Removing hoop finder / sports finder from crown

**steve barry** · 12-Jun-2019, 16:05

Hey everyone. Does anyone know how to remove the hoop finder from the front standard of a crown? It seems all inside with no way to access. Would rather not hack it... Camera is pristine. But I need some rise with a wide lens and that finder is in the way. Thanks.

**Neal Chaves** · 13-Jun-2019, 18:30

That front end has to come all apart to get that finder frame out. I would suggest not doing it on a pristine camera. You must be using something like a 58mm SA XL, because I have used 58mm and 65mm lenses on the Crown inner tracks with the bed dropped, but those lenses barely covered 4X5 anyway. And what are you going to do for rise in a vertical composition? That's not possible either. If your lenses are in Graphic boards, get an inexpensive Toyo view set up as a wide camera with a short rail, bag bellows, recessed Graphic to Toyo adapter board, then you will be able to do something. I have one of the 4 3/4 x6 1/2 Toyo field cameras. It takes the Graphic lens boards. I modified it with a current Toyo 4X5 non-revolving ground glass back. I can focus the 47mm SA XL to infinity. These cameras are much more ridged than a Graphic and have extensive movements.

**steve barry** · 13-Jun-2019, 20:55

Hey Neil it's a 75mm nikkor in copal 0. At infinity it's just inside the box... I very rarely compose vertically. I'll be traveling and need something fast to set up. Maybe I'll look for a dirty crown/speed to hack apart.

**Neal Chaves** · 14-Jun-2019, 05:14

Steve,
Better try to find a Crown to modify as the Speed has extra extension due to the focal plane shutter. Just raise the frame finder and cut it off flush with the front and push the stubs down inside. That way you can raise to the inside top of the box which should be just about the limit of the 75mm Nikkor anyway. That way you avoid cutting up the box itself which will disable the front catch and RF mechanism if it is a TRF.

**malexand** · 14-Jun-2019, 07:35

Hi Steve - I picked up a replacement full front standard for my Crown a few weeks ago on the big auction site at a reasonable price so i could do some similar modifications - plus these https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?152253. It is easy to swap out and then you need not worry about damaging your current pristine one.