couple o' shutter questions.

[tmbg]

I have a Crown Graphic and two lenses on graphic lensboards for it. I'm wanting to buy a cheap omega view 45 to play with, and I want to make sure I get the right lensboards for the lenses I currently have.

First, I'm not sure what size lenses I already have. One of my lenses is an Angulon 90mm f/6.8 in a compur shutter exactly like this one pictured on rockwell's site:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/images/9068angn.jpg

The other lens is a Xenar 135mm f/4.7. Does anyone have an idea what size shutters they are? Also, I've been looking on KEH for lensboards for the Omega, and it's not really clear what size shutters they are drilled for. I see things like "Omega View 32 Lens board", "Omega View 34 Lens board", there's 35, 41, 45, 51, 63, 64. I'm not sure how to correspond those sizes to the lenses I want to use.


ALSO, my 90mm's shutter is missing the little threaded block which a cable release screws into. How difficult would it be to replace that? I also can't seem to make the preview work, and with neither a preview nor a cable release, it's very difficult to compose and focus. As is, I have to put it in B and hold the trip lever down with my hand as I compose and focus :(

Thanks!
Ian

[IanG]

The Angulpn is a Compur/Copal 0 and so is that particular Xenar.

The preview works by pushing that button at the top back and releasing the shutter, it's simple.

A repair shop may have the release socket, I got one from the UK importers a few years ago.

Ian

[tmbg]

yeah, I use the preview on my xenar, but I can't get it to catch on the angulon. Not sure what's wrong with it.

[Nathan Smith]

I've seen some lensboard adapters which let you use the Graflex lensboards on another camera. I'm sure you'd have to fashion one yourself for an Omega, but you'd only need one - and you could swap lenses easily. This assumes the Omega board is larger than the Graflex board.

[tmbg]

that's not a bad idea. I went ahead and ordered two Omega lensboards... maybe I'll try cutting on one to make an adapter.

[Nathan Smith]

Just to make sure I remembered correctly, I did a quick search for Graflex adapters and was reminded that Graflex offered them for the Graflex Graphic View cameras. So you can look at them for ideas.

Here's what seems to be a more generic one on ebay now for 4" boards: http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Lens-Board-Adapter-Speed-Graphic-Lens-Boards-/230460278980

Have fun!

[tmbg]

Oh yeah, I can make something like that easy peasy.

[rdenney]

For future reference, KEH report lens boards by the actual diameter of their hole. Nominally, #0 shutter use a 34mm hole and #1 shutters use a 42mm hole. But a board may be cut to fit tight around the threads for use with a flat retaining ring, and another one might be cut to fit around the shoulder of a retaining ring or flange that fits partly inside the hole. Just take a pair of calipers and measure the diameter of the part of your lens that goes into the hole, and buy that size. A little larger is usually no problem.

Rick "who uses a drum sander on a drill press to enlarge holes when they are too small" Denney

[tmbg]

I ended up ordering two 34mm boards from KEH. I spoke with a salesman there and he gave me straight answers on it.

I spent some time this morning designing a 158mm lensboard adapter that'll hold graphic lensboards. It's similar to the ebay link Nathan posted earlier. I need to wait til I get home from work to get final measurements of the graphic board, and then wait til my KEH lensboards and camera body come in to figure out thickness and mounting details on the omega board, but the idea right now is 3/8" aluminum plate with an 1/8" channel milled into it to receive the lip of the graphic board, drilled and tapped for a pair of sliding locks to hold the graphic board in place. Then the edges of the board will be milled down to whatever thickness the omega boards are. I'll have to look at how the camera front is setup before I decide whether the thickness of the adapter should recede into the camera or protrude from the front. I'd prefer it to recede into the camera so that the front plane of the lensboard is in the same place as it would be if using an omega board.

At any rate, it's drawn up in Solidworks, so as soon as I have the critical measurements I can plug them into the parametric drawing and it'll just magically adjust itself. Thank god for technology! I'll post a pdf drawing of the board when I get it done in case anyone else can use such a thing.

[tmbg]

Ok, got the lensboard done, and received my camera, so here it is!

[Jack Dahlgren]

I don't see how the lensboard locks onto the adaptor. Is it a press-on fit or do you have a latch on the back?

[tmbg]

there's no lock yet, but I'm about to fabricate some sliding locks for it.

[BradS]

Nice work....a guy with such skills and tools could make a nice living for himself making stuff like that.