Lens Help...

[Flexnib]

Hello All,
I have this wonderful 4x5 camera a
No. 4 Folding Hawk-eye Model 3 that I picked up 2 weeks ago
and the slow speeds are now shot. I am sending out
to Flutot's for a cleaning which i hope will
fix the problem. My question is if it does not
what type of lens will fit on this camera
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c393/flexnib/IMG_1682.jpg
The lens on there now says
Zeiss Kodak anastigmat f/6.3 No.3 Feb 24th '03
It says Compound on the shutter body as well
as Bausch Lomb Optical Co. The glass is wonderful
and takes great photo's.
If the lens is not able to be fixed what are
my choices for replacement? The lens is just
2.5 inches wide and the bellows draw is about 5.5-6.75 inches.
Does anyone know of a shutter that will hold the lens elements?
The front opening is 30mm.
Thank you all for your time and help.
Arthur

[Ernest Purdum]

I have great confidence in Carol Miller's ability to get your Compound shutter working very well.

Putting the existing lens cells in a different shutter would not be cost effective.

Lenses similar to yours were made in very large numbers up to the WWII period. Essentially what you have is an uncoated f6.3 Tessar-type lens. It would be quite easy to find an appropriate replacement candidate on eBay. If in doubt about one, asking again here should get you advice. Because of the limited bellows draw of the camera, you would need to match the focal length closely.

[Dan Fromm]

Your camera isn't made for interchangeable lenses. Odds are that Carol will be able to fix your lens, otherwise your best bet is, as Ernest suggested, to find another in a Compound that can be made to work.

According to http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/bauschcatb/p34.html , your lens is a #5 (in B&L nomenclature, the number EKCo had engraved on the front is probably different), focal length 6.25". I don't agree with Ernest that these lenses are common.

I also agree with Ernest that reshuttering the lens probably won't be worth the expense, but fixing the shutter is. I have a couple of ancient f/6.3 Tessars that shoot very well indeed.

[Flexnib]

Thanks for all the help. Dan, how do you combat the flair that the lens has? Is there a sort of shade for the lens that I could get?
Arthur, NYC

[seawolf66]

Since you sent your lens to Carol all ready and you trust her service why not ask her she will tell you yes or no or she may have a replacement shutter, thats if it needs to be replaced?

[Glenn Thoreson]

Lens hoods are commonly available on the auction site. Measure the outside diameter of the lens barrel and look for a series VI slip on adapter of appropriate size, and a series VI lens hood. The adapters are often adjustable to a small degree. It just slips onto the front of the lens. You will be able to use series VI filters with it, too. Nice camera!

[Dan Fromm]

Thanks for all the help. Dan, how do you combat the flair that the lens has? Is there a sort of shade for the lens that I could get?
Arthur, NYC
Arthur, none of my crappy old lenses -- I have non-tessars too -- flares badly, with the exception of a few dialyte types (uncoated Goerz Doppel Anastigmat, uncoated Cooke Aviar, coated Apo Lustrar Ser. II). But some of my old tessars did before they were cleaned.

Check yours for schmutz on the front cell's inner surfaces. If its there, unscrew the second element and clean the crud out.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan