To recess, or not to recess?

[jonreid]

That is my question.
I'm putting together some lens boards for my 5x7 Norma. I have a 90mm Sinaron in a Copal 1. Should I mount it on a recessed board or not.

I get only about 4mm of shift and rise/fall with this lens on 5x7, so losing movements due to bellows compression isn't really an issue but I may use it with 4x5 sometimes.

Having said that a search for recessed Linhof boards cut for a Copal 1 revealed very little last night.
Jon

[Frank Petronio]

Do you mean using it with a recessed Sinar-sized board or a recessed 4x5 Technika-sized board? There is a world of difference in usability due to the lensboard size.

The 90/4.5 in a Copal 1, right?

(For Sinar you'd most likely end up with a Chinese knock-off board but there are a few OEM Sinar recessed boards out there. The OEM recessed Technika boards are not easy to find used or cheap for a Copal 1, you may have to dig deep for a new one.)

Also do you mean using it with a 5x7 bag bellows or the standard 5x7 bellows? Again a world of difference....

You can use it fine on a flat board with a bag bellows since the Norma can be set up so the standards touch, you can't get closer than that. There is even a rare ultra-flexible Sinar bag bellows for ultra-wides where the regular bag's pleat might hinder you when they are only a few mm apart.

Cheapest solution if you only have the regular bellows is to use a Sinar recessed knock off with the 5x7 Norma and remount it on a flat board for the Tech and just accept you can't get full movements. Of course the luckiest would be a recessed Sinar board with a Technika adapter... might be worth making one if you have to.

[jonreid]

To be honest Frank I only use this lens (90 4.5) when my back is literally against the wall. I don't really like the look of it on 5x7.

I imagine it would be a right PITA on a recessed Linhof sized board.

I don't have bag bellows and given that it affords such little movements anyway I figure I should try and get away with being able to use it with normal bellows, on axis. Would save me $250 odd for bag bellows. Looks like a recessed knock-off is the way to go. What size recess is useful? About an inch?

Jon

[adam satushek]

I have a horseman recessed copal 0 board that i used to use with a 90mm super angulon F 5.6 on my sinar F1. I thought it was a real hassle. It's recessed about 3/4 inch, and i still needed a flex cable release adaptor to leave attached to the lens and had a difficult time adjusting the aperture and shutter speed. I would avoid a recessed board if you can....but if you really want one i have a 3/4 inch recessed copal 0 that you could drill out :)

[Frank Petronio]

So why not try the flat board either way? See how it works....

[adam satushek]

Yeah, I agree. It's easier and cheaper. from my experience sinars are fine with wide angles on flat boards (I use canhams). I do have bag bellows but rarely use them, but again I hardly use my 90. But I imagine 5x7 bag bellows are harder to come by. Is try a flat board with your standard bellows and see if there are any issues.

[Joshua Dunn]

I have a 90mm Sinaron in a Copal 1 and I have used it on a both flat and recessed boards with my Sinars. I have a couple of 90mm lenses so I usually keep the 90mm Sinaron on a flat board and use it with a bag bellows. Copal 1 recessed lens boards are rare; almost all of them are Copal 0 because that is 99% of what shutter wide angle lenses are fit to. You usually do not see them on the big auction site or on this forum for sale. I bought mine from Ted Bromwell at Bromwell Marketing (http://www.bromwellmarketing.com/). He’s a good guy to deal with.

[jonreid]

Thanks, I'll try it on a flattie when it arrives. I asked because when Inise it on the Deardorff I have to lay the front standard back to achieve infinity focus.

Jon