Kalart Adjustment on Crown Graphic

[Kevin Crisp]

I was recalibrating mine for a different lens, following the factory instructions and some issues have come up. On the 4' measurement, the test target distance is measured from where exactly on the camera? It would obviously make quite a difference. To the ground glass or somewhere else? I ask because when I finally got the close adjustment right (after having infinity and the mid range right on the money), it threw it off infinity and I could not get the second image to coincide with the subject at infinity (regardless of the amount of adjustment on the side cam) unless I went back and moved the 4' adjustment slide a bit to what seems like the wrong position if I measure the 4' to where the filmholder goes. Thanks.

[Moe_4073]

When setting up the Kalart on my Speed Graphic, I measure distances to the front of the lensboard. You do have to work through the adjustments a few times until all are okay (or as near okay as you can get with a Kalart). Cheers,

[Jim Rice]

I would have thought from the film plane.

[Moe_4073]

I should have put in a little more detail in first response. To set up for a 105mm lens (for example), I focus by ground glass at infinity, then measure from the film plane forward 105mm, and use this spot as the point to take measurements. By design or by coincidence, this happens to be the front face of the lensboard for the vintage shutter/lenses I use on my SG. Cheers,

[Bill_1856]

That's what happens if you try to set the Kalart for a focal length too long or too short.

[Kevin Crisp]

Well...no. I was only switching from a 135 Xenar to a 135 Symmar-S. Once I realized that moving the 4' setting a little bit would again allow me to get infinity in focus, I started over at infinity, made a small adjustment to the 15' setting, then tested and found it accurate down to 6' so I'm leaving it alone. I have never had an urge to handhold a photo of something 4' away. On the issue of where the adjustment was made to (film place versus lens board, etc.), I thought a clue would come from setting the bed distance scale exactly at 6', then moving the camera closer until the gg is in sharp focus. If you do that, it is 6' exactly when you are about an inch short of the gg. So for future reference, I think it is the groundglass. Thanks for your suggestions.