Calumet Cc 401

[Mackk44]

I have a Calumet CC 401 4 x 5 with Fujinon 150 mm lens
I want a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, which lenses would they indicate? and about focus, do you use a magnifying glass to focus? thank you who can help.

Marcello.

[Mark Sampson]

Marcello,
I used one of these cameras for many years on the job. The Jeep, or VW Beetle, of view cameras, it's a very capable machine.
You have many options for other lenses, and you will hear many, many opinions about which you should choose.
I would suggest finding the shallow recessed lens board that Calumet made, and getting any of the 90mm f/8 wide-angle lenses available used (there were many different manufacturers, and all of them made good lenses). That will cover your wide-angle needs.
If yours is the model with the 16" or 22" bellows, I'd suggest the Nikkor-M 300mm f/9 lens for your longer focal length.
There are many, many focusing magnifiers out there. 4x magnification is about all you'll need- but search on this forum for 'focusing loupe' or similar.
Best of luck!

[Mackk44]

Marcello,
I used one of these cameras for many years on the job. The Jeep, or VW Beetle, of view cameras, it's a very capable machine.
You have many options for other lenses, and you will hear many, many opinions about which you should choose.
I would suggest finding the shallow recessed lens board that Calumet made, and getting any of the 90mm f/8 wide-angle lenses available used (there were many different manufacturers, and all of them made good lenses). That will cover your wide-angle needs.
If yours is the model with the 16" or 22" bellows, I'd suggest the Nikkor-M 300mm f/9 lens for your longer focal length.
There are many, many focusing magnifiers out there. 4x magnification is about all you'll need- but search on this forum for 'focusing loupe' or similar.
Best of luck!

My Calumet has a 22¨ bellows. I'll see if I buy a 90mm lens and Nikkor 300mm. With these lenses I can make the frames I want. thanks for the info Mark!

[Pere Casals]

I have a Calumet CC 401 4 x 5 with Fujinon 150 mm lens
I want a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, which lenses would they indicate? and about focus, do you use a magnifying glass to focus? thank you who can help.

Marcello.

It depends on budget...

I would not spend much money until you learn what you want ...and what kind of photographs you want to make the more: portrait, landscape, architecture, objects ???

I'd start shooting film with the 150, this should be first priority, learning Zone System, N+/-, BTZS, etc... playing with movements...

Most popular focals for 4x5 are 150 and 210.

Then I would perhaps invest in a Symmar 210 convertible to 370mm for some $100. Single coated but it would work nice in 210mm f/5.6 configuration. If you unscreew the front cell the remaining can be used as a 370mm with 3 limitations I can mention: 1) Min aperture is then f/12 and 2) you have to stop to f/22 for very sharp corners, 3) you also have to focus at the shot aperture because when you stop the lens then ideal focusing varies a bit, but for free you would be able to at least experiment with 370mm.

(If you want to spend more in the 210 you can get a Rodenstock APO-Sironar-N (or Sironar-N MC, the same IIRC) 210mm f5.6, for example, not convertible, of course.)


Then in the wide side, perhaps a $100 Fuji / Fujinon 90mm f/5.6 SWD 4X5, or the f/8 version.

You would have a competent lens set: 90, 150, 210, 370 , not a joke, with some $200 addition. Then with practice you will be able to purchase fashioned glass with a good criterion and without wasting money... then you can sell the old glass or to keep it the because having spare shutters.

>>>>

With the loupe, remember you have to focus not on the Ground Glass exterior but in the interior grain, so adjust loupe with plenty of light with lens removed, and don't move that adjustment. If loupe is not adjustable rmember to focus on glass grain before looking to the image.

Note that: Schenider, Rodenstock, Fuji and Nikon (the big 4) have equiparable glass, all equally good and competent, but different models may suite different capacities.

[Andy Eads]

Marcello, I used one of these in college. I agree with the recommendation for 90mm wide angle. I used a Caltar/Ilex 90mm f/8. You really need a recessed lens board to be able to focus. Even at that, you will find it cumbersome to deal with the lens set behind the tilt and swing axis and the bulky bellow squished up against the front standard. That said, I made some fine photos with the camera. I later traded up to a Horseman 450 to eliminate the need for recessed lens boards using a bag bellows with the 90mm and a 65mm lens. I would recommend a 240 mm focal length for your next lens. The 210 focal length is a bit short for tight portraits and product photography. I own the 300 mm Nikkor M recommended earlier. It's a beautiful lens. The working distance to the subject is substantially longer than it will be with either the 210 or 240 lengths. If you truly need a long focal length, the 300 is perfect with the 22" bellows. Enjoy!