Lens dimensions to fit in a closed Linhof

[Jean-Louis Llech]

I often use my Master Technika handheld with cams and rangefinder focusing.
But as all my lenses are large ones, I have to remove them each time I close the camera drop-bed.
I would like to buy one or two lenses (in the 75-80 and 110-135 range) which I could let in the closed camera.

I made some measurements, but I am not sure of them. I would like to know the exact dimensions needed for a lens (probably on a recessed lensboard) to fit into a closed Master Technika (MT45 classic, with standard groundglass and Fresnel) : overall lens length with a Compur/Copal 0, front and rear element length, and depth of the recessed lensboard.
Regards

[Bob Salomon]

Just use the 150 Apo Sironar N or S as a starting point. These lenses on a 001016 lensboard fit in the camera with the bed closed. So will anything smaller, like a 135mm. But anything larger will not.

[Byron Rakitzis]

I don't have any measurements handy. But I can tell you that the following lenses will fit in the MT on a FLAT lensboard:

Rodenstock 150/5.6 APO Sironar-S

Rodenstock 300/9 APO Ronar

Nikon 200/8 Nikkor M

The crucial aspect I found was to find a lens whose filter thread was 52mm or less. That allows the front element to fit in the hole in the camera bed. Other measurements are probably secondary since any lens in a 52mm filter is going to have a small enough rear element, and so on. Note that the APO Ronar is in a Copal 1 shutter and that fits fine inside the camera also.

A recessed board might let you squeeze in something that might not otherwise fit but I'm skeptical: as an example I wasn't able to get a Schneider 150/5.6 APO Symmar to fit this way. I seriously doubt you will find a modern 75mm lens to fit inside the camera. Perhaps an old-style 90mm.

Byron.

[Frank Petronio]

A lot of lenses need one of the recessed boards to be comfortable - i.e. with a lens cap or even a short metal hood. I can get a 75/6.8 Grandagon in without the lens cap (rec bd) and 210 Geronar on a flat board (Copal 1). The 150 and 135 Sironar Ns fit fine on flats or recessed, but the larger 150 Sironar S might be borderline (not sure).

[Jean-Louis Llech]

I am sorry to ask again my question, but I wrote "in the 75-80 and 110-135 range".
Not 150, 200 or 300mm lenses.
Regards

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have a 135-235/5.6-12 Symmar convertible that fits easily in the closed camera. Add a 90/6.8 Angulon, and you have three focal lengths in two very compact lenses that take 40.5 mm filters or the 42mm Linhof drop-in filters and shade. You can often find these 42mm filters in sets of 3-6 filters with the shade, and occasionally the Linhof fitted leather case with a space for the shade and slots for five filters.

For a 75mm-80mm that will fit, I suspect you'll be looking for something like a W.A. Dagor, if they made one shorter than 3-5/8". You might try Photo Gizzmo in New York. He seems to have a lot of Goerz lenses in hard-to-find short focal lengths.