Fujinon EX 135mm enlarging lens not fitting 53mm lens board.

[cirwin2010]

Hi,

This is my first post to this forum so I hope I am putting this in the right place.

I am working on expanding my darkroom to accommodate 4x5 enlargements. I purchased a Fujinon ex 135mm f/5.6 enlarging lens. At the time I didn't realize that this lens requires a unique 53mm sized flange. I went ahead and purchased a 53mm 4x4 lens board off ebay, but there appears to be some sort of fitment issue. The hole in the lens board appears to be too small to allow the lens threads through. While I don't know for sure, the lens board appears to be a Beseler lens board as it looks just like my other ones. I did a rough measurement with a tape measure of the opening and it appears to be the advertised 53mm size. I have attached some pictures of what I am dealing with. Any thoughts as to what may be going on? I got the Fujinon EX because it was comparable in quality to "the big three" brands while being cheaper, but now I'm wondering if I should have just spent the extra money.
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Note: I am still waiting on my 53mm x 0.75 retaining ring form Custom Photo Tools.

Edit: Upon further inspection it appears that the inside wall of the lens board it tapered slightly. One side of the opening is larger than the other by a small amount. I am not sure why this is or if it is to be expected.

[Drew Wiley]

If this is the focal length you like for 4x5 applications, no need to look for a different brand. Fuji is highly reputable.

[ic-racer]

Enlarge the hole a little and you should be fine.

[cirwin2010]

Enlarge the hole a little and you should be fine.

Do you think a Dremel with a sanding attachment might work? I've been meaning to get a Dremel like tool for a while. Not sure if the sanding bit will work on metal.

[Dugan]

A Dremel should work...
Go slowly.
WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

[cirwin2010]

A Dremel should work...
Go slowly.
WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

Thanks for the caution. If this is the route I'm taking I'll be sure to wear eye protection and go slowly.

[Drew Wiley]

Gotta be careful with those little Dremel points; they can dig in unevenly. Use the largest diameter abrasive cylinder they offer, and lower the RPM a bit. As far as sanding afterwards, I'd rather use black silicon carbide emery cloth afterwards by hand, or wrapped around a wooden dowel, going slower and more carefully, to remove any remaining burrs or sharp edges. That's not actually how I personally do things, because I have a drill press and fly cutters and drum sanding attachments, etc. But if I didn't, I would probably improvise with a Dremel. Get one of the better ones - even those are only about a hundred bucks per starter kit, and will prove valuable in numerous photo-related applications.

[Tin Can]

round hand file is always handy

and cheap

make sure you instal the wood handle properly,

[ic-racer]

The drum sanding wheel seems to work best for me on aluminum.

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[Drew Wiley]

Go to McMaster Carr. There are industrial rubberized abrasives available for both Dremel and small die grinders, a big selection of these. These are generally superior to conventional Dremel options. Dremel themselves does offer a few rubber points, but that's about it. I'm waiting till I need another large enough order from McMaster to warrant the shipping fee; and then I'll stock up with a variety of them. They're great for metal tune-up and polishing, and significantly outlast Dremel sanding drums; don't slip either.

I could kick myself for not buying a serious die grinder back when I sold them. I can still get a good one at the local welding supply, but would have to pay full price.

[GregE]

Hi. I've just purchased the same lens via eBay, where the seller described it as having 39mm thread. So now I need to find both a 4x4 board and retaining ring for this lovely looking lens.

I'm interested - did the retaining ring from Photo Tools work out for you? (it's described on their website as being a "Threaded retaining ring for enlarger lens with 53mm x 0.75 thread for EL-Nikkor 150mm 5.6", and I'm a little gun shy about seller descriptions at the moment).

Any recommentions regarding the 4x4 lens board given your experience? Even thought I have a dremel, we're not good friends and I'd like to avoid if possible. 4x4 with a 54mm, if such a thing exists?

Kind regards.

[cirwin2010]

Hi. I've just purchased the same lens via eBay, where the seller described it as having 39mm thread. So now I need to find both a 4x4 board and retaining ring for this lovely looking lens.

I'm interested - did the retaining ring from Photo Tools work out for you? (it's described on their website as being a "Threaded retaining ring for enlarger lens with 53mm x 0.75 thread for EL-Nikkor 150mm 5.6", and I'm a little gun shy about seller descriptions at the moment).

Any recommentions regarding the 4x4 lens board given your experience? Even thought I have a dremel, we're not good friends and I'd like to avoid if possible. 4x4 with a 54mm, if such a thing exists?

Kind regards.

I ended up getting the lens board with retaining ring from Custom Photo Tools and its great! Looking at my order confirmation I got the following: "Lensboard 4 x 4" for Beseler enlargers 53mm - with 53mm x 0.75 threaded ring "

The board and the ring are of high quality and the lens board as a slight recession around the hole to better fit the retaining ring all the way down the lens threads. On top of that, the back of the lens board has some felt on it to reduce internal reflections. How much that actually matters I think is negligible, but it is a nice touch regardless.

My order took a little while, but it was worth the wait. Also that Fujinon 135mm EX lens is excellent.

[GregE]

Thank you! This is *very* useful and reassuring.


I ended up getting the lens board with retaining ring from Custom Photo Tools and its great! Looking at my order confirmation I got the following: "Lensboard 4 x 4" for Beseler enlargers 53mm - with 53mm x 0.75 threaded ring "

The board and the ring are of high quality and the lens board as a slight recession around the hole to better fit the retaining ring all the way down the lens threads. On top of that, the back of the lens board has some felt on it to reduce internal reflections. How much that actually matters I think is negligible, but it is a nice touch regardless.

My order took a little while, but it was worth the wait. Also that Fujinon 135mm EX lens is excellent.

[Daniel.E]

I got a Fujinon 135mm earlier this year and this is how it came from the seller. I know not much help here but still some visuals in case anybody else needs an idea on how to mount this lens.

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