Graflex Tele-Optar 380mm f5.6 for Graflex R. B. Auto Graflex 4x5

[kenklark]

I recently hit the jackpot with a R.B. Auto Graflex 4x5, a real beauty, but with a lens that wont focus beyond 8 ft. Perfect for portraits but I want something that will focus at infinity too. The Graflex Tele-Optar 380mm f5.6 that I have in mind has a lot of glass behind its 3.75 lens board, so I wanted to check with you guys to make sure that it will be long enough to keep from catching on my mirror.

Thanks!

Ken

[johnielvis]

whelp---infinity you'll need like 9" to the flange threads.....it sticks in a couple of inches---so you're largely in the clear---auto graflex has LONGbellos so you're shootin in style up close even

[Bill_1856]

The 15" Tele-Optar works very well, but it only focuses to about 20 feet (on my Super D). A better solution is the 10" Tele-Optar which is great for portraits and will focus reasonably close.

[Fotoguy20d]

There was a thread on this subject (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=77074&page=2&highlight=tele) not long ago. It turns out that the light trap on the bottom of the body where the mirror seats will shadow the negative.

Dan

[johnielvis]

I believe auto graflex allows front rise as well as long bellows---this can take care of the shadowing I"m thinking--although I never used the auto graflex design......

[kenklark]

So John, if I need nine inches from flange to ground glass, and the lens sticks out over the back by an inch or so, and the mirror needs around 8.5 inches to clear, that lens will not focus at infinity, perhaps only as far as 20 ft as Bill says, and if I understand him correctly. Is that what you mean Bill? That the bellows on your super are not long enough to focus at under 20 ft? Or do you mean you can't focus to infinity with that lens? With the 5x8 B&L Tessar I have I've got 1 ft to 10 ft in focus, so I'm covered for close-in work.

[Bill_1856]

No -- the lens focuses just fine at infinity, just no closer than about 20 feet. That's on my Super D which, I believe, has a shorter bellows than the earlier Graflexs which would probably focus closer.

[johnielvis]

right--what he said---i didn't exactly measure it exactly..just eyeballed it on my gowlandflex....

BUT...i did have it on a super d and it focused at infinity.....and WAY....farther out than mirror interferance...

[Sirius Glass]

I had mine mounted on a hand built board so that I could get my hands on the aperture ring. Now it focuses down to around 6 feet on my Graflex Model D.

[kenklark]

Sweet. Thanks for the guidance. Can't wait to start shooting.

[rjmeyer314]

I use a Schneider Symmar 210mm/370mm convertible on my RB Auto Graflex 4x5. The 370mm conversion works fine, I've used it down to 15-20ft. I never tried to see how close I could get with it. I suspect your 380mm Tele-Optar will work fine on the RB Auto. I have a 380 Tele-Optar in shutter that I use on my Graflex Super Graphic. Just as an aside, I've also used the 380 Tele-Optar on my Calumet C1 8x10. It will cover, although movement is minimal.

[Bill_1856]

There are some models of the 15" Tele-Optar which have an extension of the aperture scale so they can be easily set on a Graflex with built-in hood. The regular ones are a bitch to even read, much less set.

[Sirius Glass]

There are some models of the 15" Tele-Optar which have an extension of the aperture scale so they can be easily set on a Graflex with built-in hood. The regular ones are a bitch to even read, much less set.

Bert at graflex.org built a lens board that moves the lens out from its cave and now it focuses down to about 6 feet.

Steve