2x3 Century graphic

[campy51]

Most 2x3 Century Graphic cameras came with a 101mm lens and the Kalart rangefinder was calibrated to that lens. How difficult would it be to adjust for a 80mm Xenotar f2.8?

 

[Dustin McAmera]

The adjustment method is at Graflex.org:

Adjusting the Kalart Rangefinder

graflex.org

and there's a link to images of an original manual:

Kalart Rangefinder Adjustment Manual

graflex.org

They give starting numbers for the two scales, but only for a set of lenses very close to standard. I know I followed these instructions to set the RF for a 127mm lens, ages ago. I don't remember doing it, but I wrote down in some Flickr captions that I did it, so I must have. Mostly I use the ground-glass for focusing the camera.

 

[Besk]

Not difficult - but patience and persistence is required.

 

[Sergey Ko]

Rangefinder camera for landscape shooter, 35mm, with lightmeter, high quality, super sharp lenses - Hasselblad Xpan (Fuji TX) is out of competition!

 

[Donald Qualls]

How difficult would it be to adjust for a 80mm Xenotar f2.8?

I adjusted the Kalart on my Anniversary Speed some years ago; having never done it before, it took less than a half hour (for the 135 mm lens that's still on it). Main key is having a distant target that's at least a mile away, preferably several mile. I don't know any reason it would be harder for an 80 mm, though given how little extension my Century needs for the 101 Ektar, I'd wonder if an 80 mm would avoid getting the bed in frame (probably okay, given this isn't a reversing or revolving back).

 

[Cholentpot]

I adjusted the Kalart on my Anniversary Speed some years ago; having never done it before, it took less than a half hour (for the 135 mm lens that's still on it). Main key is having a distant target that's at least a mile away, preferably several mile. I don't know any reason it would be harder for an 80 mm, though given how little extension my Century needs for the 101 Ektar, I'd wonder if an 80 mm would avoid getting the bed in frame (probably okay, given this isn't a reversing or revolving back).

I keep trying and failing. I think maybe it might be my Kalart at some point.

 

[Donald Qualls]

If you're working from the instructions linked a few messages up thread, and not getting there, that's a possibility. My relative ease of success might have been due to not needing a lot of adjustment, of course.

Have you verified that there's no looseness between the actuating arm and the moving mirror/prism (been so long since I did mine I forget which it is)? And the ramp doesn't wobble on its own?

 

[Dan Fromm]

Um, er, ah, OP, you've got a lot of advice so far but none of it mentions the dirty secret of adjusting Kalarts. It is a very slow laborious process that takes a lot of fiddling and requires a distant, as in miles away, subject for setting infinity. In practice it isn't feasible in the field.

If you want to use your Century as a 6x6 or 6x7 RF camera with y'r 80/2.8 Xenotar and no other lens, fine, wonderful, adjust away. If you want to use the Xenotar on 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (6x9 in metric), be aware that according to Schneider at infinity and f/16 the lens covers 91 mm. 2x3 needs at least 100 mm. If you can live with worse image quality in the corners and at the ends of the frame than in the center, by all means go ahead. If not, get an 80/6.3 WF Ektar (standard issue w/a lens for the Century) or an 80/2.8 Planar.

FWIW, I use a variety of lenses on my Century. 35 mm to ~ 250 mm. I focus on the ground glass.

 

[Donald Qualls]

In practice it isn't feasible in the field.

Oh, certainly not. It's not a huge operation, but I wouldn't even want to consider it as part of changing lenses. For my Speed, I have the Kalart adjusted for the 13.5 cm f/4.5 Tessar that lives on the camera, and I use the ground glass for the 10.5 cm f/4.5 Agnar and the 150 mm Componon.

 

[Dan Daniel]

If you want to use the Xenotar on 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (6x9 in metric), be aware that according to Schneider at infinity and f/16 the lens covers 91 mm... get an 80/6.3 WF Ektar (standard issue w/a lens for the Century) or an 80/2.8 Planar.

The Planar will cover 6x9?

Can you recommend a quality longer lens for the Century- 150-180 or so? And not the 203mm Ektar, it's too dark for my eyes and focusing.

Can confirm, 80mm Xenotar will cover 6x7 cleanly with almost no movements. That's it. The Kodak 80mm wide field is a nice lens.

There is a nice 75mm nikkor, f/4.5 I think, that I used for a few years to great effect on a Horseman with a 6x9 roll film back. What was nice about it is that the back flange distance or such was more than typical so it sits further out from the film plane.

 

[Chuck1]

Again , the planar will cover 6x9?

 

[Dustin McAmera]

You can make a focus scale for a second lens, on the spare side of the bed. It's not a rangefinder but it's something.
If you want to switch between one lens and another frequently, it's worth getting each its own pair of infinity stops.

 

[Donald Qualls]

a quality longer lens for the Century

You could do far worse than a 15 cm f/4.5 Tessar. These are fairly cheap and usually include a shutter (either dial-set or rim-set Compur) with or without flash sync depending on age. Even the oldest ones are good lenses (I have one on one of my plate cameras that I've thought of transferring to my Speed), and they improved some over time. Now, whether they'll fit in the front standard of a Century, I'm not certain.

 

[Besk]

Can you recommend a quality longer lens for the Century- 150-180 or so? And not the 203mm Ektar, it's too dark for my eyes and focusing.

