for your reply. I have a 9x12 (4"x5") camera, so I need 171x171 board. I started looking in UK and German second hand shops, but for now without luck.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    9,487

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    They have them on USA eBay - there is a Copal 1 and a Copal 3 sized one right now...

  5. #5

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Marko,

    As others have mentioned, ARCA-SWISS lens boards are not simple flat panels. They have radiused corners and mechanical light traps. As Emmanuel mentioned, the current "standard" 171mm board is actually recessed by 13mm. I have been told that this offset places the center of the lens in-line with the tilt mechanism. So, a flat board would have the center of the lens 13mm forward of the tilt axis. Late samples of the older style flat 171mm boards have two sets of ridges on the back of the board that form a mechanical light trap. As long these ridges are present, the older boards will work and be light tight on current ARCA-SWISS cameras. I use them with my longest lenses to get an extra 13mm of extension. I would avoid really old boards (the silver ones and early black boards without the light trap ridges). They will fit on current cameras, but may or may not be light tight.

    In the US, new 13mm recessed 171mm ARCA-SWISS lens boards sell for about $72. If you can't find a used board, you might want to buy at least one new one. Your machinist friend can then use it as a pattern to make more. Although, in the long run, I suspect it will be a lot less hassle, and perhaps even less money to just buy genuine ARCA-SWISS lens boards. You are the fortunate owner of one of the most precise large format cameras made. It's worth it to spend the money on lens boards that will fit properly and provide a light tight seal. Trying to save a few bucks on ARCA-SWISS lens boards is like buying a Ferrari and putting thirty dollar 13" retreads on it to save a few bucks.

    Kerry

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Besançon, France
    Posts
    1,617

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Marko. Let me continue the arguments presented by Kerry differently but with the same conclusions. Consider 72 US dollars for a single lens board. Convert this price in Euro @ about 1.25, we get about 60 euro. This makes in terms of processed black and white 9x12 or 4"x5" films about 50 films (20 euro per pack of 25 plus 50% in process as a guess).. or about 10 processed colour slide films in 9x12 or 4"x5"... A precision lensboard is not a consumable : it is a lifetime investment to help you spend more euros and more dollars in film, chemistry (or spending even more in time and money in "definitely clogged" inkjet nozzles), good quality paper, etc.. taking and printing good LF pictures ;-);-)

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Slovenia
    Posts
    233

    Arca Swiss lens plate

    Thank you guys!

    I guess that I'll take your advice to my hart ;-)! It wasn't that I'm so tight on my wallet, but I was a bit frustrated because I couldn't find a plate "right now" since I want to start this new thing as soon as posible.

    Marko

Similar Threads

  1. Arca-Swiss F-line field / Arca-Swiss Misura
    By Trey Hoff in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 28-Nov-2004, 17:23
  2. Arca Swiss bellows lens combo
    By eric fernette in forum Gear
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 1-Aug-2004, 22:12
  3. Replies: 12
    Last Post: 26-Apr-2002, 03:16
  4. Arca Swiss Plate Screw
    By Michael Kadillak in forum Gear
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 3-Mar-2001, 10:05
  5. Arca-Swiss style Q/R plate for my A-S 4x5
    By Josh Root in forum Gear
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 19-Oct-1999, 21:15

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •