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View Full Version : Can you really use a 80mm lens on a Ebony SU?



stevebeyer
15-Mar-2007, 20:56
I would like to know if any users here are using an Schneider 80XL or shorter on their Ebony 4x5SU. I am especially interested in reality of movements on a flat lens board with the standard bellows. I tried this on an Arca F-line camera and I found it not very useable without a bag bellows. I would rather know going in that a recessed lensboard or bag bellows are needed to make it possible/easy to use. Thanks for your help

Steve

adrian tyler
16-Mar-2007, 00:00
its my most used lens, on a recesed boad, never tryed it on a flat one, but i can use all the movements the su allows no sweat. but don't take my word for it, do a search here bound to be all the info you need.

Rakesh Malik
16-Mar-2007, 12:01
I use it on my 45SU, with the universal bellows. With the regular bellows, you might have trouble, though.

derek regensburger
16-Mar-2007, 12:33
I own a 45S. The 80mm works just fine on a flat board. Don't know if it's the same bellows on the SU model but the specs suggest it is similar. The bellows are so supple that rise and fall work much better than on folding versions.

Eric Leppanen
16-Mar-2007, 15:34
Steve, I recently purchased a 45SU with both standard "universal" and bag bellows, and made some measurements as to how much rise/tilt the universal bellows could provide with a flat lens board. Here are my observations, made with the universal bellows set at the lens flange focal distance (infinity focus).

With my SS80XL, I was able to achieve 28mm of front rise before the bellows seized up. Further rise would be achievable only by forcing the bellows. Even with 28mm of rise, front and back tilt was still possible. In comparison, the rated lens image circle supports up to 39mm of rise (landscape orientation).

With my SS110XL, I was able to achieve 50mm of front rise. Even with this amount of rise, front and rear tilt was still possible. In comparison, the rated lens image circle supports up to 83mm of rise.

I no longer own a lens shorter than my SS80XL, but I set my 45SU to 70mm of bellows extension (flange focal distance of the SA58XL, which I used to own), and I was able to achieve 20mm of front rise. With this amount of rise, back tilt was still possible. This seems to be an excellent result since the SA58XL rated image circle supports only 9mm of rise.

Bottom line is, if you want to utilize every bit of image circle these lenses provide, you will need either a recessed board or the bag bellows. Personally I hate recessed lens boards with a passion, so I end up using the bag bellows when shooting architecture or landscapes with extreme movements. However, the universal bellows provides quite a bit of movement, so to hazard a generalization I would say that most landscape shooters will find the universal bellows to be quite sufficient, while architectural shooters will probably prefer the bag bellows.

Baxter Bradford
17-Mar-2007, 05:00
I would have thought so, no problem since the rear element is so small. I bought the bag bellows shortly after buying a S-A 90mm f5.6 and an S-A 75mm.

The 75mm has now gone and I use the 80mmXL and more recently a 58XL with no problem, but with the Bag bellows. Despite the expense, these are so good and can use with my 210 except at close distances. A recessed board sounds a big fiddle to me.

John Brady
19-Mar-2007, 06:54
Steve, with my 45su I use the 72xl on a flat board with plenty of movement. With my 47xl I find I have to use a recessed board and have a small amount of movement. This is all with the universal bellows.
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