RE: Arca-Swiss ORB Reflex cameras

[Greg]

Does anyone out there have and use an Arca-Swiss ORB-23 (2 1/4 x 3 1/4) or ideally an ORB-45 (4x5 Reflex) camera? Want to use it with my Darlot Petzval lens.

Currently use a Sinar Norma: Darlot Petzval lens on a Sinar board (2" front extension to clear the shutter), Sinar shutter, camera, and finally binocular reflex finder.... not exactly compact and portable.

Had to pass up on an Arca-Swiss Reflex camera that was in poor (quite possibly broken) condition but priced as if were in mint condition. Still looking for an ORB-45.

Are there any other camera options out there with focal plane shutters? Only requirement is that the front lens board can't be all that small... would like to use a largest Buhl protection lens on it also.

Currently use a Sinar Norma: Darlot Petzval lens on a Sinar board (2" front extension to clear the shutter), Sinar shutter, camera, and finally binocular reflex finder.... not exactly compact and portable.

[EdSawyer]

hi Greg -

I am not familiar with the naming (ORB-45) but I have and use an Arca Reflex 4x5. Pics of it here:

http://edsawyer.com/lens/arca_reflex/

I built some lens boards for it, and also built a graflok back for it, based on a Graflex Graflok back.

It was in quite nice shape when I got it but the shutter was a bit sluggish, so I did a full CLA on everything, and got it running smooth again. It's a nice, ingenious design, and rather light and portable.

Another option for you (and easier to come by too) is maybe a Graflex Super-D? I have one of those too (actually 2, a 3x4 one converted to 4x5 back, and a proper 4x5 one.). Pics of the 4x5 one here: http://edsawyer.com/lens/graflex_superD/

The Graflex has a much smaller lensboard than the Arca, though you could (and I did on my 3x4 one) create a new front standard to allow larger boards. My 3x4 one has a couple pictures here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?88781-GRAFLEX-super-D-conversion-to-4x5/page2

The Arca has a nice compound swing to it's mirror which allows a bit more clearance to the back of a lens than the simple single-pivot mirror of the Graflex. Still, in either case, you are probably looking at about 180-190mm as the minimum focal length that will clear the mirror and still be able to focus to infinity.

There's some catalogs that Emmanual Biggler (sp?) has posted of the Oschwald Arca stuff which show the full and extensive lineup of the Arca Reflex gear. Sadly much of it is near unobtanium now, which is why I had to DIY a graflok back (since I had no luck finding an original graflok back for the Arca reflex). Fortunately lens boards are easy to DIY, and you can adapt backs similiarly (assuming you can get the distances right) since the backs take the same sort of mounting plate as a lens board.

Hope that helps
-Ed