Combining 4x5 and 6x17 in one camera, wide angle is important

[sdzsdz]

Hi Angus! Thank you for your answer. I already read your article. It is great that there are people like you out there, that test this stuff and share it with the community!
Your cons with a 4x5 camera and a back were:

- Pain to mount focus screen and back... I don´t think this is more pain then I suffer in the moment!
- Vignetting at longer focal lengths: some say 180mm, some 210, both would be absolutely fine for me
- Not very stable because heavy: Yes, that could be an issue. This is something that I won´t rule out until I have tried it myself
- Focusing of short lenses: That is exactly the point I have to know! I want to use 75mm or 80mm. I have it in a recessed Linhof lens board (this adds about 2,5cm of room). The Chamonix 045N-1 has a min. flange-focal-distance of 46mm! So this should be feasible overall as long as I don´t need movements.

The big question is: Is a field camera if properly set up well enough aligned, so that I can use these short lenses with a good quality at the image borders???

[IanG]

The big question is: Is a field camera if properly set up well enough aligned, so that I can use these short lenses with a good quality at the image borders???

Yes of course, I use a 65mm SA with my Wista and also Pacemaker Graphics at times.

Ian

[Corran]

When I want to save space/weight I just take a 6x12 back, and use correspondingly wider lenses. It of course isn't the same aspect ratio but you can crop it. You get about the same horizontal field of view with a 47mm lens on 6x12 as a 75mm (technically 72mm) on 6x17. Just a thought. You can get even wider with the 38XL.

For what it's worth, I had a DaYi 617 back for my Chamonix, and I didn't like it at all. Mostly because of switching the back/viewer every shot, carrying all that extra stuff, and being limited with lens choices. So I bought a Shen Hao 617. On the other hand, the person who sold that camera to me got rid of it, because he didn't like having two cameras so he switched to a 6x17 back for his 4x5! So it's a bit of a personal choice.

[sdzsdz]

Ian, do you mean you use 65mm on 4x5 or on 6x17? Wich back do you use?

[djdister]

I think your main problem would be trying to use a short focal length lens and the 6x17 extender back on a 4x5. Given the extension of 20+mm beyond the normal focal plane of a 4x5, I don't think you could use a 75mm lens or shorter on a 4x5. By comparison, I can put the 75mm lens on my 5x7 and shoot 5x7 sheet film or use the 6x17 back which sits in the same focal plane as the sheet film.

[angusparker]

Hi Angus! Thank you for your answer. I already read your article. It is great that there are people like you out there, that test this stuff and share it with the community!
Your cons with a 4x5 camera and a back were:

- Pain to mount focus screen and back... I don´t think this is more pain then I suffer in the moment!
- Vignetting at longer focal lengths: some say 180mm, some 210, both would be absolutely fine for me
- Not very stable because heavy: Yes, that could be an issue. This is something that I won´t rule out until I have tried it myself
- Focusing of short lenses: That is exactly the point I have to know! I want to use 75mm or 80mm. I have it in a recessed Linhof lens board (this adds about 2,5cm of room). The Chamonix 045N-1 has a min. flange-focal-distance of 46mm! So this should be feasible overall as long as I don´t need movements.

The big question is: Is a field camera if properly set up well enough aligned, so that I can use these short lenses with a good quality at the image borders???

Glad you already found the blog post. I tried the 617 back on a 4x5 and just didn't like it but if you are going for shorter FL but not too short it should be fine and be stable enough. Dedicated 617 view camera is really nice though.....but if you really want to simplify why not get a 612 roll fill back for your 4x5? Much lighter option than a 617 extension back and none of the hassles. Plus you can use a 4x5 enlarger.

[gleaf]

What about a 5x7 back on a Calumet C-1..... Draw pencil lines on the ground glass and shoot inside your 'masking' lines. C-1's are not too expensive.

[richardman]

With enough money (which I do not have), I bet a clever designer can make a 4x5 / 6x17 view camera. Why not just a 5x7? I'm thinking that there might be some weight saving going that route. Right now, I have a Chamonix 4x5 F1 and the Shen Hao PTB617 and I have taken both out at the same time once. It's still lighter than a 5x7 camera, I believe.

[angusparker]

With enough money (which I do not have), I bet a clever designer can make a 4x5 / 6x17 view camera. Why not just a 5x7? I'm thinking that there might be some weight saving going that route. Right now, I have a Chamonix 4x5 F1 and the Shen Hao PTB617 and I have taken both out at the same time once. It's still lighter than a 5x7 camera, I believe.

Same combination I have. Very light indeed and the PTB 617 has an excellent roll film back.

[IanG]

Ian, do you mean you use 65mm on 4x5 or on 6x17? Wich back do you use?

I use a 65mm f8 SA on my Wista which has a spring back, the 75mm f8 SA is fixed to my Gaoersi 617. I'd prefer to be able to use the 75mm for both formats without having to remount it.

Very short term I'll probably use the 7x5 camera and shoot two panoramic images on sheet film while I make a 6x17 back. Long term I'll make a camera using the Graflex parts which can take the same 6x17 back, one key criteria is it should be easy to use hand-held which a 7x5 Seneca isn't.

Ian