I opened up the front (about 2mm) of my 6x9 Crown Graphic to accept my Caltar II-N (Rodenstock Sironar-N) 180/5.6. It requires VERY careful work with a Dremel tool.) Also accepts the Rodenstock 65/4.5 BTW.

The rangefinder of my Crown is set for the Kodak 105/3.7 lens. I also have a second scale for my Angulon 65mm/6.8 lens. To use the 65mm with the rangefinder I focus with the rangefinder and then transfer the reading from the 105mm scale to the scale for the 65mm lens.
Note: The front standard is positioned at the junction of the two rails with this 65/6.8 lens at infinity. I had to modify the infinity stops to position the standard on a solid portion of the rail when the lens is focused at infinity.

With all my other lenses (other than the Kodak 105 and 65 Angulon) I use the ground glass for focusing.

 

[campy51]

The reason for question is I have a chance to buy a 2x3 Century graphic with the Xenotar 80mm f2.8 but I already have a 4x5 Crown with 6x9 roll back and a Mamiya Super 23 with 6x9 back. The Century doesn't have the roll holder so I would have to buy sheet film and film holders or a roll holder. Is the lens worth the trouble?

 

[Cholentpot]

If you're working from the instructions linked a few messages up thread, and not getting there, that's a possibility. My relative ease of success might have been due to not needing a lot of adjustment, of course.

Have you verified that there's no looseness between the actuating arm and the moving mirror/prism (been so long since I did mine I forget which it is)? And the ramp doesn't wobble on its own?

I think it just comes down to me not really knowing what I'm doing honestly. I'm better at taking photos than fixing and adjusting cameras.

 

[Dustin McAmera]

I have a chance to buy a 2x3 Century graphic with...

Seems to me that purchase commits you to some more before you have a working camera; so I wouldn't, unless the camera body is really good condition, and you are up for hunting down the roll film holder, and a lens that covers.


Those adjustment instructions aren't the clearest in the world.

 

[Dan Daniel]

2x3 Century graphic with the Xenotar 80mm f2.8. Is the lens worth the trouble?

First, the Xenotar covers 6x7 and that is it. This fits how I use the camera but that's me. I like the Xenotar but it isn't some transformative experience. If you really want a Xenotar in a field package that you can handhold and focus and compose, buy a Rolleiflex?

 

[Dan Fromm]

Again , the planar will cover 6x9?

Yes. I have one. Years ago Edmund bought a batch of 80/2.8 Planar cells that had been intended for the Graflex XL. My late friend Charlie Barringer bought some of them, later gave me a pair. I put them in shutter. Yes, they cover 2x3.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Can you recommend a quality longer lens for the Century- 150-180 or so? And not the 203mm Ektar, it's too dark for my eyes and focusing.

Dan, I have a 150/5.6 Boyer Saphir BX, a 160/5.6 Wolly Pro Raptar, a 180/6.8 Boyer Beryl. All are decent, all are scarce, especially the Pro Raptar, and the Beryl is probably too dark for you. Come to think of it, I also have a 180/4.8 Ilex Acuton that I've never used.

As for wide angles, one of the things I like about the Century and 2x3 Crown is their minimum extension of 34.9 mm. VERY w/a friendly. They'll mount and focus a 35/4.5 Apo-Grandagon!

 

[Dustin McAmera]

The only long lens I have for mine is a Tele-Xenar. It's a 240mm f/5.5, from some time in the late 1930s. I haven't used it very much. Graflex themselves would have offered you a Tele-Optar, a later and I understand better option. Anyhow I believe there's a 180mm version too.

Editing to add that, unlike the Graflar or the 127mm Ysarex, I have to take the tele lens off to close the camera up.

 

[Dan Daniel]

So a Planar like this one, Dan? (10 bladed shutter!) Sorry to be such a doubter, I just always have thought of the Planar and Xenotar as being cousins of very similar specifications and such including coverage. Really, it covers 6x9? Any movement possible? Live and learn.

Very Good!! Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 Graflex Compur Shutter | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Very Good!! Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 Graflex Compur Shutter at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Yes, the short len option on the Century Graphic is very nice. I have a 47mm Ilex. I used to use a Horseman VH but even a 65mm needed a recessed lens mount since the rear section of railing did not move like on the Graphics. It was one of the nice things about that 75mm Nikkor that sits forward- a little more relaxation on the bellows to make use of its range of movements.

 

[Dan Fromm]

So a Planar like this one, Dan? (10 bladed shutter!) Sorry to be such a doubter, I just always have thought of the Planar and Xenotar as being cousins of very similar specifications and such including coverage. Really, it covers 6x9? Any movement possible? Live and learn.

That they'd be very very similar seems reasonable but it ain't so. The 80/2.8 Planar just covers 2x3 but with no movements.

 

[abruzzi]

The Planar will cover 6x9?

Can you recommend a quality longer lens for the Century- 150-180 or so? And not the 203mm Ektar, it's too dark for my eyes and focusing.

I was going to recommend the 150 G-Claron or 150 Apo Ronan (or if you prefer 180, the Fujinon-A) but all are f9. Instead I’d look for a later Schneider Xenar 150/5.6, or the xenar 210/6.1. Both are excellent lenses in my experience, and can frequently bought pretty cheap.