Looking for thoughts/experience with mounting a big Dallmeyer 8" lens on a LF camera

[kuvonn]

Resurrecting this thread for info -

How much engineering would need to go into mounting this on the front of a 5x7 Press or Compact Graflex (the one with two curtains) if that's at all possible? Can it be done without destroying the front standard?

[Tin Can]

Somebody in EU

Made an adapter for Speed 4X5

I have one, with a machining flaw

[kuvonn]

Can you lift it handheld on the 4x5 Speed?

[brandonium]

The 8" Pentac is not that heavy at all.. Definitely lighter than the 7" AE. Not sure about a compact graflex in 5x7 form as those are rare so never have seen one. I have a press graflex in 5x7, should be able to mount ok in the front section.

[Dan Fromm]

Can you lift it handheld on the 4x5 Speed?

Don't be so coy. Tell us which 8" Dallmeyer lens you have. Name, focal length and aperture. If it is a Super Six, it might not fit a Compact 5x7's board. Unfortunately my references don't give board dimensions for older Graflex SLRs. Also, standard issue lenses for 5x7 Graflex SLRs were 10-12". I'm not sure whether a 5x7 can focus an 8" lens to infinity. Probably can, but I'm not 100% sure. graflex.org has little activity but is still watched. Try asking there. And name your lens, also give focal length and maximum aperture.

[kuvonn]

I'm looking for an 8" Super Six, but I'm asking for future reference - nobody's handed it to me yet. I work on an early 40's 4x5 Speed at the moment with a Plaubel 15cm 3.5 that I can't find reference to online.

I'm looking to size up to 5x7, ideally with a Press and some bag mags but as I understand it mounting the F2 Super Six (or thé 8" Cooke Séries O for that matter) might mean running in the street with a 25lb dumbbell. The Compact looked enticing but if the lens board is too small then that's out.

I'll dig through graflex.org some more.

[Dan Fromm]

Thanks for the reply.

My, you must be rich. Asking prices for long Super Sixes are well into 5 digits (USD). Have you considered getting an 8"/2.9 Pentac or a 7"/2.5 Aero Ektar? They're much more available but may not cover 5x7.

Another possibility is an 8"/2.0 S.F.O.M.? I've had one that was in very poor condition. Condition notwithstanding, I found it completely unusable. But they turn up very occasionally, sometimes on eBay.fr, sometimes on leboncoin.fr. A little less than 15 lbs. Covers 4x5, may not cover 5x7.

[kuvonn]

Thanks for the reply.

My, you must be rich. Asking prices for long Super Sixes are well into 5 digits (USD). Have you considered getting an 8"/2.9 Pentac or a 7"/2.5 Aero Ektar? They're much more available but may not cover 5x7.

Another possibility is an 8"/2.0 S.F.O.M.? I've had one that was in very poor condition. Condition notwithstanding, I found it completely unusable. But they turn up very occasionally, sometimes on eBay.fr, sometimes on leboncoin.fr. A little less than 15 lbs. Covers 4x5, may not cover 5x7.

Up to now I've figured that the half- or full-stop difference in aperture isn't quite worth the tradeoff for the price or the increased weight of either the 7" Aero Ektar or the 8" Pentac, at least so long as I'm working on the 4x5 Speed. I'm already wanting an SLR for precision of focus in low light. The 5x7 Compact looked promising as I'd read a thread once listing its minimum focal length as something like 190mm for infinity focus, which would be great if either lens is usable across the larger image circle.

Does your SFOM 8"/2 cover 4x5 in full? I found a version engraved with 114x114mm but haven't seen examples of how the falloff looks across the larger frame, especially wide open. I would consider that for my Speed down the road.

In the case of the 5x7 Press I figured at worst that I'd be fine falling short of infinity focus with an 8" Super Six. I won't necessarily need it in the event that the lens mount such a body would require isn't swappable.

I've also heard tell of a 12"/2.9 Pentac that might be easier to mount on the Press (for the loss of that last stop) if I can track one down in working condition. But from what I'm seeing the 12" Pentac might be even scarcer than the 8" Super Six, so I'll work with what I've got for now.

Thank you for the info!