Recessed lens board for Chamonix 11x14?

[Greg]

On my Sinar Norma, the opening for a recessed lens board on the front standard is 12.13cm square

The OD on the recessed part of my Sinar recessed lens board is 11.8cm square, so it works on my Sinar. Well only if you detach the bellows first, mount the recessed lens board, and then re-attach the bellows.

But the opening on the front standard of my 11x14 Chamonix is 11.75cm square which means I can't use my Sinar recessed lens board on it. I had considered filing off a little on the Chamonix, but because the recessed lens board is inserted at an angle, I'd have to file off more than I'm comfortable with. Does anyone know of a recessed lens board that can be used with an 11x14 Chamonix?

thanks

[Mark Sampson]

I'm not familiar with Chamonix cameras... but usually recessed lens boards become less necessary as format size increases. The widest lens I've ever used on 8x10 was a 165/8 Schneider Super-Angulon- which worked fine on a flat board. What ultra-short focal length lens are you thinking of using, that might require a recessed board?

[Greg]

Am using a 5.9” No. 5 Gray Periscope. If I detach the bellows, flip the front standard around 180 degrees, and then re-attach the bellows I can achieve infinity focus but then the front standard is up side down... would just prefer to use a recessed lens board. Also have a shorter unlabeled WA lens that I 'd like to experiment with.
The front standard of the Chamonix mounts in one of several threaded female threads in the bed. The one closest to the film seems to be placed there for a 165mm lens - that's an educated guess.
Greg

[Oren Grad]

The Phillips cameras that accept Sinar/Horseman boards also have smaller front standard openings than do the Sinar monorails.

You might try browsing eBay listings for clone recessed Sinar boards from Chinese vendors. From looking at the pictures in several it appears that the dimensions of the recessed portion do vary; perhaps you can get the vendor(s) of any that look promising to provide exact measurements.

[Greg]

Picked up some wooden lens boards for the Chamonix and some 1/8" thin plywood from an arts & crafts store. Will first make a mockup of a recessed lens board with 4 ply cardboard and hot glue. Once I get the dimensions of the recessed box to where I like, will make the recessed box out of the thin plywood, glue it all together, and paint it all black. Should take me less than 2 hours start to finish.

[Mark Sampson]

Seems a practical way to go. Soon your biggest problem will be keeping your tripod legs out of the frame. When you have some, please post pictures showing what such a super-wide lens does. I'd love to see results!

[Doremus Scudder]

Another possibility is to mount your lens on a smaller recessed board (e.g., Technika) and then find or make an adapter board for your Chamonix. That said, I have made top-hat lensboards for my cameras out of Masonite and pine strips that turned out just fine (took me longer than two hours though...)

Best,

Doremus