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Thread: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

  1. #1

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    Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    The best way to describe what I'm asking here is this: With SLR camera bodies, each manufacturer has its own mount. When I'm looking for lenses for my Nikon DSLR, I look for the correct 'mount' for it. That's how I know it will fit my camera body.

    I'm just starting to use a Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 with a Kodak Ektar 127mm lens. If I want to research other lenses for it, how do I know which ones will fit it?

  2. #2

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    the equivalent item to the "mount" with a DSLR is the lensboard on a view camera. Most cameras have a lensboard which is particular to that camera. There is some minor "standardization" because certain camera manufacturers have adopted the lensboard standard from another manufacturer. So you will find that a certain Linhof lensboard will fit many field cameras. Different lenses are mounted to the lensboard with mounting holes that vary in size. This is from memory so don't take this as gospel. To illustrate a copal 0 shutter is mounted with a hole which is about 31mm in diameter but a copal 1 shutter mounts into a hole about 40mm in diameter. So the trick is to find (or buy) a lensboard for your camera that has the correct sized mounting hole for the lens you plan to acquire. The other complication is that, putting aside the issue of the hole size for mounting, not every lens can be accomodated in every camera because of possible clearance problems. It should be intuitively obvious that a very large lens will likely not fit on a very small camera either because the camera doesn't have sufficient clearance or because it can't support the weight. Then the final issue is focal length. Not every camera has sufficient bellows length to accomodate long focal length lenses (ie the problem usually arises after about 250mm focal length).

    So the easiest way to make sure that the lens will fit your camera is to ask someone who shoots with the same camera...

    good luck, and enjoy
    you can find my images on flickr at:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/feberdt/sets/

  3. #3

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    Thank you for the explanation. It seems very complicated (at this point) for me. I like your suggestion about finding others who shoot the same camera- that's something I can do! More than likely, I'll just wait until I understand alot more about the camera before venturing in that direction. I sure do appreciate your input.

  4. #4
    David de Gruyl's Avatar
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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    One more wrinkle: If you plan on using the rangefinder with the new lens, you need to have the cam for that length. Once you do, you need to change the cam, switch the lens, and adjust the infinity stops. Then you are good to go for the new focal length.

    If you are changing the particular lens, you may still have to change the infinity stops because of differences in lens designs even if the lenses are theoretically the same length. For example, the Nikkor-W 135/5.6 and the Schneider Xenar 135 have different infinity settings.

  5. #5

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    More useful information, but still a little over my head. I don't use the rangefinder because I don't know how to. I don't even know where it is! I guess I don't know what I don't know- but I will (in time), so thank you!

  6. #6

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    Take a look at,
    www.graflex.org

    Happy shooting!
    David
    Real cameras are measured in inches...
    Not pixels.

    www.photocollective.org

  7. #7

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    cconte, visit www.graflex.org and read the FAQs.

    Any lens whose flange-to-film distance is >= 52.5 mm and < around 275 mm will work on a 4x5 Crown Graphic.

    David, some 4x5 Crowns were shipped with no rangefinder, some with a Kalart ("side") rangefinder, some with a Graflex ("top") RF. Only the top RF has cams. The Kalart has to be adjusted to a lens, in practice is for one lens only.

  8. #8

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    Quote Originally Posted by cconte View Post
    Thank you for the explanation. It seems very complicated (at this point) for me. I like your suggestion about finding others who shoot the same camera- that's something I can do! More than likely, I'll just wait until I understand alot more about the camera before venturing in that direction. I sure do appreciate your input.
    It really is not that complicated. Most lenses are all designed to mount on a thin flat board with a hole in it. Graflex boards are specific to the camera brand, but the lens is not. You can unscrew the lens/shutter from one board and mount it on another with the right size hole.

    I worked for 20 years with the same lens on my graflex. Don't be in a hurry to get a new lens until you have shot and developed a few boxes of film. LF photography is not for everyone. Until you have spent some time with it you won't know if you are going to continue with it and until you get past the learning curve you will not know which lenses you need.

    It is common for LF photographers to use one lens for the majority of their photographs and there is a reason your camera is fitted with that lens, so be a bit patient.

  9. #9

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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    Thank you Jack. I'll take your advice.

  10. #10
    Stefan
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    Re: Fitting a Graflex Crown with the correct 'type' lens

    Im in a similar situation to you, Ive not yet received my Crown Graphic but Ive been researching lens compatibility. If there are any mistakes here, please correct me!

    Summing up and adding some, you will need to take the following into consideration when browsing for LF lenses:
    1. Does the lens have a shutter? Some are sold "in barrel" for use on cameras that have a focal plane shutter. You will need a shutter in the lens.
    2. Can you find a lens board that fits? The board has to fit the camera and the hole has to fit the lens, or rather, the shutter. Usually the lens board description will say "Copal #0" or "Copal #1" or something, that means the lens board hole fits lenses with a Copal shutter of that size (#0 and #1 are shutter sizes). You can find lens boards here:
    http://www.skgrimes.com/lensboards/index.htm
    3. Will the bellows of the camera be enough to allow proper focusing? Lenses beyond 250mm or so will be problematic on a Crown Graphic, giving you a a very far close-focus limit. Telephoto lenses (usually with "tele" in the name) will bypass this restriction.
    4. Is there enough space inside the camera to fit the lens focused at infinity? Going by Dan Fromm's value, the lens needs a flange-to-film distance of over 52.5mm. There are many alternative names for flange-to-film distance, listed here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance
    5. Does the lens have a sufficient image circle? The lens should have at least 160mm image circle, but more is better, allowing for movements as well as preventing dark corners at big apertures. 4x5 is the smallest LF format so any lens labeled for LF should work.
    6. Is the lens small enough to fold into the Crown Graphic? This is by no means necessary, many lenses will be too big, but it will be handy. I dont know yet how to figure out if a lens will fit, you may try asking around.
    7. Will it work with the rangefinder? This is not necessary for those using only the ground glass, but might be of interest to some shooters. Some Graphic cameras dont have a rangefinder at all, so it doesnt matter. Some have the side-mounted Kalart finder, this can be calibrated to work with pretty much any lens. Some have the top mounted rangefinder, to use this you need a cam matching the lens, which will be very difficult to find if not included.

    The good news is there is a whole lot of lenses that meet critical requirements 1 to 5, its the odd or extreme ones that will be a problem.

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