Interchange lens between large format cameras

[barnacle]

but it's very straight if one can use Solidworks or Inventor

Or happens to work in an office designing the electronics and software right next to the mech eng boys who use them

Neil

[Dan Fromm]

One issue that can come up with using adapter boards is if using a axis swing/tilt, well designed camera is that the camera movements will center/pivot at the rear nodal point area of the rear lens, so lens movements will stay nicely in focus as you move them... If you add distance forward from it, more re-focusing will be required the further it is away (as it moves), so if the adapter is too thick, you loose this great feature of the design...

Steve, this really depends on the adapter. For example, skgrimes married a 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic front standard to a Cambo board for me. The front of the standard is a hair behind the front of the board. It accepts lenses on 2x3 Pacemaker boards, adds ~ -0.5 mm of extension.

[LabRat]

Steve, this really depends on the adapter. For example, skgrimes married a 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic front standard to a Cambo board for me. The front of the standard is a hair behind the front of the board. It accepts lenses on 2x3 Pacemaker boards, adds ~ -0.5 mm of extension.

Absolutely!!! If an adapter is close, it will preserve this great feature, but if an adapter is so chunky that it adds a more than a quarter or half inch or so more extension past the nodal/pivot zone, a lot of trial & error focusing will be required after any little tilt/swing movements are applied... This issue will also pop-up when making/using a "top hat" extender board, mounting a barrel lens in front of a large shutter, back extensions past the RS pivot points, etc... Point is to allow lenses to pivot about close to the rear of the iris area when designing adapters, or it gets a little screwy when using a nicely designed axis tilt camera... Doing complex movements becomes a breeze, as you can try a little of this or that movement and watch the GG to see what happens while the image stays in good general focus... Some axis tilt cameras use this, including the fabulous GVII... :-)

Steve K

[Leigh]

One issue that can come up with using adapter boards is if using a axis swing/tilt, well designed camera is that the camera movements will center/pivot at the rear nodal point area of the rear lens

Hi Seve,

That can only be true for a very small selection of lenses, with focal lengths very close to the "normal" FL.
Even within that select group, the rear nodal point will move based on the lens design and actual focal length.

As the FL decreases, the rear node moves toward the film, often completely behind the rear element.
With telephoto lenses the rear node is in front of the front element, sometimes by a considerable distance.

- Leigh

[Pere Casals]

Or happens to work in an office designing the electronics and software right next to the mech eng boys who use them

Neil

I use the Altium package... if you are using something like that then you'll learn Solidworks basics in 30min... Then you "save as" the part as *.STL and that can be printed in any 3D pinter service, or at home.

[IanG]

This thread is important, if it goes well

Yesterday I began making a converter to use Linhof/Wista boards on an MPP Micro Technical MkIII, there's more on another thread. It's simple, extremely cheap and easy, and willwork well. I just need to cut out the center later and it's fiished except for painting.

I make lens boards and conversion boards regularly, and I've just finished two to adapt Wista/Linhof boards to fit my 2 Agfa Ansco 10x8's (a Commercial View and a Universal View). I've also made a converter board for one of my Seneca 7x5 cameras as well, again to use my Wista lenses.

I'm planning to making converters to use Pacemaker Graphic boards on the same cameras. I hate the fact that LF lenses aren't easily used on quite different cameras but am getting much nearer better simple nter-chaneability.

Ian