Step Down to 6x9cm?

[Glenn Kroeger]

Eric:

Here is how you do it:

11x14 is more square than 6x9, so the short side determines the enlargement. 11 inches is 279.4mm from 55mm (short side of 6x9 film area) of film gives an enlargement of 5.08 from 6x9.

From 4x5, you have to use the long side, so 14 inches is 355.6mm from 117mm of film (based on the long side of a 4x5 from Fuji Quickload) gives an enlargement of 3.04.

So the ratio is 5.08/3.04 = 1.67.

So the 65mm would be equivalent of a 108mm lens or closest to a 110mm.

In practice, a 100mm, 110mm or 115mm will give similar views.

[John Cooper]

Ross: As the tragic week continues to unfold, today (sunday) the weather here in Florida suddenly turned sunny as a cold front replaced the very wet storm of the last few days.

I took my Technika V 6X9 with 7 lenses and 3 film backs out onto the Acosta Bridge overlooking downtown Jacksonville to shoot the same scene on each lens and each film back; 120 Agfa Scala (200); 120 Kodak 400BW; and, 220 Fuji NHG II (800). I had loaded the faster films earlier, expecting the foul weather to continue. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to shoot 21 shots from the same viewpoint, plus 6 more of another view. The quick lever removal for the back made the change from focusing back to film back very quick. The 7 lenses I was testing were as follows 65mm Super Angulon F:8, 75mm Super Angulon F:8, 80mm Noritar F:2.8, 105mm Zeiss Tessar F:3.5, 165mm Dagor F:6.8, 180mm Tele Arton F:5.5 and 240mm Tele Xenar F:5.5.

I find that the ease of use and ability to fine focus on the ground glass exceed my prior use of Technika V 4X5 and its lenses; also the weight of the outfit is more manageable for the walk up the bridge.

120 and 220 film is great for projection in the 6X7 format and the 6X9 format is closer to the 35mm format than 4X5. I still use 4X5 for indoor use, specifically Fuji 64T in Quickloads for copying art work, but for outdoor projects I think I will be using the 6X9 gear most of the time.

I would like to reduce my lenses to an 80mm Super Symmar XL and a 120mm Super Symmar HM both of which can be used on 4X5 and at a stretch on my 5X7 Kardan with or without its 4X5 back.

Best wishes in your 6X9 exploits,

John