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View Full Version : Ektar lenses on Tachihara 8x10/ lens boards??



NewtoLF!
20-Apr-2007, 05:39
Hi im completely new to LF and was looking at Ektar lenses 250-305mm & was wondering if they would fit on a Tachihara 8x10 which im hoping to buy. I read that the Tachi takes a sinar/ horsman lens board but i have no idea about the fitting of lenses to these boards? Also thinking of getting a G Claron whcih as far as i know is ok, but if you buy a lens on its own with no ring type or other accessory/ attachment will it automatically fit to the lens board? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, M> : )

Amund BLix Aaeng
20-Apr-2007, 05:42
Shouldn`t be a problem at all, I have a 12"/305mm lens in a Ilex 4" mounted on a regular Technica lens board, wich is way smaller than a Sinar lens board.

Mark Sampson
20-Apr-2007, 07:35
Any of the Kodak lenses will fit your camera, and any lens you buy should have a retaining ring or flange. The lensboard will need to have a hole drilled in it corresponding to the size of the shutter. The Kodak lenses usually have a #4 Ilex shutter, as noted above. (The 14" Commercial Ektar is found mounted in an Ilex #5.) A flange screws into the front of the lensboard, or the retining ring holds the lens in place from the back. You can drill your own hole in a blank lensboard, or find one pre-drilled. A spanner wrench is very useful for attaching the lens. If you're not handy a camera repair shop can do this work, it's a standard thing for them. Look at the SK Grimes website for a list of shutters if you want to DIY.

John Kasaian
20-Apr-2007, 07:37
My camera has lensboards measuring 6"x6" which is a fairly typical size lensboard for self casing 8x10 cameras, and will easily accomodate a 250mm (10") Wide Field Ektar which should come on a #5 Universal shutter. Any of the G Clarons will be no problem as only the largest of these comes in a "dainty" (compared to the Universals) #3

About mounting:

1. Make sure your lensboard has the right size hole. You should be able to get a Tachihara lensboard already drilled to accept any of the Copal sizes (#1 for the 240 G Claron IIRC) but I don't know about a #5 Universal. Enlarging a smaller hole is IMHO an unpleasant task----better to get an undrilled board and have it drilled to the proper size (unless you've got a set of really huge drill bits and drill press)

2. You'll want a flange for your shutter, they are readily available for Copals and #5 universals.

3. Jim at Mid West should be able to fix you up with a Tachi lensboard and flange for a #5 or retaining ring for a Copal.

NewtoLF!
20-Apr-2007, 08:12
That was very helpfull! Thanks very much all of you for posting.. off i go to read my newly arrived 'Using The View Camera'

Ralph Barker
20-Apr-2007, 09:59
The standard Tachihara 8x10 boards are a bit less than 140mm, so they are large enough to handle from an Ilex #4 down, including all of the Copal shutters. An Ilex #5 shutter would be a tight squeeze, and there might not be sufficient material left to support really heavy lenses.

The relatively large boards are not particularly convenient if you use a backpack, however. So, you might want to consider "standardizing" on smaller boards for all but your largest lenses, and use an adapter on the Tachi.

John Kasaian
20-Apr-2007, 10:10
Really a spanner is only a nice option if you're going with the 240 G Claron with a retaining ring. With a #5 Universal you just screw the flange on to the front of the lensboard with wood screws and tighten 'er on by hand. When screwing a flange on to a lens board take into consideration which position you want the lens to "bottom out" in (the location of the aperture & speed levers and cable socket) so they are convenient to operate.

John Kasaian
20-Apr-2007, 10:20
If it is a toss up between a 250 WF Ektar and a 240 G Claron they are both superb lenses (I know---I've got both!) but the 240 G Claron, because of it's size & weight is the most practical if you intend on carrying your camera any great distance from the trunk of your car. They are also less expensive (Ansel Adams used a WF so there is mystique associated with them which drives up the price) Given Ralph's comments on the size of Tachi's lensboard it is an option I'd seriously consider.

Oren Grad
20-Apr-2007, 10:28
I've used a 250 Wide Field Ektar on a Sinar/Horseman board - there was no problem with the fit.

The original post asked about Ektars in general, so perhaps it's worth adding a caveat that the 10" Commercial Ektar (i.e., not the wide field one) delivers coverage that would be marginal at best for 8x10. The 12" should be fine.

NewtoLF!
20-Apr-2007, 19:17
Thanks again everyone. Ok i was looking at the 240mm Claron and the 12"/305mm ektar. As someone very helpfully pointed out to me, when doing environmental portraits (i dont mind a slightly wide lens as i dont need/ want tight portraits for the mo), only having the f8/9? on the claron might slow me down with getting the focusing spot.. i dont want to make people wait longer than i need to.. esp as a beginner! What are your experiences with the Claron for portraits & focusing esp. on Tachis? I hear the fresnel is great, do you always use dark cloth etc. How heavy is the Ektar.. im drawn to it as a slightly more standard lens.. hear its a lovely lens. I want to be able to mix a bit of land/urbanscapes with people also.. thats why i thought Claron as a starter.
I will be shooting colour neg. We have very good light here in Perth Australia but it can be if anything VERY bright & contrasty. I was gonna go the spot metering zone method what are the main things i have to take into account when using for colour neg work?
Melissa : )

John Kasaian
20-Apr-2007, 21:07
If its portraits you're after, the 12" Commercial Ektar would be my pick from among the two. If the Ektar you're looking at is an uncoated f4.5 "regualr" Ektar I'm guessing it might come in a #5. Theres nothing wrong with that, as long as it fits your lensboard. Karsh used Ektars.

John Kasaian
20-Apr-2007, 21:16
The main thing I take into account when using color in the 8x10 is---I don't! Waaaay too expensive. Assuming you're doing this to earn money, the investment in a modern Caltar or Nikkor lens for color work might well be warranted. There are also vintage lenses that are fine performers with color film---single coated convertable Symmars and the Commercial Ektar, both from the 50's and 60's and with the Symmar, 70's.

NewtoLF!
21-Apr-2007, 06:39
Hi John, i didnt mean so much with regard to lenses for colour work- but in how to meter for colour 8x10. Ive heard confliciting opinions as to whether the zone method is really applicable & some say you might as well just use an averaging reflected meter with the old white dome (what ive always used for 6x7 format). But it just seems to me if im gonna go to the expense and effort for the large format surely zoning would really allow me to chose where my priority areas of the image are going to lie in terms of exposure. BUT does this apply to colour.. ive read there isnt the same length of scale as there is in the grey scale.. etc.

ps thanks for the advice about the Ektars! spotted one with Ilex 4 shutter. I think- not 100% tho, that Joel STernfeld (a favourite of mine) used an Ektar.
http://www.billcharles.com/sternfeld/joelsternfeld_1.htm