Focus rail for 4x5 camera

**Alan Townsend** · 6-Jul-2023, 09:13

Here's the focus rail I'm using for my 4x5 view camera.

It has four inches of travel, which is adequate for me. It's nice little rack and pinion focusing rail with locking screw for $12.50.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007L41QZG...roduct_details

Check it out.

Comments welcome.

**Larry Gebhardt** · 6-Jul-2023, 10:11

I'd expect some flex with that if it's fully extended with one of your heavy long lenses on it's top hat mount. The reviews are not glowing about it's precision manufacturing, but it's cheap enough to try it out and return if it's not quite right.

**Alan Townsend** · 6-Jul-2023, 12:31

Larry,

I've been experimenting with it a month and have it in my hand, and it's a keeper.

As a camera macro slider I'm sure it's crummy. I'm using it upside down from the intention. The rail, which is q bit flimsy, is bolted to my camera bed at the rear (half inch plywood piece about 7x7) with the two camera screws, one at each end, so it becomes very rigid. The slider, which measures about 2x2 inches is where the yoke for my camera back mounts. The yoke is the U-shaped piece I've built using 1 in. by 1/4 in. aluminum bar bar stock and is mounted to the tripod socket on that 2x2 plate that is supposed to mount on the tripod. That 1/4-bolt is what tightens and loosens my rear swing. The yoke supports a frame using two bolts with knob-nuts, one on each side that are tightened or loosened to allow moving or locking the rear tilt. The 7x7 inch camera back is attached to that frame using clamps to allow vertical or horizontal composition.

That rack and pinion on that cheap slider works surprisingly well despite have a strange clickie feel to it. The platform is very stable when the lock is engaged. Imagine a Crown Graphic turned around backwards with the back at the front and the front at the back using a tilt swing yoke and the lens in the middle of where the film holder should be.