RW45 and 75mm Grandagon

[Larry Mendenhall]

Hi, folks

Was a little dismayed when I put my Rodenstock Grandagon-N f6.8 75mm lens on my new arrived Ebony RW45. Despite having a 60mm minimum extension and the universal bellows, I wasn't able to focus the lens. It worked fine on my Tachihara.

Another topic talked about the same problem: http://largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/365280.html (http://largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/365280.html) to which the answer was to get a recessed lens board or return the camera.

But I'd just like to verify that the recessed lens board is the only option for using a 75mm lens on a RW45? (I like everything else about it so I'm not going to return it) Has anyone used this combination? And is it correct to assume that the Ebony RW45 is incapable of focusing all 75mm lenses without a recessed board?

Thanks for the help!

Larry
www.quiet-places.com

[Gem Singer]

Hi Larry,

The Ebony RW45 is capable of focusing a 75mm. lens at infinity using a flat lensboard with the universal bellows. Try using a combination of axis tilts and base tilts on the rear standard. Those movements will move the rear standard forward, bringing the front and rear closer together. It will also insure that the front edge of the focusing rack will not be included in the picture.

There is an illustrated description of this, so called, "wide angle configuration" on the Ebony website (www.ebonycamera.com). Look under "using wide angle lenses".

[mitch rosen]

Larry,

You need to check on the Ebony website becasue there is an alternative configuration for wide angle lenses that will answer all your concerns. It's this configuration that the 60mm mininum extension is based upon. Having said that, I think you'll be much better off mounting the lens in a recessed board. It will give you more room for camera movements. Even then, you may not have quite enough minimum extension to focus at infinity but you'll be close enough so that only minor changes to the normal setup configuration will be needed. Hopefully, you purchased the RW45 with universal bellows as this will also help with movements at short focal lengths.

Mitch

[Steve Hamley]

Articulate the front standard,


http://www.ebonycamera.com/cam/wa.lenses.SV.html (http://www.ebonycamera.com/cam/wa.lenses.SV.html)

Steve

[Herb Cunningham]

I got my 72mm SA to work fine, although I have not spent a lot of time using it, as I am normally using longer lenses on my RW45

I did have to articulate the front standard as I recall, but I had plenty of room-I think most WA lenses require some kind of tilting to get comfortable

[Steve Lewis]

Hi Larry

I use a 65mm on my RW45 with no problem, and a flat lens board. I use a combination of front centre tilt, front base tilt and a little front rise, to move the front standard closer to the rear. The same could be achieved using rear movements. I use a level to make sure that the two standards are parallel to each other before fitting the lens. HTH

Steve

www.landscapesofwales.co.uk

[Larry Mendenhall]

Thanks, everybody! You all said "RTMS!" so nicely. ; ) Usually I research things more thoroughly, but I missed the tilt/wide angle page on the Ebony site and in the instruction sheet that came with the camera.

I really appreciate the quick answers. I'll play with the back and center tilts tonight at home.



Larry
www.quiet-places.com

[Ted Harris]

Larry,

One final thing. You will need to gt the front and back tilts set in the 'wide angle' mode BEFORE you mount the lens.

[Jeremy_D]

No, you don't need to get the standards in position before mounting the lens. I do it all the time with the lens on, its easy.

[Frank Petronio]

isn't this kind of a kludge? I mean don't you loose the advantage of detents and perfect alignment by doing these manipulations?

[Gem Singer]

Frank,

Yes, you do loose the convenience of detents. However, sometimes detents aren't actually advantageous. Using spirit levels, the front and rear standards can easily be brought into alignment. These are wooden flatbed folding field cameras, not optical benches.
The type of photography done with these cameras, doesn't call for "perfect" alignment, only acceptible alignment.

[Ted Harris]

Sorry, it may depend on the lens. With the 75mm SA f5.6 it is a lot harder to do the alignment with the lens mounted ... possible but a real pain ...... setting the standards first while still a pain is a lot easier with this particular lens.