Zone VI 4 x 5 and wide angle lenses

[John Boeckeler]

I have a Zone VI 4 x 5 Classic Camera and am interested in buying a very wide an gle lens for it. Specifically, I am considering the Schneider Super Angulon 47m m XL or 58mm XL. I have the bag bellows for the camera and use a 90 mm f8 SA wi th no problem. Calumet claims in its catalogue that the Zone VI 4 x 5 "will han dle lenses down to a 47mm XL Super Angulon." As much as I like and trust Calume t, I am not going to buy a 47mm or 58mm XL until someone who has actually tried it confirms that the Zone VI will handle these lenses. I realize that I will ha ve to use some extreme movements (back standard tilt, etc.) to get the rails out of the picture, but that's OK. My concern is whether these lenses can be racke d back close enough to focus at infinity. Can anyone help me?

[David E. Rose]

The optical center of the lens should more or less equal the plane of the lens board, so if you put a board on the camera and adjust the space between the standards to give you 47mm or 58mm from the board to the groundglass, you will have a pretty good idea of what these lenses will require in camera geometry for infinity focus. Closer focus will increase the distance between standards, so things will be better for closer focus points. Don't take getting the bed out of the way lightly, these lenses have very wide angles of view.

Good luck, David Rose