Compatibility of 4x5 lens boards between manufactures.

[Mamu]

Are most 4x5 lens boards interchangeable?

[Bob Salomon]

No.

The most common are Linhof 45 Technika ones. They will directly fit some other brand cameras or to some others with an adapter board.

Sinar and Horseman monorails also share a lensboard as well as a couple of other cameras.

[Leigh]

The most common are Linhof 45 Technika ones. They will directly fit some other brand cameras or to some others with an adapter board.
Sinar and Horseman monorails also share a lensboard as well as a couple of other cameras.
The 4x5 Tachihara field camera uses Technika lensboards.
The 8x10 Tachinara field camera uses Sinar lensboards.

- Leigh

[Alan Gales]

I used to own a 4x5 Tachihara field camera and a Sinar P monorail. I had a Sinar to Technika adapter board so I could just swap lenses back and forth between each camera. Currently, I have a Wehman 8x10 which takes Wehman boards. I have an adapter so I can use the smaller Technika style boards.

I believe there was also an adapter board made for Speed and Crown Graphic boards to fit some monorails.

Do your research before you buy if you want to switch lens boards between cameras.

[jim10219]

There are lots of adapters to use one type of lens board on another type of camera. And in some cases, you can even make your own lens board adapter. I made one to mount my Anniversary Graflex lens boards onto my Sinar camera. I built and sold a Graflex Pacemaker lens board to Sinar adapter as well. I had the spare parts available, and it seemed like a good use of them.

[angusparker]

SK Grimes can make just about any adapter as long as the front standard is larger than the lens board. Also quite a few of the more common options on EBay. The most common sizes are Technica for 4x5 and Sinar for 8x10. Some cameras are picky about the exact Technica shape like Shen Hao. Chamonix Lensboards don’t always fit a Technica sized standard and can be problematic on non-Chamonix cameras.


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[Mamu]

I used to own a 4x5 Tachihara field camera and a Sinar P monorail. I had a Sinar to Technika adapter board so I could just swap lenses back and forth between each camera. Currently, I have a Wehman 8x10 which takes Wehman boards. I have an adapter so I can use the smaller Technika style boards.

I believe there was also an adapter board made for Speed and Crown Graphic boards to fit some monorails.

Do your research before you buy if you want to switch lens boards between cameras.

I'm really focused on large format black and white film shots of landscapes and studio closeup work at this stage. I've gotten a lot of experience with medium format, especially Mamiya gear, but other than printing as a lab tech, learning the basics of view camera operation in art school and lusting after them for decades, large format not so much. I'm really enjoying shooting the Crown Graphic Special with the 135mm f/4.7 Xenar since I was able to borrow one earlier this year. Since then, I've been learning as much as I can before settling on the used view camera and lens for me. Something like a Cambo SCII with a Fuji 210mm is the direction I'm contemplating, but I want to get more feedback (which I really appreciate) here before settling. If I understand correctly, there is a market accessible after 30 days here, unless I misunderstood or that info is out of date. I really doubt I'll swap lenses much, but it's great to know of adapters to make it as little of a pain in the butt as possible. I was primarily wondering if I could pop the Xenar into the view, so I could go ahead and get that while saving for glass. I'm itching to use some movements beyond what the press camera can do. Thanks for the feedback!

[Mamu]

Thanks for the quick feedback! Y'all are awesome. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions. I want to get opinions on the less expensive Cambo and Calumet cameras. I enjoy answering beginners questions, but I enjoy learning new things from other's experience even more. I've probably saved more from listening and asking questions than I've collected in instructor fees for darkroom and basic photo classes. I'm glad to find a good community of large format shooters.

Thanks!

[Dan Fromm]

Mamu, there are two ways you can use your 135 Xenar on a Cambo. Obtain a Cambo board drilled to accept the shutter and move the lens from the Graphic board to the Cambo board (and back) when needed. Or get a Cambo board and have it modified to accept Pacemaker Graphic boards. The second way makes economic sense only if you have more than a few lenses that you want to use on both systems.

