What filter thread for a 190mm Wide Field Ektar?

[pendennis]

I'm currently building up my "kit" for 4x5 photography. Thus far, I've found a decent Super Graphic for a "field" camera. Its 135mm f4.5 lens is in the shop for a CLA on the shutter. It looks to have not been cycled in 40+ years, and the slow speeds are like molasses.


Yesterday, i ran across a mint condition Commercial Ektar Wide Field 190mm, f6.3, missing only the #4 flange, which is on its way now. I know that the 190 Wide Field is overkill for a 4x5, but @ $100 OTD, it was too good a deal to pass.

The modern lenses take modern XXmm filters.

My question concerns the Ektar. The lens is threaded, but a 67mm will not fit. Is this a threaded Series VIII?

[Dan Fromm]

Pendennis, a Commercial Ektar is not a Wide Field Ektar. You got a 190/6.3 WF Ektar at a very good price. According to http://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/KodakEktarsDB1.htm it is threaded Ser. VIII.

[Mark Sampson]

All the Wide Field Ektars had series-threaded front rings. They were originally supplied with a retaining ring, commonly gone after 50+ years. I've never seen a 190 WFE, (perhaps the rarest of the line) but series 8 sounds right. My 135/6.3 WFE takes a series 7, and the 10" WFE takes a series 9. If you look hard enough, you can find a series-to-mm adapter ring. I have a Series 7-52mm ring for my 135. I'm sure you will like your lens, they are well-respected 70+ years after they were introduced. Sounds like you got a great price, too. And, not to be pedantic, but the Commercial Ektars and the Wide Field Ektars are two different series of lenses.

[Sanford]

190mm isn't at all overkill for a 4X5, the most commonly found lens on a 4X5, in my experience, is a 210mm. I have been playing with a 135mm Wide Field Ektar lately and love it

[pendennis]

190mm isn't at all overkill for a 4X5, t
he most commonly found lens on a 4X5, in my experience, is a 210mm. I have been playing with a 135mm Wide Field Ektar lately and love it

The local dealer had a Sironar N 210 f5.6, that's more or less my normal lens. The camera (Cambo SC) came with a 90mm Super Angulon. So I have wide-to-long lenses. The 190 find was serendipitous. Before I got rid of all my LF equipment about 8 years ago, I had an Omega and a Commercial Ektar 8.5" f6.3. I really liked the Ektar, but it had some fungus, and I didn't want to spend the money to have the lens repaired.

This past winter I bought an Epson V850 and scanned some 4x5 transparencies and negatives to digital in addition to 35mm and 120. Convinced me that I needed to start shooting more film, other than 35mm and 120.

Besides the Cambo, I found a great deal on a Super Graphic that hadn't been out of the closet in 40 years. Of course, the lube in the Rapax shutter had really congealed in the slow speeds, and it's in the shop for a good CLA. It's going to become a field camera.

[Keith Fleming]

S. K. Grimes can make an adapter that allows you to use standard sized filters on your Wide Field Ektar. While I don't have an Ektar, Grimes has made a few adapters for the lenses I do have that allowed me to standardize on 67 mm filters.

Keith F.

[Chauncey Walden]

Won't a 67mm filter screw into a series VIII thread? At least part way?

[Doremus Scudder]

Won't a 67mm filter screw into a series VIII thread? At least part way?

It's quite possible that this is correct. Wikipedia gives the "adapter ring" size (I assume they mean the filter retaining ring thread size)as 66.7 mm. That may be close enough to the threads on a 67mm filter to at least give it a "grip" and not fall off. If the 67mm filters thread in far enough, using them without an adapter might be a good possibility.

Best,

Doremus

[pendennis]

Won't a 67mm filter screw into a series VIII thread? At least part way?
I tried a number of 67mm filters on the lens. They all attached at about 1 thread before the resistance gets too high.

I'm pretty sure that there are a number of differences between 67mm threads, and Series VIII. Most notably pitch and fineness of the threads. The 67mm threads look much finer.

[LabRat]

Also, some series retaining rings have different threads, but the Kodak and Tiffen should fit fine...

Yes, the retaining rings have a coarser threads than standard filter threads...

Having a clamp-on adapter that holds your new filter size would be nice, as you can compose, then add the clamp-on filter holder before final focus/shooting...

Steve K

[AtlantaTerry]

Wing's Camera in Atlanta has a box full of odd Series rings. Every time I go in there I buy a handful.

Wing's Camera
3100 Briarcliff Road NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30329
(404) 636-4406
Hours: 9AM–5PM
http://www.wingscamera.com/

Ask for Mike (the owner) and tell him I sent you.