lenses to cover 617.

[fotografueland]

Hallo Alex
I am trying to do the same with a 72xl lens on a Linhof Technikardan and 6x17cm chinese roll film back. Found that the back is 43 mm deep so its a struggle to get the lens close enough to the film. Linhof&studio in the UK will try to put it into a 20mm recessed Technika lensboard and its not going to be easy because the front element is so wide. They are going to see if they can build all the controls out of the recessed part because it will be impossible to operate the lens as it is.
Adding a picture of the problem.

Trond

[alexn]

Trond - Thanks for that, its exactly what I needed to see...

I have my 75mm F/4.5 Grandagon-N now and on a flush lensboard its not going to focus at all, however I have a 20mm recessed board in the post that might sort me out. I can operate the aperture, cock the shutter and close/open the shutter with the lens recessed 20mm however I don't know about the shutter speed... I might be adapt a pair of surgical tweezers to operate that...

With any luck... I would hate to have to sell the 617 back and buy back into a dedicated 617 body... Considering I shoot 6x17 more than 4x5" I could probably sell up the 4x5 and go to a Shen Hao 617 folder.. Might be an option...

[Joshua Dunn]

Alex,

With a Schneider 72mm Super Angulon XL on my Sinar with a recessed 6x17 back for a 4x5 frame I would make contact with the rear element and the 6x17 back if focused at infinity. People have mentioned using a recessed lens board, which I did but that will not have an effect on the distance the rear lens element is from the film plane, just the front standard position changes. For that and other reasons I switched to the K.B. Canham 6x17 back and have never looked back.

As far as other lenses that would be wider than the 72mm Super Angulon XL, I have used both the 47mm and 58mm Super Angulon XL’s on a 6x17 back and it’s tight (forget movements) but it can be done, however you will have trouble with vignetting at infinity, but depending on what you are shooting you can usually find something closer to focus on. However those were both on the Canham back, not a recessed 6x17 back for a 4x5 camera so I can’t tell you from experience if the rear elements would make conact. Both the 47mm and 58mm Super Angulon XL’s have an image circle of 166mm (Schneider’s numbers are conservative) and the 6x17 format minimum required coverage is about 170mm.

Have you considered getting a Canham?

Hope this helps,

-Joshua

Hi everyone..

Im currently shooting a 90/8 on my 4x5 with a 617 back and the coverage is good, however I want to go wider..The lenses I'm considering are as follows.

Nikkor SW 75/4.5
Schneider SA 72/5.6

I know the 72/5.6 will easily cover 617, what I do not know is if I will be able to focus it at infinity given the offset of the 617 back on my Linhof Kardan Super Colour ST. The 90/8 focuses easily with room for some movements.

My other option is to sell the 617 back, buy a 612 back which sit flush on the 4x5 like a standard film holder, allowing me to go as wide as the 47/5.6 or 58/5.6.

Just looking for opinions. I love the 617 format, I did have a dedicated 617 camera however in an attempt to lighten my camera bag I sold it in favor of the back for the 4x5... This way I'm only carrying one camera and one set of lenses rather than two..

Many thanks.

Alex.

PS. If there are other lenses I should be considering please let me know... I do not want to go longer than 75mm.

[Old-N-Feeble]

If I wanted the widest lens that covers 6x17 (with no movements) then my choice would be a 58mm Super Angulon XL. If I needed some movements then I'd opt for a 72mm SA XL. If I needed significant movements... a 90mm SA XL.

My choice of widest lens to cover 6x12 (similar coverage criteria as above) would be: 38mm SA XL, 58mm SA XL and 72mm SA XL.

This is strictly if there are no other issues to consider such as minimum bellows draw and clearance problems.

BTW, I use center filters on all my WA lenses.

[alexn]

Joshua, does the Canham back fit 4x5? i have only seen them for 5x7 thus far...

[JimL]

Trond, maybe you have a slightly different back than me, but I can't mount the 6x17 film back (Da Yi - Focus) on my Technikardan because it hits the shift/tilt levers on the left side of the rear standard. The ground glass part fits, but not the actual film back.

Hallo Alex
I am trying to do the same with a 72xl lens on a Linhof Technikardan and 6x17cm chinese roll film back. Found that the back is 43 mm deep so its a struggle to get the lens close enough to the film. Linhof&studio in the UK will try to put it into a 20mm recessed Technika lensboard and its not going to be easy because the front element is so wide. They are going to see if they can build all the controls out of the recessed part because it will be impossible to operate the lens as it is.
Adding a picture of the problem.

Trond

[Joshua Dunn]

The Canham 6x17 back only fits a 5x7 frame. On a Canham camera it works like a oversized film holder, you just slide it underneath the ground glass. It will work on other 5x7 backs with some effort and maybe some modifications to the back, I had to modify my Sinar 5x7 to get the Canham back to work on it. For a Canham camera the 5x7 an 4x5 formats sit on the same chassis, you just change the back to match the format you want to use. If you want to shoot 4x5 than you need to have a 5x7 back to hold to Canham 6x17 back. Check out Canham's website here. K.B. Canham's site is well done and there is a ton of options there from his metal cameras to his wooden folders. I am a Sinar shooter but if I was going to change systems I would probably get a Canham.

-Joshua

Joshua, does the Canham back fit 4x5? i have only seen them for 5x7 thus far...

[fotografueland]

Jim
Mounting the Da Yi to the Technikardan is possible, I had to take the plastic part on one of the levers of and gently grind the tilt zero lock lever down a little bit, very gently with a dremel. It's tight but possible. Linhof&Studio is working on my 72xl and Technika 20mm recessed lensboard, saying that they can build out controls for the aperture lever, the close and open shutter lever, bending the lever for cocking the lens. They are struggling with a way to operate the shutter speed but are looking deep into it.
Adding a picture of the tight fit.
Trond

[JimL]

Interesting - thanks for the explanation!

Jim
Mounting the Da Yi to the Technikardan is possible, I had to take the plastic part on one of the levers of and gently grind the tilt zero lock lever down a little bit, very gently with a dremel. It's tight but possible. Linhof&Studio is working on my 72xl and Technika 20mm recessed lensboard, saying that they can build out controls for the aperture lever, the close and open shutter lever, bending the lever for cocking the lens. They are struggling with a way to operate the shutter speed but are looking deep into it.
Adding a picture of the tight fit.
Trond

[fotografueland]

Now I have got the Super Angulon 72 XL in to a 21 recessed lensboard, it seemed to be impossible but Paula at Linhof&Studio in the UK modified the controls of the lens and made it possible.
I have about 2 mm more then needed to focus it with the Da Yi 6x17 back on the Linhof Technikardan. so it's possible but not easy. Adding a picture of it.
Trond