Better lens for my Crown Graphic?

[Neal Chaves]

[QUOTE=C. D. Keth;1542647]With these cameras being upward of 50 years old at this point, could existing cams have worn along the bearing edge and eroded their accuracy?

These aren't like the cam in your hot rod small block Chevy. They don't wear out. Most RF problems are caused, unfortunately by ignorant tampering. TRF Graphic cams, unlike a properly matched Linhof cam are not precise as to infinity setting on "hard stops". They can be adjusted to very close tolerances with stretching and filing techniques, and cams can be cut out of brass stock that are extremely accurate. The Graphic, and not just the TRF but the Kalart as well, can be set up for a head and shoulders "Big Shot", something the Linhof cannot do.

[Bob Salomon]

[QUOTE=Neal Chaves;1542696]

With these cameras being upward of 50 years old at this point, could existing cams have worn along the bearing edge and eroded their accuracy?

These aren't like the cam in your hot rod small block Chevy. They don't wear out. Most RF problems are caused, unfortunately by ignorant tampering. TRF Graphic cams, unlike a properly matched Linhof cam are not precise as to infinity setting on "hard stops". They can be adjusted to very close tolerances with stretching and filing techniques, and cams can be cut out of brass stock that are extremely accurate. The Graphic, and not just the TRF but the Kalart as well, can be set up for a head and shoulders "Big Shot", something the Linhof cannot do.

Why can’t the Linhof do it? Or the Wista RF?

[Neal Chaves]

I have never tried a Wista. I had a Master Technika for a number of years and was unable to successfully configure it for Big Shot. It is considerably heavier than a 4X5 Graphic and neither the Multi-focus optical viewfinder or the frame finder can be accurately adjusted as the frame finder on the Graphic. Attaching a flash in the correct orientation was not possible. Here's a photo with a 210mm lens and one of the TRF set up for Big Shot with a 150mm lens.

[Bob Salomon]

I have never tried a Wista. I had a Master Technika for a number of years and was unable to successfully configure it for Big Shot. It is considerably heavier than a 4X5 Graphic and neither the Multi-focus optical viewfinder or the frame finder can be accurately adjusted as the frame finder on the Graphic. Attaching a flash in the correct orientation was not possible. Here's a photo with a 210mm lens and one of the TRF set up for Big Shot with a 150mm lens.

Why? The Multifocus corrects for,Parallax and for fields size. There isn’t a more accurate finder! And, if that finder isn’t accurate enough you can always but one of the discontinued frame finders!

[Corran]

Pick the 135mm lens you want to use. Install it on your Crown. Focus the RF to a target at the most common distance you'll be shooting on a tripod, and lock the focus. Unscrew the infinity stops and let them loose, and then using the front standard adjustment, focus on the target mentioned previously. Once it is sharp, lock the front standard and tighten up the infinity stops to that placement of the front standard.

I guarantee you'll be well within the DOF when stopped to the normal working apertures you mentioned when focused roughly around that distance, and perhaps most distances. You'll want to test to be sure, but it's really not all that hard or dire like a lot of folks like to imply.

There was a user here a long time ago who did this and locked the focus at that point, and then focused by moving back and forth until the RF was aligned. He got wonderful shots in perfect focus even wide-open. There's plenty of ways to shoot this way, if you've got a bit of gumption and work with what ya got.

And Bob, the Linhof Multifocus Finder I have sitting here only works down to 10 feet with a 210mm lens. That image is clearly much closer. I really don't understand the constant shilling for Linhof.

[Bob Salomon]

Pick the 135mm lens you want to use. Install it on your Crown. Focus the RF to a target at the most common distance you'll be shooting on a tripod, and lock the focus. Unscrew the infinity stops and let them loose, and then using the front standard adjustment, focus on the target mentioned previously. Once it is sharp, lock the front standard and tighten up the infinity stops to that placement of the front standard.

I guarantee you'll be well within the DOF when stopped to the normal working apertures you mentioned when focused roughly around that distance, and perhaps most distances. You'll want to test to be sure, but it's really not all that hard or dire like a lot of folks like to imply.

There was a user here a long time ago who did this and locked the focus at that point, and then focused by moving back and forth until the RF was aligned. He got wonderful shots in perfect focus even wide-open. There's plenty of ways to shoot this way, if you've got a bit of gumption and work with what ya got.

And Bob, the Linhof Multifocus Finder I have sitting here only works down to 10 feet with a 210mm lens. That image is clearly much closer. I really don't understand the constant shilling for Linhof.

Which MF do you have? The current type that covers 72/75 to 360mm? Or one that pulls apart for 90 to 360?

[Corran]

Both but was referring to the current one.

[campy]

I took this today handheld. It looks better printed than it does here.

[Don Dudenbostel]

With these cameras being upward of 50 years old at this point, could existing cams have worn along the bearing edge and eroded their accuracy?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t think this is very likely. Figure the majority of these cameras were used until the mid to late 60’s then most were retired. In the last 15-20 years they’ve been given new life by enthusiasts but the amount of use enthusiasts put them through is nothing compared to what we put them through in professional use.

In the mid 70’s when I worked for the Department of Energy / Oak Ridge National Lab, we often shot 100-200 sheets in the course of a day on a regular basis. We were issued Super Speeds with the leaf shutter that went to 1/1000 sec. I can’t remember a time that the RF got out of calibration. The Super Speed has the same RF that the Pacemakers had. The issues with the Super Speed were shutters self districting and the electrical wires that triggered the solenoid that synced and tripped the shutter were always breaking causing the camera to fail. I actually got so fed up with the Super I was issued I located a WW2 vintage Speed Graphic that worked like a champ and used it for a year until I left the DOE. I’ll say it was a very cool camera with olive green leather and signal Corp / US Army markings.

[campy]

This was taken using the GG and although it's nothing special I am happy with the results with minimal digital processing.