Newbie Linhof lens question

[white gloves]

Hi everyone

I have just entered the world of large format photography. I'm a very lucky girl being gifted a Linhof Color. I have a lot of experience with 35mm and medium format film cameras but none with large format.

I am trying to work out the lens I have. Ifs a Schneider 210/370 I understand that the front element should unscrew but its a bit tight so I will have to keep trying to get that to budge. I can see that it has the different aperture markings for the different lengths and basically how the lens works but there are two things I can't figure out.

The lens has a green lever which points to either M or X, I assume that it has something to do with the conversion because its green like the other conversion markings but other than that I am lost. Also there is a button beside the button that you press to hold the shutter open for view and I cannot for the life of me figure out what it does.

Also how do you figure out the copal size of your lens board? The lens has no markings on it and neither does the board to say what size it is. Do all my lenses have to fit this copal size or can I mount other boards with other sizes?

Thanks heaps for any help, google has not been very helpful at all.

[David A. Goldfarb]

M is for flashbulb sync, and X is for electronic flash. It has nothing to do with the focal length conversion.

As for the button, it may be a self-timer button. Careful using it, because if the lens hasn't been serviced recently, there's a fair likelihood of the lens getting stuck in the self-timer position. Usually the way it works is you slide the button as you cock the shutter to move the lever to the self-timer position. If you try it and it does get stuck, just gently nudge the cocking lever toward the at-rest position to get things moving.

a 210mm Symmar Convertible I think should be in a Synchro-Compur #1 shutter, which is the same or close to the size of a Copal #1.

[Dan Fromm]

The button is for what's called press focus, is also called a blade arrestor. To use it, cock the shutter, press the button down (towards the back of the shutter), and release the shutter. The blades will open and stay open. To close the shutter, cock again and release again.

Compur #1 and Copal #1 shutters conform to the same standard. The most commonly used shutter sizes nowadays are #0, #1, and #3, all to the Compur/Copal/Prontor standard. Here http://www.skgrimes.com/products/new-copal-shutters is a link to tables of sizes, including mounting holes. Note that there are really two standards, one for cock-and-shoot and another for self-cocking, also called press, shutters. The difference between the standards matters only for lenses whose rear cells go deep into the shutter.

[white gloves]

Thank you both. I never would have figured that out without asking. It's much appreciated

[John Schneider]

...the front element should unscrew but its a bit tight so I will have to keep trying to get that to budge.

If you stick with LF, and especially if you like old lenses, you'll need a strap wrench or two. This is my favorite in the small sizes; others may have their own favorites: http://www.mcmaster.com/#strap-wrenches/=lk1d0o (the 3/8 square drive one)

You'll also want a wrench for tightening the shutter retaining ring to a lensboard; the ones by Toyo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/61131-REG/Toyo_View_180_625_Lens_Mounting_Wrench.html) and Rodenstock (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/131992-USA/Rodenstock_260600_Metal_Lens_Wrench.html) are nice.

[white gloves]

Thanks John

I ended up putting some glue tape around the lens for extra grip and that did the trick but a strap sounds like a great idea. I'll look into it.