Hacking a Sinar to Linhof Adaptor on to an old Arca Lens Board

[steveo]

I've recently purchased an older arca swiss model B (pre F line) and I've hit some problems with lenses and boards. The 171mm boards are massive and quite scarce, the only proper adaptor I've found is very spendy >£100. The camera appears to have been modified by a previous owner with bolts on the front standard to help secure the lens board so I would be unable to sell the adaptor if I move the camera on.

Its been suggested to me that I could cut my current lens board out and rivet a Sinar to Linhof adaptor to the front of my lens board then just use Linhof boards. Apart from losing my only lens board, which is already customised, is there any other drawbacks? Will lose infinity focus for example?

[Regular Rod]

I had a similar situation with a Kodak Model B Whole Plate format camera. I made up some panels using multiple sheets of plywood in suitable thicknesses cut in squares to match the steps in the front standard's light trap all glued together with ordinary wood glue and then with holes cut using a fret saw to mount the flanges on. That was fine for the barrel lenses and a big old clunky lens with a shutter but I wanted to use the modern lenses I had already got mounted on the Wista/Linhof/Shen Hao style panels so needed an adapter. I emailed Shen Hao (zhangfmli@vip.sina.com) and they told me the measurements they needed from my camera. I measured these and sent them over and for $180 including shipping they made me an adapter in aluminium that is, to say the least, a beautifully made piece of precision engineering that works perfectly.

RR

[steveo]

Cheers, I think I'll need to at least look at making my own board. If I get to the point of needing to spend hundreds I'll probably wait till I have the cash for a slightly more modern camera.

[Regular Rod]

Cheers, I think I'll need to at least look at making my own board. If I get to the point of needing to spend hundreds I'll probably wait till I have the cash for a slightly more modern camera.

Modern camera will give you no more than you have now, so long as nothing is worn out or faulty...

The other thing you could do is make a plywood layer panel as previously mentioned, cut a suitable sized hole in it and epoxy a Wista/Linhof/Shen Hao style panel to suit your lens, back to front, over the hole on the front of the plywood panel, which will then ensure you get a safe anchorage for your lens if the threaded portion of the shutter is too short to comfortable fit through the plywood layer panel. It won't look elegant but it will do the job.

RR

[jackpie]

Its been suggested to me that I could cut my current lens board out and rivet a Sinar to Linhof adaptor to the front of my lens board then just use Linhof boards. Apart from losing my only lens board, which is already customised, is there any other drawbacks? Will lose infinity focus for example?

That should work well. Linhof Technika style boards are compact and available at a fraction of the price of Arca boards. Sinar to Linhof Technika adapters are also common and easy to adapt to larger lens boards.

The modification to your Arca using bolts to secure the lens board sounds a little alarming. The Sinar board is 139mm square. If none of the mods interfere with the central area of the Arca lens board then the flat Sinar adapter board should bolt right on. The hole in the Arca board will need to be enlarged to match that on the adapter.

[John Schneider]

I've done a number of adaptions like this, and I think using a Linhof Kardan-to-Technika adapter board is a better way to go than a Sinar board. The Kardan boards are uniformly flat, so mounting it onto your Arca board will be easier than the Sinar. Linhof's own adapter boards give IMO the smoothest and most secure way to mount Technika boards. These Kardan-Technika adapter boards are always my first choice when planning a job like this. Prices tend to be all over the place, so it pays to be patient.

[Ed Bray]

Hi Steve, as it was me that suggested the adaption I will say that it's very easy to do and works really well.

The hard part for you will be getting the hole bored out to a useable size, on a Plaubel I did it with a drill and jigsaw as I wanted to make a square hole to allow a step in the adapter board to fit which gave a greater degree of light-proofing.

The second time I did it I did it as I suggested to you with the enlarging of the hole in the lens board, the adapter (which had a flat back) was fitted with some grey stick on foam window insulation around the inside edge, this was then riveted to the lensboard with a rivet in each corner, worked great.

I disagree with the statement about the Karden board, the Sinar ones are plentiful and 'cheap' and will do all you require quite easily and well.

Front after adaption:

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m338/EdBray/Lensboard.jpg (http://s332.photobucket.com/user/EdBray/media/Lensboard.jpg.html)

Rear after adaption:

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m338/EdBray/Lensboard2.jpg (http://s332.photobucket.com/user/EdBray/media/Lensboard2.jpg.html)

[steveo]

That should work well. Linhof Technika style boards are compact and available at a fraction of the price of Arca boards. Sinar to Linhof Technika adapters are also common and easy to adapt to larger lens boards.

The modification to your Arca using bolts to secure the lens board sounds a little alarming. The Sinar board is 139mm square. If none of the mods interfere with the central area of the Arca lens board then the flat Sinar adapter board should bolt right on. The hole in the Arca board will need to be enlarged to match that on the adapter.

Yeah I'm not sure why the previous owner saw fit to make that particular mod.


Modern camera will give you no more than you have now, so long as nothing is worn out or faulty...

Its more getting accessories, there isn't much around for the old style Arca's.


