Can I use my old Schneider lenses for a Nagaoka Seisakusho 4x5?

[hporter]

Johanna,

I found this brochure online somewhere, it has some of the specifications for the camera. You might find it useful.

[Peter Collins]

Welcome, Johanna!

You might look for Linhof Technika "clones" lens boards made in China. I needed some and recently purchased 4 lens boards for $50USD (with shipping included!) from a member of this forum. The lens boards I got have 'Shen Hao' on the film side. The finish on the boards from China is very good. They fit my Chamonix 45N-2 perfectly (Chamonix 45 cameras use Linhof boards, clones, etc.).

[cowanw]

There is a useful chart in Wiki. but it does not copy paste here very orderly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_lens

[Pere Casals]

Hello Bill,

Anyway in LF the normal lens definition is a bit elastic because "unit focusing". "Normal" for landscape is a shorter focal than for portrait.

For portrait you give bellows extension to get focus, so the subject projection gets larger, and the negative takes a narrower angle of view for near subjects.

It also happens with some MF cameras like RB67, but not with Pentax 67.

I discovered that yesterday...

Regards

[Pere Casals]

Hello! I'm going to buy a field camera for shooting most portraits on my trips. And I am thinking of getting a Nagaoka Seisakusho 4x5. Today I have a Sinar 4x5 and 5 different Schneider lenses that are mounted on lens boards that are 14x14 cm. It seems like the lens board for the Nagaoka Seisakusho are smaller? BUT if I get a smaller lens board is it just to mount the lenses on the new lens board?

/Johanna

If Nagaoka is compatible with Linhof boards then this is a solution to mount lenses in both cameras.

[fotojohanna]

Technically a 180 is a normal lens for a 57 camera. 135 and 150 are the common normal lenses for a 45 camera.

Thanks for answers Bob! Oh I thought 150 was "normal" on these cameras swell. So thanks for letting me know that

[fotojohanna]

Thats awesome @hporter! Thank you!!

[fotojohanna]

Johanna,

It has been a while since I have used my Nagaoka, but your question spurred my curiosity.

My Nagaoka compresses to roughly 2-3/4".

Attachment 163766

For giggles, I put my 90mm Super Angulon on my camera and it focuses at infinity with no issues. I also tried an old Wollensak 65mm that I use on my 2x3 Graflex cameras; but it is too short to focus at infinity.

My camera is a bit beat up, but still works fine. It is almost silly how light and portable these cameras are.

Attachment 163767
Attachment 163768
Attachment 163769

Good luck with your search for your new camera.

Harold

Thanks you for your answer! Thant s good to know! So it seems like I can use both my 90 and 180 mm lenses then So now I just have to get the camera and then look for lens board

[fotojohanna]

If Nagaoka is compatible with Linhof boards then this is a solution to mount lenses in both cameras.

Thank you @Pere Casals! I will definitely look that up!

[hporter]

Johanna,

You are very welcome.

Not to dissuade you on your camera choice, but have you considered one of the new Intrepid cameras?
https://intrepidcamera.co.uk

I assume that you are drawn to the Nagaoka for it's small size and weight. The Intrepid cameras seem to be small and lightweight too. The reason I mention this is that the bellows on these old Japanese cameras were not very robust. Mine, though still light tight, seem to be getting rather fragile. So please be careful to have any potential seller truthfully tell you the condition of the bellows.

Looking at my camera again today, I thought that the Intrepid as a brand new camera probably does not cost much more than a set of replacement bellows for the Nagaoka would. And at that price point I wouldn't be afraid to throw it in a pack and go outdoors.

Harold