Gaoersi 4x5

[MJSfoto1956]

I've uploaded some high res photos of the Gaoersi 4x5 I found on a Chinese site to my website:

http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.1.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.2.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.3.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.4.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.5.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.6.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.7.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.8.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot.../Gaoersi.9.jpg
http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/phot...Gaoersi.10.jpg

Enjoy!
Michael

[Jerry Fusselman]

My Gaoersi 4x5 can use these lenses:

1. 55 mm allowing 25 mm of shift (modified by Ken Ruth)
2. 80 mm allowing 25 mm of shift (factory)
3. 150 mm, but no shift (factory)
4. 240 mm
5. 360 mm Telomar f/5.5

Ken Ruth provided the capacity for 25mm with the Apo Grandagon 55mm---over the 18 mm possible this is possible with the factory spacer. The lens vignettes with 25 mm of shift on 4x5, but not on Linhof 612.

He also made the spacer solution for me for the 240 mm and 360 mm lenses. One spacer works for both lenses. The spacer he made weighs 6 ounces! Yet it seems quite durable, and it has a tripod mount.

I give here a few details as to my design for the two longer lenses, in case someone out there might be interested. My Graflex XLSW focusing mechanism adds about 10 ounces. Both lenses are in Graflex XL barrels; they both focus to infinity, of course. The focusing mounts have almost 14 mm of throw, and that can be extended with Graflex XL spacers to arbitrary long distances, so I can also use them for portraits, and even past 1:1 magnifications, though it does add weight. The spacer to shoot head-and-shoulders with the Telomar weighs almost a pound, but I see no reason yet why it cannot serve as a hand-holdable 4x5 portrait camera, if I can somehow get good at standing at the right distance for correct focus.

In 240mm, I have three lenses to decide between: A Ronar f/9, a Dagor f/6.8, and a Sironar N f/5.6.

Both lenses also will someday go (with a different spacer) on my little 617 camera, and I can use both lenses on my LF cameras while they are still in their barrels.

It will be interesting to see if I use this camera or my Fotoman 624 camera more this summer. My new Fotoman viewfinder arrived today, and it seems sensational! Now that's a viewfinder.