It has been a lousy day weather wise here so I have been amusing myself making lensboards for and trying to mount some of my lenses on a Graflex Series D 4x5 SLR camera.
The lenses in question are a 15" Graflex Tele Optar, a 8 1/2" Ross Xpres which fortuitously has the same flange size as the Tele Optar and a 9" Wollensak Verito.
I am encountering some unexpected problems mounting the Xpres which has a sunken mount and the Tele Optar. The rear of those lenses would appear to foul the action of the reflex mirror when the bellows is in an unextended condition. I had not anticipated this problem particularly as the Tele Optar was sold as an accessory for the Graflex Super D. I was not aware that the Series D was that much different from the later camera or was it an issue when that lens was mounted to a Super D camera as well. That is if it is an issue at all and I should just remember to rack the lens forward before moving the reflex mirror into place.
Another problem I have is I possess a very limited amount of personal RAM and have found that idiot proofing my technique to discourage operator error pays dividends. So I am considering making some very thick lens boards up to 3 to 4 times thicker than normal to move the lenses further forward to clear the mirror. Is this a daft idea? I appreciate the need to introduce slots top and bottom forward of the first normal thickness of the lenses board to facilitate mounting the lens board to the camera.
If anyone should have a suggestion of a more elegant solution to the problem I would appreciate your advice please.
Thanks in advance
Roger
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