Using a 135mm Schneider Enlarging Lens as a Camera Lens

[Chris Engholm]

This question has been asked before, but not answered in practical terms. I hav e a like-new Schneider-K. 135mm enlarging lens that needs something to do now th at I've gone digital. For kicks, can I mount the lens with a shutter and use it on my Calumet Wide Angle Cadet with any success? Has anyone used an enlarging lens on a view camera? Does it work? Is it possible to mount a shutter on an e nlarging lens? Thanks!

Chris

[Jim Galli]

Hi Chris. I'll get laughed out of town but I don't care. Yes, Yes, yes, and yes. One of my most used "taking" lenses is a Schneider Componon S 135mm that I've mounted into a Copal 0. No machining is needed. The front and rear will thread right in perfectly. Check the front to rear distance with a caliper 1st and recheck after it's in the shutter. Modern stuff is easy, and I've never had to make any further adjustments. It should be the same front to rear in the shutter as it was in the barrel. I use it at f16? and smaller. You'll be amazed! Report your results back here so everyone doesn't think I'm nuts. J

[neil poulsen]

I think that you would need to mount your lens into a Copal 0 shutter intended for a 135mm lens. Since the f-stop is the ratio of the focal length to the actual diameter of the aperture, getting the correct exposure would depend on the focal length for which the shutter was originally intended. (Have I missed something, here?)

Or, knowing how the f-stop is defined, one could contrive a table that would adjust for discrepencies.

[Jim Galli]

I'm going to give all my secrets away. Use the original barrel as a known. Take a reading through the aperture (no lens elements) with a spot meter say at f8 for kicks. Now in the shutter with no elements, same light source obviously (I use a small light table) adjust the shutter ap until your spot meter gives the same reading. That's f8, and so on.... You can get as fancy as you want for making the finished result. I use Auto Cad and then print in Photo shop. Jim

[Pete Andrews]

You must have missed the previous two dozen posts where I recommended using an enlarging lens for macro work.

[Chris Engholm]

Thanks for all the insight!!!! I will check previous messages on this topic and report back on whether the idea produces decent photos.

Chris