Loose Lens - Can I just tighten it?

[vlf]

I'm brand new to LF photography, owning a Wista 45 DX for about three weeks. It has been a wonderful experience so far, with my first four test shots coming out great (for first shots - no suggestion of prize winning photos), especially since not only is the use of a view camera new to me, but I haven't developed film in over 30 years. Fortunately, there is a lot of info out there on the Internet, including on this forum to help, and it did.

I bought the Wista with a Rodenstock 90 mm Grandagon N that was loose on the lens board. The lens is in great shape, optically speaking (even when viewed through my stereo microscope), and the lens board looks to be almost new. I screwed the lens to tighten it and all appears to be fine, at least fine enough for me to capture some test images. My question to you is whether or not it's as simple as just screwing/tightening the lens on the board. I found some posts that discuss putting lenses on lens boards, but i thought I had better ask to be certain. In Ansel's book, The Camera (I think it was that book), it says something about spacing between the front and rear elements being critical and that a technician should mount the lens to a board. Perhaps that statement is dated, but until you ask you just don't know for sure.

Thank you in advance,


V

[seven]

it is as simple as just tightening it, don't worry. the spacing between the elements is critical, but your shutter (or barrel) takes care of that already.

[Bob Salomon]

If the shutter is loose on the lensboard then you just have to tighten the retaining ring that attaches the shutter to the board.
But, if the shutter is tight on the board and you can wiggle the front of the lens on the shutter then your shutter is cracked and you will need a new shutter. This usually happens when that large front cell of the lens hits something like a door jam or a table or a tree, etc.

[vlf]

Great news, and thank you both for the responses. I believe the shutter is working fine, or at least acceptably fine to allow for some decent test shots.

[Michael E]

The shutter is just screwed into the retaining ring, the front and rear lens cells are just screwed into the shutter. All of these can become loose and can easily be tightened. Don't use too much force, that's all. But somebody who inspects lenses under a stereo microscope is probably not too rough on fine mechanical engeneering...

[Alan Gales]

Do yourself a favor and buy one of these lens wrenches. It's cheap and easy to use. Once you tighten the retaining ring with this it will stay tightened.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/131992-USA/Rodenstock_260600_Metal_Lens_Wrench.html

[Bob Salomon]

Do yourself a favor and buy one of these lens wrenches. It's cheap and easy to use. Once you tighten the retaining ring with this it will stay tightened.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/131992-USA/Rodenstock_260600_Metal_Lens_Wrench.html

Alan is right, but it will not fit into smaller recessed boards.

[B.S.Kumar]

Alan is right, but it will not fit into smaller recessed boards.

Bob, the wrench doesn't have to fit inside the recessed board. The retaining ring is at the back of the board...

Kumar

[Doremus Scudder]

A photo would help. Do make sure you have the right retaining ring and that it is seating correctly. Most dedicated retaining rings have a ridge that fits down into the hole in the lensboard to protect the threads on the shutter barrel. Sometimes these are too long for thin metal lensboards and keep the ring from seating against the board properly. The best solution to this is to mill the ridge down to the right size, but many just reverse the retaining ring and tighten it down that way. As long as there is no slop or undue stress, the threads on the shutter barrel are well enough protected.

Best,

Doremus

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, the wrench doesn't have to fit inside the recessed board. The retaining ring is at the back of the board...

Kumar
I know, but it will not fit into some small boards like a Linhof recessed board.

[LabRat]

If the lensboard is too thin when the threads are completely tightened, and still does not secure shutter on the front, you can get a thin o-ring from the plumbing supply department, and place it under the retaining ring on the rear, to take up the excess space... Or cut a mattboard, wood, formica, etc circle as a washer there... Or other spacer materials you can dig up...

Steve K

[Chauncey Walden]

I've run into that with a Compur 0. They should have made the wrench with the 0 part extended a quarter inch or so to clear the "wings" that get in the way.

[vlf]

A lens wrench, more cool tools! I just added it to the cart. I've highly desired a 4X5 camera ever since I made the move to MF with my Mamiya 645 and RZ a dozen + years ago (film fever perhaps, not unlike aperture fever to us amateur astronomers), and though I did a fair amount of research, I guess until you own one you never know what all goes into it. I'm sure I'll soon collect more gadgets.

Thank you all for the suggestions and discussion.


V

[Leigh]

The shutter is just screwed into the retaining ring, the front and rear lens cells are just screwed into the shutter.
There's a third option...

A retaining ring is normally screwed into the front lens cell to hold the first lens element in place.

If that comes loose, the first element is loose, likely degrading the image.
This can happen if someone loosens that retaining ring thinking that is how you remove the front cell from the shutter (not true).

- Leigh