Technika to Crown Graphic lensboard adapter

[altair]

Is there such an adapter?

Reason I'm asking is because I have a Fujinon 135/5.6 mounted on a Technika-type board which I use on my Horseman monorail. Now I'm wondering if I can use the same lens & board on a Crown Graphic...will it fit? If not, then is there a suitable adapter?

Thanks in advance.

-Dani

[dsphotog]

The Linhof board is not going to fit a Crown , I haven't seen an adapt. but I suppose it would be possible to fabricate. It might be easier to move the lens between boards.

[altair]

Thanks for the reply, dsphotog.

I hate to admit this, but how do I go about transferring a lens from one lensboard to another? I'm very new at this :) I have a vague idea that I'm going to need a lens wrench, and I'm going to mess about with a retaining ring..other than that, I have no idea.

My shutter on the Fujinon is a Copal 0, so I assume I'm going to need a Crown Graphic lensboard with a Copal 0 hole?

[dsphotog]

Exactly, don't worry, it's easier than it sounds.
The only (very slight) challenge , is mounting the lens so the Crown's shutter release lever fires the shutter.
I use a Crown or a Super Graphic for most of my 4x5 shooting.
Happy shooting!

[Ivan J. Eberle]

If you're like me, you'll swap a lens over to another board about 3x before concluding it's a PITA to do in the field. So you'll likely not use one camera or the other, wind up buying a 2nd lens, or standardize on one board type (by getting/fabbing an adapter, or changing cameras).

[Steve Barber]

Moving a lens from one lens board to another is a pain and invites problems.

As to an adapter to allow using the same lens on a Technika 4x5 based camera and a Crown or Speed Graphic, I think you will find that is not going to be a practical solution due to the dimensions being so close together. The Technika is 3.868 x 3.773 inches and the Graphic lens board is stamped aluminum 3.65" x 3.71 inches. That does not leave any room to accommodate one within the other; never mind the added complexities of the Graphic’s flange and the, normally, off center location of the shutter on the Technika.lens board. Also, there is the question regarding how important it would be to you to be able to keep the rangefinder capability of the Graphic camera.

Last, I have to wonder why you would want to do this, since most Speed or Crown Graphics come with a fairly good lens of about that focal length that the rangefinder is already cammed for.

[ic-racer]

Are you using the Linhof to Horseman adapter for your Horseman camera? If so, why not mount the lens on a Graphic board then get a Graphic to Horseman/Sinar adapter for the monorail.

[altair]

Exactly, don't worry, it's easier than it sounds.
The only (very slight) challenge , is mounting the lens so the Crown's shutter release lever fires the shutter.
I use a Crown or a Super Graphic for most of my 4x5 shooting.
Happy shooting!

Thank you. Nevertheless, is there a step-by-step walkthrough online on how to do it? I think I can imagine how to mount the lens, it's the part on ensuring the Crown's shutter release lever fires the shutter that worries me.


Moving a lens from one lens board to another is a pain and invites problems.

As to an adapter to allow using the same lens on a Technika 4x5 based camera and a Crown or Speed Graphic, I think you will find that is not going to be a practical solution due to the dimensions being so close together. The Technika is 3.868 x 3.773 inches and the Graphic lens board is stamped aluminum 3.65" x 3.71 inches. That does not leave any room to accommodate one within the other; never mind the added complexities of the Graphic’s flange and the, normally, off center location of the shutter on the Technika.lens board. Also, there is the question regarding how important it would be to you to be able to keep the rangefinder capability of the Graphic camera.

Last, I have to wonder why you would want to do this, since most Speed or Crown Graphics come with a fairly good lens of about that focal length that the rangefinder is already cammed for.


Thanks for your input, Steve. Keeping the RF of the Crown aligned to the lens in use is not an issue for me, as I don't plan to use it that way anyway. Besides, if the lens the RF is cammed for is 135mm in focal length, won't it be alright if another 135mm lens is used?


Are you using the Linhof to Horseman adapter for your Horseman camera? If so, why not mount the lens on a Graphic board then get a Graphic to Horseman/Sinar adapter for the monorail.
Yes, my Horseman came with a Technika to Horseman lensboard adapter already in place. Can you tell me where I can get the Graphic to Horseman adapter board?

[Dan Fromm]

Thank you. Nevertheless, is there a step-by-step walkthrough online on how to do it? I think I can imagine how to mount the lens, it's the part on ensuring the Crown's shutter release lever fires the shutter that worries me.Probably not. Ask on www.graflex.org. The "paddle" that moves the shutter's release lever is shutter specific. I've found using my Graphics' front shutter releases very problematic. Works, sort of, with the lens originally delivered with the camera, not with others.



Thanks for your input, Steve. Keeping the RF of the Crown aligned to the lens in use is not an issue for me, as I don't plan to use it that way anyway. Besides, if the lens the RF is cammed for is 135mm in focal length, won't it be alright if another 135mm lens is used? Common misconception, and for two reasons. Not all lenses of exactly the same focal length have the same flange-to-film distance and not all lenses with the same focal length engraved on them have exactly the same focal length.



Yes, my Horseman came with a Technika to Horseman lensboard adapter already in place. Can you tell me where I can get the Graphic to Horseman adapter board? See http://www.skgrimes.com/lensboards/index.htm for specifications of a number of boards. An adapter that will hold a 4x5 Pacemaker Graphic board to a 4x5 Horseman board ought to be possible. No idea whether it is anyone's stock item, but in the worse case if you have the money SKGrimes willn make one for you.