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dazedgonebye
16-Dec-2007, 18:01
Hey,
I bought this on ebay because it looks like it might be the basis for a hand-held 4x5.
Can anyone help me out with the origins of this thing?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2116701604_b7bdcf85de_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2115922373_07f0bea2bc_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2038/2115922535_f8e22f6f7a_o.jpg

BrianShaw
16-Dec-2007, 18:06
Hmmm, Graflock back and non-adjustable focal length... I see a wanna-be pinhole camera.

What is the length from mount to film plane?

dazedgonebye
16-Dec-2007, 18:30
Hmmm, Graflock back and non-adjustable focal length... I see a wanna-be pinhole camera.

What is the length from mount to film plane?

I don't know the length...I asked the seller, but he never responded.

Certainly could be a pinhole when I'm done.

Daniel_Buck
16-Dec-2007, 18:37
wonder if you could slap a wide lens on there? :-D

dazedgonebye
16-Dec-2007, 18:44
wonder if you could slap a wide lens on there? :-D

I'm crossing my fingers that we're looking at about 75mm.
If it's anywhere near that, I'll have tons of questions on mounting.

Wayne Crider
16-Dec-2007, 18:44
Hmmm The back looks like something made by Mamiya due to the lock buttons. Might be able to tell is by the mount. Also, measure the hole in the adapter and if it's 39mm figure an enlargement accessory; Perhaps a microscope/telescope adapter which is what maybe 25mm?

Paul Ewins
16-Dec-2007, 20:55
I've got one of these, it is some sort of US made scientific close up camera. Mine came with an extension tube as well. Unfortunately the bayonet mount is different to everything else I have seen so I was never able to get enough bits to use it as a handheld camera. A useful source of bits, but nothing else.

dazedgonebye
16-Dec-2007, 21:00
Paul,

Well, it wouldn't be the first thing I've bought that was good for not much....

Do you think there is any chance it could be modified to mount a focusing helical?
Seems I could simply cut the mount out to a square and mount a plate on top. It all really depends on the distance to the film. I need something wide angle to zone focus the thing easily.

Peter K
16-Dec-2007, 22:33
It's the back-part of a Polaroid close-up camera. Polaroid sold this kind of cameras for dentists or so with ring-flash, transparent distance-pieces and so on.

Peter K

seawolf66
17-Dec-2007, 14:18
Polariod MP-4 or CU-5 . I just bought the front part of the CU-5 with Ring lite and power pack to do marco work with:

Jim Galli
17-Dec-2007, 14:30
Couple the Polaroid 600 SE / Mamiya 75mm f5.6 WF lens (http://cgi.ebay.com/MAMIYA-75mm-LENS-FOR-POLAROID-600-SE_W0QQitemZ300180946756QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3347QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) on that thing for a walk-about camera like no other. It isn't a CU-5 or any of it's ilk. Looks like perhaps a microscope set up. The Polaroid lens comes in a sweet focusing helicoid and has excellent range info iirc. I've got two mint examples sitting in the cupboard while meanwhile the megapixels go up and the value of those gorgeous lenses goes down.

dazedgonebye
17-Dec-2007, 18:07
Couple the Polaroid 600 SE / Mamiya 75mm f5.6 WF lens (http://cgi.ebay.com/MAMIYA-75mm-LENS-FOR-POLAROID-600-SE_W0QQitemZ300180946756QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3347QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) on that thing for a walk-about camera like no other. It isn't a CU-5 or any of it's ilk. Looks like perhaps a microscope set up. The Polaroid lens comes in a sweet focusing helicoid and has excellent range info iirc. I've got two mint examples sitting in the cupboard while meanwhile the megapixels go up and the value of those gorgeous lenses goes down.

Would that Mamiya cover 4x5?

Jim Galli
17-Dec-2007, 20:13
Would that Mamiya cover 4x5?

No, it just scrapes the corners on real 4X5. It would cover Polaroid 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 though, and maybe Polaroid 545. It's an impressive lens. The finder is for Polaroid Pack film size.

dazedgonebye
22-Dec-2007, 06:58
Ok, I got it yesterday.

First, it's definitely 4x5.
The bad news is that the flange distance is about 108 mm. That's too long for my hoped for use as a wide hand held.
Without the mount, the flange distance is down to about 85mm, so there might be some hope that I can modify the thing...perhaps using a recessed lens board...and get wider. Not going to be as simple as I'd hoped though.

Someone at APUG refered me to an old post on this forum for another example of this camera. Seems I'm not the only one to have stumbled on to it.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=22081

From the fact that the flange distance is so long, and the example linked to a few posts ago showed a 75mm lens, would it make sense to assume it was designed for fixed focal length macro work?