Large Format photography group - From "zero to hero!"

I needed one when I had only one lens - I had more than one camera with different panels, and even before that, the ring needed tightening.
 
RaglanSurf said:
You only really need a lens spanner if you've got more than one lens. Have you got more than one lens Andy?
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Not yet but there are plans afoot... ;)
 
Woodsy said:
1) you don't *need* one, you can get them off with screw drivers, but it's a ball ache if it's screwed on uber tight, and like me last time, you risk scratching things or worse.
2) I believe the sort is only a matter of what size ring you want to remove. AFAIK, any copal 0 spanner thinger should remove any copal 0 retaining ring.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Pro-Lens-Repair-Spanner-Wrench-Opening-Open-Tool-10-120mm-for-Canon-Nikon-AY/131553083701?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=33487&meid=6893f14e5bbb4b76ac5ad23cd69ce1bd&pid=100005&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=200978102480

Something like that might work.
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So will that doohickey adjust to fit all 3 copal sizes, it certainly looks like it will.
 
So do I (y)
 
OK large formateers a question. I currently have Schneider Kreuznach 135mm Xenar f4.7 135mm which is a nice, sharp, lightweight lens. However, ideally I would like something longer as I find that for sweeping landscapes etc it is a bit on the short side (like Nick :D)

So, any suggestions as to a good quality but reasonably priced (up to about £250) longer lens.

Ta

Andy
 
something in the 210 f5.6 range andy, such as the symars or sironars. Some very cheap ones pop up now and again in older designs and shutters but for your budget there are numerous around.

I have a 210mm rodenstock sinaron s which does me fine, it's fairly small and light and is at least as good as my ability to not mess it up
 
I've got a Fuji 180mm f/5.6 that came from Japan for well under your budget including all duties and charges. I've never been less than impressed with any of my Fuji lenses (film and digital) but I haven't used this one to be able to give you a sample. All Fuji lenses seem to sell at relatively cheap prices on the bay, no idea why but it may be as simple as them not being as popular as the bigger names in the field.

I'd be happy to bring it to the Lakes if you'd like to give it a go, can even put it in a Linhof-style board if that helps :)
 
Cheers Dean that would be helpful. Does a Linhof board fit an MPP camera?
 
Like Dean, I've got a fujinon, mine is the 210, fantastically sharp even wide open which isn't really the forte of LF lenses. Let me see if I have any shots on Flickr.

What I'd really like is a coated 150 for my night shots but they seem to going just out my budget just now.

Best (only) shot I've got on Flickr with it, I'm really behind on my scanning)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/49248828@N06/15998569551/
 
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It seems rather difficult to find a comprehensive list of board sizes. Specify a camera, and it is usually possible to find the size (and compatibility) fairly easily - unless it's an MPP! I've gained the impression that there may be different sizes of MPP boards.

However: if you look at the Walker site you'll get some measurements for cameras, and there's a bigger list of cameras on SK Grimes site. I can say with certainty that the same board that fits a Wista DX will fit a Walker Titan SF; and a Canham DLC45 takes a different size.

It looks as if if you can measure the board, you should be able to identify what is the same.

And if anyone knows of a comprehensive list of which boards are the same, I'd be interested to know. (But this info may actually be in a book, as I haven't consulted paper sources this time).
 
StephenM said:
It seems rather difficult to find a comprehensive list of board sizes. Specify a camera, and it is usually possible to find the size (and compatibility) fairly easily - unless it's an MPP! I've gained the impression that there may be different sizes of MPP boards.

However: if you look at the Walker site you'll get some measurements for cameras, and there's a bigger list of cameras on SK Grimes site. I can say with certainty that the same board that fits a Wista DX will fit a Walker Titan SF; and a Canham DLC45 takes a different size.

It looks as if if you can measure the board, you should be able to identify what is the same.

And if anyone knows of a comprehensive list of which boards are the same, I'd be interested to know. (But this info may actually be in a book, as I haven't consulted paper sources this time).
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Thank you Stephen, this is very helpful.

Strappy said:
No idea. :)

This lens is in a Linhof board, does it look like yours?
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fujifilm-Fu...l-0-Linhof-Board-EXC-/281811734215?nav=SEARCH

The lens is currently in a Sinar board which I'm guessing will be too big for the front standard on your camera, it's roughly 5.75" square. I can bring that too.
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Cheers Dean, I'll let you know in a bit.

RaglanSurf said:
Snigger
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On Nick, how very childish.....:D
 
StephenM said:
And if anyone knows of a comprehensive list of which boards are the same, I'd be interested to know. (But this info may actually be in a book, as I haven't consulted paper sources this time).
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I've now looked at Steve Simmons' Using the View Camera and Leslie Stroebel's View Camera Technique without success; the only other book I can recall having is Roger HIcks and Frances Schultz Medium and Large Format Photography which I can't immediately find in the book piles. I do still have the recollection that I've seen a table somewhere, but if it was in a magazine it's going to be hard to locate.
 
