Old Lenses on New Cameras

[Peter Lewin]

Is there an existing thread (I couldn't find it) or can someone give a simple explanation on how one can mount and use old lenses (e.g. Petzvals) on a modern 4x5, for example my Canham DLC? I keep seeing really interesting images (jcoldslabs jumps to mind) made with these turn-of-the-century lenses, but most of the comments seem to suggest using them on Speed Graphics because of the built-in shutter, or on 8x10 and larger cameras because the lenses are so large. When I look at the photographs, they mount differently, because it looks like you have to tap screw holes and screw the mounting flange to your lens board. And I guess you expose by removing and replacing the lens cap, or perhaps you buy a Packard shutter? Bottom line, is there a step-by-step instruction on what someone like me would have to do to mount and use an old barrel lens on a new 4x5?

[Mark Barendt]

You simply get a lens board properly drilled so that the old lens can be mounted.

As far as the shutter. http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ICLG3...%3DICLG3HCDlhk

[C. D. Keth]

There's really no tricks. Just use your head. You really just attach it to a lensboard in any way you can. You can screw the flange to the board which you've drilled and tapped. You can use short bolts with nuts in through-drilled holes. With some wooden lensboards, you can cut the hole just smaller than the threaded rear of the lens and thread the lens itself into the wood. You can even put a bit of silicone lubricant on the lens threads and use bondo smeared into a sloppy lensboard hole to make an ugly but serviceable permanent flange that the lens unscrews from.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Seem to recall recent threads here on LFF re: using such barrel lenses on 8x10's with Sinar behind-the-lens shutters mounted on an intermediate standard or attached to a custom lens board--probably searchable via Google. Heck, you might even find them with the site's search engine.

[Mark Barendt]

Christopher is right on the money, it need not be fancy.

I actually have a barrel lens that slides int a bare hole in a lens board and is held in place by rubber bands around the barrel.

[Mike Anderson]

You simply get a lens board properly drilled so that the old lens can be mounted.

As far as the shutter. http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ICLG3...%3DICLG3HCDlhk

I get the mobile youtube version with that link. Here's the regular youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICLG3HCDlhk

[jcoldslabs]

Peter,

Since you name-checked me in your post (flattering, actually), I thought I would chime in. I agree with the above. My old barrel lenses are mounted in a variety of ways. My first choice these days is using foamed PVC (brand name is Sintra, but I get the generic stuff at Tap Plastics). It is soft enough to cut with a sharp blade and/or a Dremel tool, but firm enough to hold even big lenses. It will even take screws if you drill small pilot holes first. I have a huge eight pound 15" Petzval mounted with this stuff. If you cut a hole slightly smaller than you need the rear threads of a flange-less lens will grab and hold and can be screwed into place. Sometimes I use an existing lens board (I have a metal one for my Toyo 45A, for example) with an overlarge hole in it and then duct tape the lens in its PVC or cardboard mount to the "real" lens board. See the photo at bottom right for an example of this kind of thing. This year I bought an iris clamp and it was the best money I ever spent. Not cheap, but now I can mount a variety of lenses quickly and easily.

As for exposing without a shutter, I tend to shoot old film that has lost a lot of speed or aerial duplicating film with a very low ISO (3) so the fastest shutter speeds I need even in bright sun are around 1/2 second, very easy to do by hand. I have some Packard shutters and have considered front-mounting them to my lenses, but I haven't had a need as yet.

Here are some photos of some of my lenses and their high class mounts (pardon the crappy digi-snaps):







Jonathan

[Mark Barendt]

I get the mobile youtube version with that link. Here's the regular youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICLG3HCDlhk

Thank you. The one I posted was simply what my iPad found.