Mystery Cambo Board Adapter

[Penumbra]

I need a bit of help figuring out exactly what kind of lens board this thing accepts; at first sight I thought it was a Technika adapter but the central hole is the wrong size and the spring clips - here removed - are the wrong thickness; a Technika board doesn't seem to fit it at all. I've been looking at pictures online for a couple days and I haven't found anything that seems to match it. The recessed grooves are 3.865" apart (outside edge to outside edge), the central hole is 2.965" in diameter, and the spacers for the retainter clips on either side are .120" thick and were spaced exactly 4.000" apart. I'm sure someone knows exactly what fits it, but that someone isn't me; apologies for the horrid picture...I had to prop the board on a film canister in order to get the weird groove in the surface to show up.

Pictured: With my luck, whatever fits this will be more expensive than Cambo boards.

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w506/inlovewithgreta/Randomness/IMG_20130914_145642_zpsed28ad48.jpg~original (http://s1079.photobucket.com/user/inlovewithgreta/media/Randomness/IMG_20130914_145642_zpsed28ad48.jpg.html)

[Jac@stafford.net]

The adapter is likely to allow use of Cambo CC400 lens boards.
Look to the used market.

[Penumbra]

The adapter is likely to allow use of Cambo CC400 lens boards.
Look to the used market.

Ouch...if that's correct, they're harder to find and more expensive than the Cambo boards. :D

[Mark Sampson]

4x4 boards for the Calumet CC400 cameras are as common as crabgrass, at least in the USA. The CC400 series cameras are certainly the most popular 4x5 view cameras of all time, and lensboards to fit them should be cheap, and who knows? perhaps still available new from Calumet. I believe, as well, that the boards from the common Graphic View II will fit, but I'm not absolutely sure of that. In any case, you should have no trouble finding all you want.

[Penumbra]

Based on the information presented - and now that I know what to look for - I'm finding quite a few of them! I had tried looking for "CC400" boards and got absolutely nowhere; however, "4x4 calumet board" is EASY to find. I've also found a few pictures of the back of that board, and there's a raised square lip on it that roughly matches the groove in the adapter board I have! Score! Thanks, guys!

[AtlantaTerry]

.. there's a raised square lip on it that roughly matches the groove in the adapter board I have!

Groove? In the photo it looks like a raised lip.

If it is a groove, then my vote is that this was made to accept Crown Graphic lens boards.

It certainly would be helpful if Cambo marked their products with part numbers.

[Penumbra]

Yep, it's a groove. I do apologize for the picture quality, but the only digital camera I own is attached to my cell phone and it doesn't have that great of a lens. ;)

And yes, it would be VERY helpful if Cambo would mark ANYTHING with a part number.

[AtlantaTerry]

Yep, it's a groove. I do apologize for the picture quality, but the only digital camera I own is attached to my cell phone and it doesn't have that great of a lens. ;)

The lens is fine (it could use some cleaning), the problem is with the lighting. On your cell phone is the light under the lens? If so, that is why the shadows in the photo are going up instead of down which therefore makes a groove appear as a raised edge.

[Penumbra]

The lens is fine (it could use some cleaning), the problem is with the lighting. On your cell phone is the light under the lens? If so, that is why the shadows in the photo are going up instead of down which therefore makes a groove appear as a raised edge.

Oh, believe me...the entirety of the camera on my phone is terrible, including the lens, and - as you point out - the "flash" location. You nailed it perfectly; it's beneath the lens and makes everything distorted.

I hopefully have a 4x4 Calumet board on the way, and will be able to see if it fits. ;)