Graphic View Modified for Wide Angle Lens

**avendano27** · 20-Aug-2009, 18:58

Attached photo shows the vintage Graphic View camera I modified for wide angle lenses with movements. I made the bag bellows from vinyl material. The original front focus mechanism was eliminated. The back standard retains the original focusing mechanism. So far, I can use 75mm to 150mm lenses. I am trying to make it work with 47mm wide angle lens. The movements are limited to the the front standard only . The back standard is fixed with no movements. The original rail was shortened to 8 inches. Elimination of some parts and shortening of rail was necessary to reduce weight and size for backpacking. Weight without lens is about 6 pounds and includes focusing screen, folding hood and quick release plate. The main goal of this modification is to make the Graphic View camera light and compact for field use in landscape and architectural photography.

**Archphoto** · 20-Aug-2009, 19:12

Looks good ! Congrad's !

It looks sturdy, like it.

Peter

**Jay Thirsty** · 20-Aug-2009, 19:56

Nice. Do you mind my asking how you have attached the rail to the mounting block underneath?

I never had any luck finding a Graflex recessed lens board when I was looking, so I made my own:

http://thirsty.smugmug.com/gallery/9...2_SBRzD/Medium

My widest lens is only 90mm though. The recess is about 0.90 inches deep, which gave me about an inch of rise/fall IIRC.

**ki6mf** · 20-Aug-2009, 20:14

Nice job on the mods and considering that these cameras can be had relatively inexpensively this looks like a very good set up (from a Shen Hao user!)

**Archphoto** · 21-Aug-2009, 04:55

Jay, how did you do that recessed board job ?
Andapting an existing board to fit the camera, or building one (including welding ) ???
Realy nice.

Peter

**bensonga** · 21-Aug-2009, 19:10

Looks great! I have two of these cameras....might have to convert one to wide-angle use. Ditto to Jay's question re how you attached the rail to the mounting block.

Gary
Alaska

**avendano27** · 21-Aug-2009, 19:31

Gary,
The rail is sandwiched between the top rail mount and the mounting block with shims. The mounting block is then fastened to the top rail mount with 4 screws. The top rail mount already have 4 screw holes. When drilling the mounting block, use the bottom rail mount as template. The tripod screw hole on mounting block was drilled with thread maker.
Hope this helps,
Oscar

**Jay Thirsty** · 22-Aug-2009, 09:44

Originally Posted by Archphoto

Jay, how did you do that recessed board job ?
Andapting an existing board to fit the camera, or building one (including welding ) ???
Realy nice.

Peter

Hi Peter,

It's milled out of a solid block of aluminum (I used to work at a place that had a small CNC mill that didn't mind if we used it after hours).

The hard part came when I went to put it on the camera and realized that the opening in the front standard behind the lens board was slightly too small. I had to use a Dremel and cut away some of the standard to make it work. And I couldn't disassemble the camera to do it, because the bellows is glued to the back of the standard. I just had to be careful not to cut the bellows, and then to get all of the brass chips out afterward.

Jay