Mounting a 14" Commercial Ektar?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I picked up the front and rear elements from a 14" Commercial Ektar without a shutter. I was going to use the front in my Hybrid Voigtlander Euroscop. I oppted for a +1 diopter that gave me a nice 18" Voigtlander. I made some stops for this lens and I shot it a F-16, 32,and 64. They all look good. Any ideas on what to mount the Ektar in? PVC pipe with a waterhouse slot? An old brass barrel? I'm open to ideas seeing the success I had with the Voigtlander. I don't think I can find a Universal #5 shutter and if so it would be costly so give me some ideas please. Thanks.

JIm

[Murray]

1) If someone who owns one in shutter and owns an analog or digital caliper and can tell you the front to rear cell spacing (overall barrel length), that will give you a good target and reference.

2) I have been considering having three 1/4" aluminum plates machined the same size and tapped on the bottom edge, then milled for lens cells for a 12" Metrogon. The middle one would be for an iris. The three rigid plates would be moved around like on a lens bench. Alternately, a metal rod or two could be used as gages to set the spacing for symmetry and then make changes from there. This solution of course depends on having a machinist available who doesn't charge you what people usually get charged for such work.

Another option is masonite, a hole saw (I use an adjustable fly cutter instead of an incremental one) and set the cutting blade with a digital caliper and a test drill (not a hole, but just the initial cut to where the diameter can be checked with the caliper again. Spacing set by shims of whatever material works, and end to end thickness with the caliper of a micrometer. Centration of the cells is the challenge here.

[Chauncey Walden]

The barrel for a 14 inch Ektar is 50mm long. You could just ask if anyone has a barrel sitting around since they remounted into a shutter.....

[John Kasaian]

What you want isn't a normal #5, get one that says "Made for Eastman Kodak" IMHO it is worth putting a 14" Commercial Ektar in a proper shutter---these are beautiful lenses. You might contact Carol at Flutot's and see if she's got one.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the info guys. Chauncey I didn't even think about the barrel! Great! Does anyone have one? I guess I need to post this in the wanted section.

Jim

[Chauncey Walden]

Well, I don't really want to get rid of mine. It's mint, like the lens, and nestled in the beautiful fitted black lacquer box it came in:-) The lens is in a standard Ilex #5 Universal and has never quarreled about the shutter not saying "made for Kodak". I would imagine that most "made for Kodak" shutters have a lens in them already - those that weren't furnished in barrel.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Well, guys this was just a thought. One of the many projects that will have to take a back seat to the building of the 11x14. Although, when the 11x14 is done that commercial Ektar would be nice...... Carol is not that far from my manufacturing plant. Thanks for all of the info.

JIm

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Jim,

for a shutter mount there is a spacer tube that you will need for the front cell. for barrel mount the 10"/4.5 is too small and the 12"/4.5 is too large. The 14"/6.3 is it's own size. You could look for a pre-war uncoated Eastman Ektar, same size, but it has a great look also, perfect for 'Hollywood' glamor lighting.

Good luck with the hunt.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Paul, I have a 10" 4.5 Anastigmat that I got for $10.00. Just haven't had the time to get it on a lens board yet. The lens is very clean. The rear element group is not perfect and I was thinking to just use it as a wide open portrait lens. I may just put it in some PVC pipe and see what it looks like. If I find a shutter at a later date then I can mount it.


Jim

[Turner Reich]

I agree that the correct shutter is needed, I have the 14" Commercial Ektar in the original shutter and I can say the images have a glow that other lenses don't. Don't Mickey Mouse the thing get a proper shutter.