Problem mounting Copal 3 lens on Linhof Technika lensboard

**axs810** · 29-Jun-2015, 20:35

Two of my lenses were difficult to mount. One of them, my 16 inch Artar, I was able to mount onto the lensboard but I had to put it on very tightly and I'm not quite sure it's on there as good as I think it is...my other lens that I am trying to mount, my Fujinon W 300mm f/5.6, is not wanting to mount or stay on at all. Once I screw the lens onto the lensboard and tighten down the retaining ring there is always some wiggle room left. It's like I am missing a retaining ring or something... Has anyone else run into this problem? If so what did you end up having to do? Are there any quick and cheap solutions?

**Bill_1856** · 29-Jun-2015, 21:40

I bought a "top hat" lensboard from eBay (China/Japan?) which allowed the Copal #3 to fit. About 50 bucks, I think.

**Jim Andrada** · 29-Jun-2015, 21:59

I just want to be sure you're talking about a problem with the way the lens/shutter mounts to the board, not about possible interference of the shutter with the front standard. I have several lenses in large shutters and often have to use a little rise (or a top hat board) to get the shutter to clear the bottom of the front standard, but I've never had an issue with the lens/shutter mounting flat and tight to the lens board EXCEPT if there was a small pin in the back of the shutter that would engage in a small hole in the lens board to prevent rotation. In this case I just removed the pin and all was well.

**axs810** · 29-Jun-2015, 22:14

Originally Posted by Bill_1856

I bought a "top hat" lensboard from eBay (China/Japan?) which allowed the Copal #3 to fit. About 50 bucks, I think.

Would you be able to link me to what it is you are talking about? I can't find anything for Copal 3 shutters

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

I just want to be sure you're talking about a problem with the way the lens/shutter mounts to the board, not about possible interference of the shutter with the front standard. I have several lenses in large shutters and often have to use a little rise (or a top hat board) to get the shutter to clear the bottom of the front standard, but I've never had an issue with the lens/shutter mounting flat and tight to the lens board EXCEPT if there was a small pin in the back of the shutter that would engage in a small hole in the lens board to prevent rotation. In this case I just removed the pin and all was well.

There is nothing intruding on the mount it just seems like the lensboard is just not screwing on all the way (aka: not grabbing enough threads to stay on tightly) so I'm not sure if I am just accidentally doing something wrong or if I am missing a "top hat" piece? If I am missing or need a top hat piece can anyone point me to where I can buy one?

**Jim Andrada** · 29-Jun-2015, 23:30

Can you make a photo of what is happening? There should be plenty of thread coming through the lens board for you to put the retaining ring on.

Let me confirm something else - do these lenses mount by a retaining ring from the back of the board, or is there a flange on the front of the board that they screw into? My Copal 3's have enough thread that there should be almost 1/4 inch of thread sticking out the back of the board for the retaining ring to screw onto. I think some of the Copal 3's have a spacer ring that can be used to extend them about 1/4 inch forward of the lens board. I believe the spacer was standard but it's missing from a lot of shutters.

Anyhow, what you're describing doesn't sound right, so a photo (even an iPhone photo) would be a big help in figuring out what's wrong.

In any case, the lens board itself does not screw onto the shutter - the hole needs to be big enough that the threaded portion of the shutter can pass completely through the board and a retaining ring can be screwed on to the back.

**Andrew** · 30-Jun-2015, 01:55

There is indeed a spacer ring that's about 6.5mm wide that goes between the shutter body and the board to hold the shutter slightly forward so you can get at the control levers more easily and have them further away from the front standard components so there's less fouling. If you don't have it, you won't get the shutter snug on a thin board like a technika type board though it ought to be ok on a thicker board like a wooden deardorff board

look at the side view of the Copal 3 with spacer in this and see if it looks like what you've got [or not got?]

**SergeiR** · 30-Jun-2015, 06:00

You need to use use reverse version of recessed board. There are plenty of those around on auction site. Also will help a bit with bellows draw

**Paul Metcalf** · 30-Jun-2015, 06:45

"There is nothing intruding on the mount it just seems like the lensboard is just not screwing on all the way (aka: not grabbing enough threads to stay on tightly)"

Shutters don't screw into the technika lensboards. They are a compression-fit using the copal's retaining ring. The shutter threads should just fit into the hole and then the retaining ring screws on from the back side and the lens is held in place with the compression from the ring (and then the rear element is screwed back onto the shutter as it needs to be removed to put the lens onto the board). There are 0, 1, 2 and 3 technika lensboards, each with a hole that matches the respective Copal shutter, as well as the recessed lensboard for use with wide angle lenses.

**Michael Graves** · 30-Jun-2015, 07:39

If it's a 3s, there is a ring that goes onto it. I don't know about the 3. I was able to mount my Fujinon 300W 5.6 onto a Linhoff board, but it did require the ring. I'm not to anxious to take it off to see how I did it, though. It was quite a chore.