127 Rodenstock Ysarex on 4x5

[Alexander Grillon]

I have a 127 rodenstock ysarex in perfect conditions, it comes from a Polaroid 110a.
I thought I could mount it on my 4x5, but I see it is impossible, the image on my GG is always out of focus; the rear and front standards are too distant and it is impossible to get them closer. I should modifie my lens? What can I do? I would like only to be able to cover the format with no tilts or movements.
Thank you
A Grillon

 

[eumenius]

You can either keep this lens for close-up work (its original dedication), or use a recessed board with appropriate (Copal 1?) hole to use it on infinity.

 

[noseoil]

I have a friend (Ria) who uses hers for 5x7. Amazing lens and covers about 99% of the time she uses it. What type of camera won't close up to less than 127mm? tim

 

[Mongo]

If you can get the rear and front standards 127mm (5 inches) apart, the lens should be very close to focused on infinity. Moving the standars farther apart would focus closer. I don't know any 4x5s that don't have 127mm of bellows draw...but is it possible that there's a problem with the lens that it just won't throw a focused image?

On a bright day, stand in a room with a bright window across from you. Hold the lens up so it's parallel to the window and look at the image on the wall behind the lens. (Make sure the shutter is open!) Move then lens forward and back until you see a sharp image. If you can't get a sharp image at about somewhere between 125mm - 175mm from the wall, then you have a problem with your lens.

Best of luck.
Dave

 

[Donald Qualls]

Mongo, my Aletta 4x5 will barely focus infinity with a 150 mm lens (and no movements possible, bellows too stiff). With a 135 mm, the sliders on the monorail interfere with each other, as well as running out of bellows compression. I'm planning to rebuild the rail and sliders to eliminate the first problem, and make a bag bellows to correct the second. Wonderful thing with an Aletta -- if you don't like the way something works, you can just change it.

 

[Alexander Grillon]

Thank you.
I pushed my camera closer to the subject and I found it was on focus. It is a 5x7 camera with a 4x5 back. I think a recessed board is the best solution (copal 0), I thought that with some template between the two cells (to get more distance between them) I could change the length of my lens...
Noseoil: good news it covers the 5x7!

 

[noseoil]

Alexander, I've found that a drill bit used for Blum hinges (kichen cabinet door hinge) is just right for a copal "0" shutter. If you make a recessed lens board, a cabintet maker in your area can drill it for you. They might also be able to make one for you if you can't find one to buy. Good luck, and I hope to see an image posted when you get it working. tim

 

[Alexander Grillon]

Thank you Tim, I owe you an answer: it is a Fatif camera. Lensboards are not so common, but I am searching the web to look for the one I need.
Thank you

 

[Mongo]

Mongo, my Aletta 4x5 will barely focus infinity with a 150 mm lens (and no movements possible, bellows too stiff). With a 135 mm, the sliders on the monorail interfere with each other, as well as running out of bellows compression.

Donald-

Did you have to treat your bellows to make them light-tight? I almost bought an Aletta kit, and then I read about the leaky bellows problem. The guy disappeared shortly thereafter so nothing ever came of my intended purchase. But I wonder if you did anything to your bellows...they may have compressed more before they were treated (if, indeed, you treated them in some way).

It's a shame about the Aletta. I'd love to find a good, simple, DIY 4x5 to play with. I have cameras for serious work, but I'd really like a test bed for some of the weird ideas I have for a 4x5 camera.

I wonder if anyone out there is making a cheap and simple 4x5 kit these days. (The Bender kit doesn't count regardless of price...it takes way too long to build. I tried, but finally gave up. Just too many little parts and too many little steps...I got bored and used some of the parts for other projects It's a great kit, if you have the patience of Job and more free time than I do.)

Be well.
Daev

 

[Donald Qualls]

Mongo, the Aletta isn't a bunch simpler than the Bender -- I've looked at Benders, and the only major difference I see is the Aletta uses a wooden rail (with inset brass strip to take the wear of locking down the focus), and no second movement frame to separate rise from tilt (though that's an upgrade mine is likely to receive at some point).

The bellows in mine is reported to be a little translucent; it'll apparently fog ISO 25 film to 53 out of 255 on a digital densitometer, in seven minutes standing in direct sun. FWIW, the external surface of the bellows appears to be made of wide strips of what looks like black masking tape, laid diagonally and overlapped a little. If that's the same material I've got on my desk, it's not perfectly opaque at its best. I plan to run some tests when I'm ready to use mine regularly and decide how much, if any treatment to give. I'm guessing that a coat of bumper paint (black) will do the job nicely and have little or no effect on the bellows compression.

The biggest problem with compression on the Aletta is that the bellows is both too thick (so that even though it's tapered, it doesn't nest flat as a tapered bellows should) and too long (I've got more bellows draw than I do rail length, though I plan to make a longer rail when I upgrade to let the standards move closer together (which will go with making a bag bellows). That extra length might be good; my Componon's front group is around 360 mm focal length, it looks like...

I say again -- the wonderful thing about a kit/plans camera is that if you don't like something, a trip to Home Depot and a few hours in the shop will correct it.