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Barry F
3-Jul-2006, 02:31
I recently acquired a Sinar monorail system with 6 Schneider lenses. In addition (and thanks to my elderly mum!) I bought a Toyo 45CF from Joe Forks via this forum.

My questions are: -
a) What tool(s) do I need in order to swap a lens from its current Sinar mount to a Toyo mount (and vice-versa)?

b) How difficult is it to do?

I'm hoping that it's relatively easy. Any help would be appreciated.

Barry

Capocheny
3-Jul-2006, 03:48
Barry,

Take a peek at this link... I've described the entire process there.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=18389

Good luck

Cheers

Emmanuel BIGLER
3-Jul-2006, 04:04
To the best of my knowlegde, Toyo boards for the 45CF are 110x110 mm i.e. smaller than the 140mm Sinars.
So the best would be to re-mount all lenses on a smaller board and use an adaptor. Thus you would not have to unscrew your lens elements each time you want to swap boards.
I have no idea whether you can find an adaptor to attach Toyo 110 boards on a Sinar 140, but you could also decide of using the Linhof Technika 96x99mm board that can be re-mounted on almost all field/view cameras.. via and adaptor of course but S.K. Grimes in the US can supply it for you either from stock or on special order.

Ted Harris
3-Jul-2006, 04:58
Adapter boards that allow you to mount Toyo boards to you Sinar are readily available. You should be ble to get one from Robert White, Teamwork or Mr. Cad in the UK. They are a bit pricy when new but you can also easily get one used for about $125 from Jim at Midwest Photo (614-261-1264 or jim@mpex.com). The Linhof/Technika to Toyo adapters are also readily available but only advisable if you are not using any fairly wide angle lenses as they add about 3-5mm to the front standard and restrict the movements of very wide angle lenses just slightly.

Ron Marshall
3-Jul-2006, 07:12
The adaptor boards are well worth the price. The Sinar boards are too heavy and bulky.

Brian Ellis
3-Jul-2006, 07:35
You don't really need a special tool. JAfter unscrewing the rear lens cell place the pointed end of any object (I used the pointed end of a table fork) in one of the slots on the retaining ring and push counter-clockwise. That will loosen the ring enough to unscrew it the rest of the way by hand. Having said that, if this is something you'll be doing a lot then it would probably be more convenient to get a spanner wrench. I like the one sold by S.K. Grimes for about $30 because it can be used on wooden boards with recessed holes in the back as well as metal retaining rings but if you don't mind being limited to using it with metal retaining rings you can buy pressed metal ones from Calumet for just a couple dollars.

Barry F
3-Jul-2006, 11:29
Thank you all for the advice.

I've just won the Rodenstock spanner on E-Bay (I say 'won' but I was the only bidder!) so when the Toyo arrives from Texas, I'll give it ago as outlined in H.D.C.'s reply.

Barry

Capocheny
3-Jul-2006, 11:47
Barry,

Good to go! :)

Reading your initial posting, my impression was that you just wanted to swap out the lens from a Sinar board to a Toyo board... so, do you currently have a Sinar AND a Toyo camera?

If you do, then an adapter board may be something you'd want to consider purchasing down the road. They really are handly in that you can use the same lens in both systems without having to constantly mount and re-mount when changing between cameras. I'd second Ted's recommendation of MidWest Photo. At times, the adapter boards skyrocket like crazy on the auction block because, for some reason, bidders think they're not going to ever see them again... and they bid like crazy in their attempts to win one!

If you only have the one camera system... then the comments above are moot!

The Rodenstock wrench is a good wrench and differs from the one that Brian mentioned. Like Brian, I also have the SK Grimes model but he's right. You don't really need one to accomplish what you want to do... but, it's sure handy!

Cheers

Barry F
3-Jul-2006, 13:40
H.D.C. - yes I have a Sinar monorail camera with six lenses currently mounted on Sinar boards, and yesterday I bought a Toyo 45CF from another member of this forum and was looking at selecting one or two of my initial six lenses to remount on Toyo boards.

The adapter boards seem a good idea - I'll have a trawl through the dealers and auction sites to see their cost.

Thanks for the info.
Barry

Capocheny
4-Jul-2006, 12:27
H.D.C. - yes I have a Sinar monorail camera with six lenses currently mounted on Sinar boards, and yesterday I bought a Toyo 45CF from another member of this forum and was looking at selecting one or two of my initial six lenses to remount on Toyo boards.

The adapter boards seem a good idea - I'll have a trawl through the dealers and auction sites to see their cost.

Thanks for the info.
Barry

Hi Barry,

Always more challenging when juggling lenses between two different systems... :)

I use a Sinar and a Dorff so I found myself an adapter board to take the smaller Linhof Technika boards.

I'm also having an adapter board built to take these same boards on my Dorff 8x10. My 5x7 already takes the smaller boards.

Personally speaking, investing in the adapter boards is one of the best moves I've made with respects to lens usage between the systems. And, the convenience factor is second to none.

Ted made some great recommendations as to where you can find these boards. :)

Good luck.

Cheers

David A. Goldfarb
4-Jul-2006, 13:23
I also recommend an adapter board. Most of my lenses are on Technika boards, and I've got an adapter for the cameras that take Sinar boards.

Barry F
5-Jul-2006, 02:31
Man those adapter boards are expensive - especially as I'm looking at using a Sinar board on a smaller Toyo board (how does that work - not!).

Still, I've solved some of the problem as I've won a 125mm Symmar-S f5.6 lens on a Toyo board on E-Bay yesterday for £104 - so at leats I have a mildly wide angle lens ready to be used on the Toyo when it arrives.

Barry

Barry F
5-Jul-2006, 06:11
Just had with a very nice man at Robert White's here in the UK when I ordered a Folding Back for the Toyo.

He informs me that the only Sinar to Toyo lens board adapter that's available is for the Toyo monorail cameras only, as their boards are larger than the Sinar ones. You can't go down in size, only up; therefore as the Toyo 45Cf board is significantly smaller than the Sinar I have just two options: -
a)buy some Toyo boards and remount all the lenses to those, then buy Toyo to Sinar adapter boards to use them on the Sinar, or
b) limit my use of lenses on the Toyo as he states that mounting and remounting a lens several times over a period of time is not a good thing to do (makes sense to me too!)

So thanks for all the advice folks re Adapter boards BUT ..................................!!