Ebony SW45 with longer lenses?

[Former Member 8144]

The ebony Sw45 I use is a top camera.
Now the tech. details say the longest usable lens as is is a 180mm.

Ebony also seem to make a back extender and also front plates (top hats) with extension tube kits that are meant to allow longer lenses to be used.
Has anyone experience with either of these setups?

I am looking to use a 210mm lens on the camera.
Basically I can get hold of a 210 much easier than a 180 in the type of lens I am looking for and even with the top hat (17mm version) it would be a better price and the extra focal length is always handy.

The back extender seems a bit bulky but the front lens plate looks interesting..but does it affect amount of lens movements, any extra vigneting etc.

Thanks,

Marc

[PViapiano]

I have the extension back, although I've only used it a handful of times. It adds 90mm of bellows extension...beautifully made and works well.

[Former Member 8144]

so looking at ebonys lens compatability table..that extra 90mm extension would make 280mm in total so I could then go way up to something like a 300mm in the lens I am after (rodenstock apo- sironar s)

with the top hat extender I can go to a 210mm max

well this is getting me thinking in all new directions...kind of "well if I want to have one slighly longer lens then I may as well do it properly" (i.e. 300mm instead of 210/180mm)

Generally how bulky in terms of size, weight is the back extender..knowing of course that a 300mm lens is itself far bulkier than a 210!

one of the great things about the SW45 is its compact size and weight.

basically I like having one longer lens to compliment my most used focal lenghts (approx 90 and 135mm) but am a bit reticent at ruining the lightweight compact element to the set up.
Going with a 210 would add just a touch of lens weight and just a litle bulk of the top hat extender but the extension back seems like it would add a lot more in total for that extra focal length.

[Don Hutton]

When I had one, I bought a 180mm for exactly the reasons you have mentioned (no point having a lightweight camera with bulky heavy accessories) - it worked great. You can pick up all sorts of used 180mms for under $500.

[Dave_B]

The Ebony top hat system is very nice. It consists of a Linhof board with a large hole that tubes of various lengths can thread into. There are 35mm and 17mm tubes that can be stacked to form lengths of 35, 52, 70, 87, etc. There is a front plate that is a disk with either a copal 0 or 1 sized hole drilled into it that the lens attaches to. The front plate can either screw into the top of the stack of tubes or into the Linhof panel directly. This lets you add up to roughly 100 mm of length depending on when your lens vignettes. I use it for long lenses on my Ebony SV45TE and find it works well. It is nicely finished and well made. Not cheap but highly recommended.
Cheers,
Dave B.

[Henry Ambrose]

And then there are tele lenses. I have a 240 Tele Xenar that will focus down to about 12 feet on my SW45. Thats a nice solution to wanting a longer lens and they are fairly inexpensive. Plenty sharp and just a bit less contrasty than your new lenses.

You don't want the 300 Sironar S with this camera. Its really an 8x10 lens and way too heavy and big to carry around or use on such a lightweight camera or any other 4x5. You'll waste its huge image circle. By the time you add a top hat board and the back extender to get enough draw you'll have a monstrosity.

[Former Member 8144]

Thanks guys,
My 210mm apo-sironar S (which gives me the focal length and range of movements I need) is on the way so now I'll be looking for a 35mm extension top hat set up.

Thanks,

Marc

[JonathanPerkins]

Marc,

We have a RSW45 and use a Nikkor-W 210mm with the 35mm extension top hat. It focuses to about 3m. I tried holding the lens board a further 35mm forwards and reckon it will focus about another metre closer, but Robert White was out of the individual sections when I last spoke to them, so haven't been able to try it properly. For most things I'm happy that the single 35mm extension is a good compromise between close enough focus and weight.

Hope that helps,

Jonathan