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Thread: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2006
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    1,817

    Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    I have received he following PM from a photographer and I will pass this to the factory. Since there are quite some people in this forum using Chamonix cameras, I want to share this with you all.

    Hello Hugo,

    I received the camera and am happy with it. Thanks for the quick service.

    I must point out that the two tabs that retain the lensboard at the top (the ones that rotate to lock it in place) don't allow for some boards. I use boards that I have made as well as a Linhoff standard board. They all fit well into at least three other LF cameras I use, but I discovered the hard way that the Chamonix requires thinner boards. I thought the two tabs were properly engaged, but they did not fully rotate, and they became loose and on two occasions, the lensboards fell out, damaging one lens seriously as it hit a rock. I needed to thin the boards at the two locations where the tabs rotate down, and then saw the full travel of the tabs, which is adequate.

    I think you should share this information with the builder and with all users on the LF Forum and on your website. Users need to check the engagement of these tabs. The damaged lens is worth nearly the cost of the camera itself.

    Other than that, the camera is wonderful, and I have made some fine images with it.

    Sincerely,

    Jeffrey Sipress

    Santa Barbara, CA
    __________________
    My Photo Site

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Nashville, TN
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    314

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    Thanks for sharing this with us Hugo. I think that is good advice for all view camera users. This can be an issue on many different types of cameras.
    Will Wilson
    www.willwilson.com

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Luxembourg
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    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    I have noticed to same problem on mine, but not with all lens boards, although they are all from the same manufacturer. It takes some effort to rotate the tabs and I have to push the lens board firmly against the front standard while rotating the tabs. I had to use a file on one of the lens boards.

    The cheap lens boards from China (on eBay) are indeed a bit thicker than those generic boards sold by Robert White for example.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Knoxville, Tennessee
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    1,789

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    Had the same problem with a "no name" Technika-type recessed board on a Ebony 4x5. It's now in a landfill. The board that is.

    Cheers,

    Steve

  5. #5
    Richard K. Richard K.'s Avatar
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    Etobicoke (west Toronto), west of the mighty Humber...
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    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    Quote Originally Posted by Aender Brepsom View Post
    The cheap lens boards from China (on eBay) are indeed a bit thicker than those generic boards sold by Robert White for example.
    Are these "copy-boards" even though they have the Sinar name, made in Switzerland, etc. and look totally real? I've bought a couple and they seem to be identical to my reference Sinar board bought ages ago but are just slightly thicker!
    When I was 16 I thought my father the stupidest man in the world; when I reached 21, I was astounded by how much he had learned in just 5 years!

    -appropriated from Mark Twain

  6. #6
    Photographer, Machinist, etc. Jeffrey Sipress's Avatar
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    Feb 2004
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    Santa Barbara, CA
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    641

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    As stated, I was able to carefully file two 'dips' into the boards where the retainers contact the face of the board. I smoothed them nicely with fine paper or a scotchbrite pad and every board I have works fine now. It's easy to do, but the point is that the retainers must travel fully to their stop to give the most secure board retention. If yours are not fully engaging, get out the half round file and fix them.

    You don't have to chuck your boards into the landfill!

  7. #7
    3d Visual Effects artist
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Culver City, CA
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    1,177

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    Good to know! I haven't run into it yet, but something to look out for when getting a new board :-) Thanks for passing on the info!
    Daniel Buck - 3d VFX artist
    3d work: DanielBuck.net
    photography: 404Photography.net - BuckshotsBlog.com

  8. #8
    Photographer
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    Feb 2001
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    Pine Junction, CO
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    992

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    As a Chamonix owner, I'd have to say that the entire lens locking mechanism is a serious weak point. I don't trust the rotating tabs and would not carry the camera with a lens attached. I've carried other view cameras on the tripod, over my shoulder for 25 or more years, but always remove the lens from a Chamonix.
    Keith Pitman

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Northern California
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    42

    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    I noticed this as well and certainly have to commend Hugo for bringing this to everyones attention. Especially for those of us who are new to LF, this is important information. Light weight in this size film format, combined with ease of assembly/disassembly means some of the features we take for granted in Nikons and Hasselblads aren't going to be there and it's best to understand all the advances and tradeoffs before one has a painful experience.

  10. #10

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    Sep 2008
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    Vancouver Island
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    Re: Be careful with your Chamonix lens board locking tabs

    It seems the 8x10 has the catches on the bottom, well in this video anyway;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOjJTnuZUdY

    It does seem to be more secure with the catches on the bottom.

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