neil poulsen
31-Mar-2013, 00:19
I often shoot medium format and like doing so on a view camera. The 6x9 reduction back for my 4x5 is no longer available, and even if it were, it would be prohibitively expensive. One can use 4x5/medium format backs that fit on the Graflok Back under the sliders. But, they're rather large and inconvenient.
I happened to pick up from EBay a type G adaptor and ground glass for a Mamiya Universal press. This adapter enables one to use standard Graphic roll-film holders on the Universal. Because of it's construction, it was easy to mount it onto a lens board that fits onto the rear standard of my 4x5. That's basically the project.
The first photo shows the top and bottom of the Mamiya G adapter.
The second photo shows how the extensions that hold the adapter onto the Universal press camera can be easily removed. (They're not needed for this project.) The second photo also shows a lens board for my camera with a hole cut out of it. (This was done by a local metal artisan, and it's a perfect fit.) Seen on either side of the square hole, I tapped four small threaded holes for the screws into the lens board in the correct locations. I painted the lensboard on the outside with a semi-gloss black Rustolium paint. The small holes in the adapter to which the unneeded extensions are normally bolted, are ideal for fastening the adapter to the lensboard using the holes I tapped. I used four 3/8ths inch, #3 machine screws with 58 pitch threads.
The third photo shows the finished product.
One of the nice things about the Mamiya Universal G adaptor is that they accept Mamiya RB film magazines. These magazines are inexpensive and are excellent quality. (I have a medium format view camera, and it won't accept the Mamiya RB magazines.)
Do I still need a medium format view camera? Since I finished this project, that's a question that I've been pondering.
I happened to pick up from EBay a type G adaptor and ground glass for a Mamiya Universal press. This adapter enables one to use standard Graphic roll-film holders on the Universal. Because of it's construction, it was easy to mount it onto a lens board that fits onto the rear standard of my 4x5. That's basically the project.
The first photo shows the top and bottom of the Mamiya G adapter.
The second photo shows how the extensions that hold the adapter onto the Universal press camera can be easily removed. (They're not needed for this project.) The second photo also shows a lens board for my camera with a hole cut out of it. (This was done by a local metal artisan, and it's a perfect fit.) Seen on either side of the square hole, I tapped four small threaded holes for the screws into the lens board in the correct locations. I painted the lensboard on the outside with a semi-gloss black Rustolium paint. The small holes in the adapter to which the unneeded extensions are normally bolted, are ideal for fastening the adapter to the lensboard using the holes I tapped. I used four 3/8ths inch, #3 machine screws with 58 pitch threads.
The third photo shows the finished product.
One of the nice things about the Mamiya Universal G adaptor is that they accept Mamiya RB film magazines. These magazines are inexpensive and are excellent quality. (I have a medium format view camera, and it won't accept the Mamiya RB magazines.)
Do I still need a medium format view camera? Since I finished this project, that's a question that I've been pondering.