StephenM said:
It seems rather difficult to find a comprehensive list of board sizes. Specify a camera, and it is usually possible to find the size (and compatibility) fairly easily - unless it's an MPP! I've gained the impression that there may be different sizes of MPP boards.

However: if you look at the Walker site you'll get some measurements for cameras, and there's a bigger list of cameras on SK Grimes site. I can say with certainty that the same board that fits a Wista DX will fit a Walker Titan SF; and a Canham DLC45 takes a different size.

It looks as if if you can measure the board, you should be able to identify what is the same.

And if anyone knows of a comprehensive list of which boards are the same, I'd be interested to know. (But this info may actually be in a book, as I haven't consulted paper sources this time).
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Have you seen this website for board size? http://www.mppusers.com/lensboards.htm
 
I've just done a little more looking. MPP board sizes can be found here; and two other places giving board sizes for most camera (but not MPP) are Bromwell Marketing and Richard T Ritter.

Edit to add - above post made while I was typing this post.
 
No idea how easy it is to make a lens board, but the description in the mppusers web site looks like something that @stevelmx5 and his mates could knock up fairly easily...
 
Looking at the designs they should be possible to cut from 6mm acrylic like the pieces I used last night to make my ground glass holder. Either a bit of testing to get the right laser power to remove 0.5mm from the top surface or just mill the acrylic down by that once the laser has finished cutting.
 
stevelmx5 said:
Looking at the designs they should be possible to cut from 6mm acrylic like the pieces I used last night to make my ground glass holder. Either a bit of testing to get the right laser power to remove 0.5mm from the top surface or just mill the acrylic down by that once the laser has finished cutting.
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Well, there's only one way to find out how easy it is.... :whistle::)
 
stevelmx5 said:
Looking at the designs they should be possible to cut from 6mm acrylic like the pieces I used last night to make my ground glass holder.
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As long as the £250 lens doesn't end up like your ground glass... ;)

Seriously, that does look like a simple thing for which there might be a small demand for custom one-offs (lens X, MPP model Y) as a low level business opportunity. What you need is a prototype to test it out... :)
 
stevelmx5 said:
Let's measure up the board at the weekend mate. So long as it cut be machined on a flat bed (one side only) it should be ok on the laser cutter.
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Cheers mate, sounds like a plan.
 
I've been thinking about this for Sinar boards and as far as I can tell it'd be a segment of widdle. There's no channel on the outside edge, the boards are plain squares with a hole in the middle. In fact, the only difficult bit would be centering the lens hole and if you can't find the centre on a square, you should probably put any cutting implements down and walk away before you hurt yourself.

As Sinar boards range from £20 to £40, paying under £5 for a sheet of acrylic, a hole saw and some sandpaper feels like a bargain!
 
Just one thing to note, and that is to check whether the material you're making the lens board out of blocks IR as well as visible. I'm sure it will, but worth checking. Metal's best if it's no harder to cut.
 
Woodsy said:
Just one thing to note, and that is to check whether the material you're making the lens board out of blocks IR as well as visible. I'm sure it will, but worth checking. Metal's best if it's no harder to cut.
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Good point. I was thinking metal because if they bend in your bag, they're unlikely to snap and you should be able to bend them back. Pricing up sheets sized 500x500x3mm, aluminium is £17.49 and acrylic is £28.50 (in matt black) so metal seems the way to go.




Disclaimer: Pricing done in a rush because I need to get ready to go out tonight, I only looked on the bay and other prices may be cheaper ;)
 
I made an copal 3 board for my Deardorff out of a bit of ply when I needed one, they really aren't very complicated at all

Good point on the IR woodsy, given the sheet may be exposed behind the board for a little while before the actual exposure is triggered
 
It might be easier and cheaper to make an adapter to the sudo standard linhof boards.

What I did to mine, as suggested by Ed Bray, was bought a linhof adapter from eBay, cut a hole the size of the adapter in my single arca swiss board and epoxyed it in place. It's not pretty but it's saved me a fair bit in more expensive, rarer and much larger arca swiss lens board.
 
I'm loving the DIY attitude guys! It's way more enjoyable creating something yourself :0)
 
Strappy said:
Good point. I was thinking metal because if they bend in your bag, they're unlikely to snap and you should be able to bend them back. Pricing up sheets sized 500x500x3mm, aluminium is £17.49 and acrylic is £28.50 (in matt black) so metal seems the way to go.




Disclaimer: Pricing done in a rush because I need to get ready to go out tonight, I only looked on the bay and other prices may be cheaper ;)
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How many lens boards are you planning on making Dean? I've been buying A4 sized sheets of acrylic (3/5mm) for less than a fiver via eBay. Obviously if you're going to make more then it's more economical to buy a larger sheet.

Also, a 5 or 6mm piece of acrylic will be pretty solid even with the centre hole cutout so there's no risk of it getting bent out of shape like a metal panel could.
 
Is the acrylic infra-red-tight?
 
I've never tested it or researched but I'd imagine the solid colour acrylic would be pretty much light tight.
 
You could always back with tinfoil or some more technical application of a similar material if needed with no real issues?
 
You'd want to paint it black first or you'd get some interesting flare.
 
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