FWIW, I shot 2x3 Graphics for years before I was given a Cambo SC 1 (2x3). I'd accumulated quite a few lenses on 2x3 Pacemaker boards, also a variety of spare parts for 2x3 Pacemaker Graphics, including a couple of front standards. 2x3 SC boards are hard to find and not cheap. Since I wanted to shoot my lenses in shutter on my SC 1 and on my Graphics I sacrificed a front standard and a SC 1 board. SKGrimes combined the two, and now I have a board that fits my SC 1 and accepts lenses on 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic boards. Version one of the adapter added a little extension. When this turned out to be a problem, SKG reworked the adapter to let Graphic boards mount on it flush with the front of the SC 1 board.

[Jim Jones]

Mamu -- The 135mm Xenar doesn't have enough coverage to make full use of the front movements. You may eventually want a 135mm lens that does have greater coverage, although it may be too bulky for the Crown. If you do, having each on an appropriate lens board is cheap enough. A longer lens like the ancient, but good, Ektar 203mm f/7.7 will fit the Crown and have enough coverage for some view camera front movements.

[Mamu]

Mamu -- The 135mm Xenar doesn't have enough coverage to make full use of the front movements. You may eventually want a 135mm lens that does have greater coverage, although it may be too bulky for the Crown. If you do, having each on an appropriate lens board is cheap enough. A longer lens like the ancient, but good, Ektar 203mm f/7.7 will fit the Crown and have enough coverage for some view camera front movements.


Thanks! Good to know that up front. I was actually asking to see if I could go ahead and get a camera and use the board and the lens from the Crown while I save up for glass. Looks like lens first would be the best option in my case if I don't get both at the same time. I want to be able to go crazy with movements. I'm primarily shooting landscapes and close up work lately. I wouldn't expect to be doing any windy day work, but I'm looking at a Calumet SCII....something geared with lots of movement and enough rail to get right up on my tiny subject.
I have to minimize my cost as much as possible. Right now I'm still in the research / shopping stage (primarily the former). I'd rather be patient now and completely satisfied latter than get in a hurry.

These look interesting: Astragon 210mm f/6.3 Commercial(42)
Fuji 210mm f/5.6 Fujinon-W Seiko B (48 MT)

I like the idea of having full use of movements and being able to bump up the 5x7 if I get a chance. (A good deal on a 5x7 with a 4x5 adapted back might be a good option if one is available when the timing works).



I've looked at some of the old threads on them here. I realize in those mount sizes they are likely pretty heavy, but when that becomes an issuse I'll join the MFT club. If your use to hauling around a Mamiya C330, the bigger glass isn't a problem. I wouldn't anticipate using them in the Crown if that's even possible. The Astragon is only $105 bargain grade at KEH and if the grading for the large format gear is consistent with their grading of medium format and DSLR gear I've purchased over the years that works for me. I wonder if you could tell them apart in a 16x20 print? I'm really doubtful at f/22. Would the Fuji have overall better contrast or just maintain sharpness until you opened up a bit more than the Astragon I wonder? I suspect the newer seiko shutter and coatings would be worth another $50 for the Fuji. I realize that I'd definitely want newer glass for color, but I've got my Pentax K5 for that.

Thanks again for the info,

:cool:


Al

[Dan Fromm]

The Astragon is most likely a Yamasaki (their own brand is Congo) made f/6.3 tessar type. These can be good and have more than enough coverage for 4x5 but quality control was inconsistent. On the whole, the Fuji has more coverage and is the better bet at $50 more.

[Jim Jones]

If you are considering 5x7 in the future, there should be plenty of 5x7 B&J flatbeds on ebay and elsewhere. One was my primary LF camera for many years. The body weighs 6 or 7 lbs. If you do get a flatbed, make sure you also get the extension rail to enable you to use longer lenses and do macro work. Of course there are many other cameras that work as well or better. B&J was a long-time moderately priced brand, and thus popular in its time and plentiful now. A flatbed is more portable in the field than a monorail, but many monorails have an advantage for studio and macro work. Having both lets you keep a studio set-up ready to go at a moment's notice, and another kit ready to go in the field. You also have back-up bodies. A 4x5 back salvaged from a junked press camera and adapted to B&J gave me an inexpensive smaller back.