I just have to pass this information for Chamonix 45-1 users

[Hugo Zhang]

When I opened my emailbox this morning, I found the following from kind Ron and I think I have to pass to your guys...

"I did receive the Chamonix on time and I'm very happy with it so far. I've been making some special attachments for it, for the way that I work in 4x5. Soon I'll finally be out shooting with it! We'd talked before about long lenses, and I wanted to let you know what I found, so you can pass it on to others.

I bought the Fuji 450mm C lens and (with a little extra work) it works fine. I made a baseboard extender--it's a strip of aluminum about 6"x1"x0.25". I drilled holes to allow it to be screwed into the camera baseboard at one end, and to allow the front standard to be screwed into the extender at the other end. This pushes the front standard out by 3". I'm able to focus the 450mm down to about 19 feet this way. For anyone who may want to make something similar, the hole centers on the baseboard are 1" apart, and the screws are M8x1.25.

I went this route because the extender packs very well in my camera bag, as opposed to a "top hat" lensboard, which takes much more space (the 450C is a very small and light lens). I happen to own an Ebony 35mm top hat, and out of curiosity, I tried it out too. Unfortunately, the tube interferes with the light path, so this is not a workable solution. The 450C has a flange distance of 425mm and the Chamonix has a draw of 395mm, so I don't think a shorter top hat has much chance of working either.

Anyway, I hope this information may be useful to other Chamonix users.

Ron Flickinger"

[BarryS]

Thanks Hugo--very handy information. A 450mm on a small field camera--amazing. Maybe Chamonix could offer an extender plate as an accessory.

[hase]

Thanks Hugo--very handy information. A 450mm on a small field camera--amazing. Maybe Chamonix could offer an extender plate as an accessory.

yes yes yes - want one ;-)

[Helen Bach]

Yes, an extender plate with a second front standard would be very useful. I've tried to describe that in the past but I got the impression that no-one else was interested.

Best,
Helen

[hase]

Thanks Hugo--very handy information. A 450mm on a small field camera--amazing. Maybe Chamonix could offer an extender plate as an accessory.

found one on feebay #350043970717

br
hase

[BarryS]

Hase-- The accessory Ron made is a small plate that extends the base of the 45N-1 allowing the front standard to be moved further out. Imagine bolting a short ruler into the thread holes on the base and then screwing the front standard into the ruler. The advantage over a top hat or lensboard extension is the small size and light weight.

[Harley Goldman]

Does it over-stretch the bellows at that extension? I would not want to eventually have the bellows sag.

I use an Ebony tophat board with two sections. It is a little bulky, but works like a charm (I also built a baffles into it to prevent too much light from bouncing around in the tophat board).

[Hugo Zhang]

All right, Chamonix is going to make this extension rack for 45N-1 cameras so people can use their long lenses. Expected shipping time is late July.

[Tony Lakin]

Thanks Hugo--very handy information. A 450mm on a small field camera--amazing. Maybe Chamonix could offer an extender plate as an accessory.

Canham DLC45, no top hats, no brackets or extender plates, even more amazing?

[hase]

All right, Chamonix is going to make this extension rack for 45N-1 cameras so people can use their long lenses. Expected shipping time is late July.

what will be the price?
and whats about the bellows, is there enough reserve?