I've done a number of adaptions like this, and I think using a Linhof Kardan-to-Technika adapter board is a better way to go than a Sinar board. The Kardan boards are uniformly flat, so mounting it onto your Arca board will be easier than the Sinar. Linhof's own adapter boards give IMO the smoothest and most secure way to mount Technika boards. These Kardan-Technika adapter boards are always my first choice when planning a job like this. Prices tend to be all over the place, so it pays to be patient.
Cool, cheers. I've got the Sinar board now and started making cuts so I'm pretty well committed!

[Carsten Wolff]

Yeah I'm not sure why the previous owner saw fit to make that particular mod.


Its more getting accessories, there isn't much around for the old style Arca's.


Cool, cheers. I've got the Sinar board now and started making cuts so I'm pretty well committed!

I sold mine for £50 to Kings Lynn, UK, just last week :) but it is a pretty easy adaptation anyway.
There are also some good HK/Chinese adapters on eb*y.
My old Arca-B is now a heady mix of B and F anyway (with a Canham back thrown in) and I too use Linhof/Toyo/Nikon/Fujinon/Wista/NSE/unbranded boards. (Should we just call them LTW boards from now on?)

[steveo]

Hi Steve, as it was me that suggested the adaption I will say that it's very easy to do and works really well.

The hard part for you will be getting the hole bored out to a useable size, on a Plaubel I did it with a drill and jigsaw as I wanted to make a square hole to allow a step in the adapter board to fit which gave a greater degree of light-proofing.

The second time I did it I did it as I suggested to you with the enlarging of the hole in the lens board, the adapter (which had a flat back) was fitted with some grey stick on foam window insulation around the inside edge, this was then riveted to the lensboard with a rivet in each corner, worked great.

I disagree with the statement about the Karden board, the Sinar ones are plentiful and 'cheap' and will do all you require quite easily and well.

Front after adaption:



Rear after adaption:

Ah, Hi Ed :)

I ended up doing as you did the first time, I couldn't see an easy way of making the hole bigger with the tools I had so decided the better option would be to rough out a square hole and file it to fit. I'm going to epoxy it in and seal with foam as you suggested. So long as I'm careful roughing out the hole and don't go over the area of the adaptor it should seal nicely...

My main concern was setting the lens even further forward and losing infinity focus, with the adaptor recessed I don't think it'll be an issue plus I'm probably just over thinking it!

[steveo]

I sold mine for £50 to Kings Lynn, UK, just last week :) but it is a pretty easy adaptation anyway.
There are also some good HK/Chinese adapters on eb*y.
My old Arca-B is now a heady mix of B and F anyway (with a Canham back thrown in) and I too use Linhof/Toyo/Nikon/Fujinon/Wista/NSE/unbranded boards. (Should we just call them LTW boards from now on?)

Aye, should be nice and simple just a bit of work roughing out the hole.
It is a nice camera, I can see why you've added to it over time. I wonder at what point it stops being a Model B and starts being triggers camera.
They do seem to be the closest to standardisation I've seen since M42.

[Regular Rod]

Hi Steve, as it was me that suggested the adaption I will say that it's very easy to do and works really well.

The hard part for you will be getting the hole bored out to a useable size, on a Plaubel I did it with a drill and jigsaw as I wanted to make a square hole to allow a step in the adapter board to fit which gave a greater degree of light-proofing.

The second time I did it I did it as I suggested to you with the enlarging of the hole in the lens board, the adapter (which had a flat back) was fitted with some grey stick on foam window insulation around the inside edge, this was then riveted to the lensboard with a rivet in each corner, worked great.

I disagree with the statement about the Karden board, the Sinar ones are plentiful and 'cheap' and will do all you require quite easily and well.

Front after adaption:

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m338/EdBray/Lensboard.jpg (http://s332.photobucket.com/user/EdBray/media/Lensboard.jpg.html)

Rear after adaption:

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m338/EdBray/Lensboard2.jpg (http://s332.photobucket.com/user/EdBray/media/Lensboard2.jpg.html)

This is brilliant and I wish I'd seen it sooner. £36 for an adapter off of eBay and away you go. I've just ordered one. It will be a strong solution too, making big heavy lenses safer to fit...

RR

[steveo]

Cut a nice square hole for the adaptor, the foam was a total pain in the whatsits. I had some thick stuff from wikes I thought would do the job. It ended up being way too thick and cutting it down was not happening. The thin foam I had was too thin to go in the trough so placed it between the lens board and adaptor. The epoxy hasn't dried yet but I think it's interfering with the epoxy and I don't know how well joined the two parts are but at the moment you can see the foam compress when I put weight on the adaptor.

With hindsight, I'd not have bothered with the foam or at least found a piece of foam designed stuff to fit in the slot.

[Ed Bray]

Steve, that was the advantage of riveting the two boards, as the rivets compressed the foam between the two boards when they were fitted. The foam I used was about 5mm wide by 3mm thick and you could compress it easily with your fingers.

I am sure your solution will be fine, at least you will have a greater love for your camera when it has 'a little bit of you' in it.

[steveo]

Aye, I was reconsidering the epoxy about half way through applying it! But I'd just been out to buy new stuff, after the last stuff had been accidentally binned, and was getting pig headed. I have form for that...