A Couple Newbie Shen Hao Questions

[Tom N]

Hello,

Just this past weekend I received my Shen-Hao 4x5 Camera - my first venture into LF. I have a couple of questions regarding the camera:

1. The Lensboard I received with the camera has little cuts/notches in one side and the hole for the lens is off center. I’m wondering which way is supposed to go up?

2. I also bought a 150mm Rodenstock lens. I’ve been playing around with the camera around my house and the only way I can get anything in focus is if I move the back standard forward. I achieve focus it seems I need to get the lens closer to the GG but I can’t get close enough with the focus knob, thus I have to move the back forward toward the lens. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Tom

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

Everything is normal, don`t worry.
It`s normal to rack the focus rail a bit forward with the focus knob before you lock the lens, so that you have more room to focus both ways.
You don`t have to move the back standard at all...

The lensboard is standard Technica-style.
Now go out and shoot some wonderful pictures with that nice camera. I will..

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

And yeah, the notched side down.

[Dan Jolicoeur]

You are having to move the back closer because your inside the house focusing on very close obojects I presume. When you take it outside and focus on objects a little further away you will have the back standard all the way back 99% of the time. Maybe a trip to the library is in order on using the view camera, if you have not yet done so?
Enjoy

[Larry Gebhardt]

Actually the closer the object is the longer the distance between the lens and the film will be. I suspect you are setting the front standard to far out. On my Shen-Hao I need to put a 135mm lens at about the 90cm mark, and then extend the front standard with the focus knob. In other words move the front back a few cms.

As mentioned the notches go down.

[Melchi M. Michel]

Tom,

In addition to the focusing knob, there are little levers on either side of the rail (on top) that when loosened (by turning them inward towards the bellows) allow you to move the front standard without extending the bed the bed. As Larry suggested, you should move the front standard back to about 90mm before extending the bed at all. You shouldn't need to move the back standard forward unless you're using a wide-angle lens.

[Tom N]

Thanks guys! I never even thought of not moving the front standard all the way forward. Now it makes perfect sense.

Thanks again,
Tom