Shortest lens on wood Canham 5x7???

[Christopher Perez]

Dear Participants in Proper Prolific Punditary on Photography,

What is the shortest lens that Canham's 5x7 view camera will handle?

I know the cameras have plenty of extension. It is this that makes me wonderful how close to the ground glass a person can really get.

[QT Luong]

I have no problem with my 90/8. If you want to use the 72, you'd have to base tilt back and front tilt forward, but other than that it should be OK.

[Christopher Perez]

So is it the case that the bellows don't get in the way when they're that "squashed"?

I have a 75mm Grandagon that I'm partial to.

I'm considering moving from 4x5 to a 5x7/4x5 combo camera. The biggest blockage to that movement is whether the Canham's bellows somehow restrict the use of the 75mm lens.


I have no problem with my 90/8. If you want to use the 72, you'd have to base tilt back and front tilt forward, but other than that it should be OK.

[Scott Davis]

If you only have the standard bellows, even movements with a 90 will suffer from bellows restriction. You can use a 75 or thereabouts with movements if you get the bag bellows. I am assuming you are referring to the wood field. If you mean the MQC all-metal 5x7, I defer to Tuan.

[Oren Grad]

The MQC (metal) is specified as having a minimum bellows draw of around 53mm. Way back, Carl Weese briefly had one on hand for review, and I have a vague recollection that we tried my 75 Grandagon on it and had no difficulty focusing to infinity. You might ask Keith if he can substitute the MQC "super bellows" on the wooden model, and whether there'd be any benefit on the short end from doing so.

[Christopher Perez]

For some reason I forgot about the bag bellows approach.

Oren, Scott, Tuan - many thanks!

[Ted Harris]

Chris, I use the wood 5x7 like Tuan ( I think) and have used a 90 as he has. I haven't tried the 75 Grandagon-N with the regular bellows but if you want I can. Let me know.

[Christopher Perez]

Ted, many thanks for the kind offer. I'll contact you off-line if it gets to the point where I need to update my understanding. I had forgotten about bag bellows, which, of course, solves everything.

Thanks!


Chris, I use the wood 5x7 like Tuan ( I think) and have used a 90 as he has. I haven't tried the 75 Grandagon-N with the regular bellows but if you want I can. Let me know.

[Ted Harris]

Chris,does iindeed. In fact I sometimes head out with only the bag bellows; especially when I know I won't need anything longer than 150.

[QT Luong]

I forgot to mention that I use the MQC belows on my wood Canham. This is explained in my review. With the standard bellows, I often felt the need for the bag bellows even at 110.