Anybody Here Using the Plaubel Peco Junior?

[Nokton48]

Fujinon GX lenses on digital medium format

Short version: Fujinon GX lenses for the Fuji GX680 system are an option if you need a large image circle on a camera that provides a focusing rail. Image quality is very good, and they’re inexpensive. However, to use these lenses on a digital camera you really need to disassemble and remount...

www.getdpi.com

Here's an excellent guide to modifying Fujinon EBC GX680 lenses, he's using digital but applies as well to Plaubel Peco Junior. I'm still looking for a decent 50mm, and also the 115mm F3.2. I have everything else is except the zoom, the soft lens, and the 300mm. These are all excellent lenses available for not too much money. Even less is they are broken, it makes no difference to me.

 

[Nokton48]

Fuji GX680 50mm f5.6 Seiko Shutter by Nokton48, on Flickr

• My Plaubel Junior restored with New to me 50mm F5.6 Fuji GX680 lens, purchased broken, at a good discount, from Adorama in NYC. They also included the Gelatin Filter Holder/50mm Hood, it's worth some Dollars so a great deal. The view through the 50mm is AMAZING. Can't wait to shoot some test 6.5x9cm Makina Back Film. EVentually I will buy some type of Digital Medium Format Back. The Peco Junior has a Leica-like smoothness and feel. Plaubel advertised as "The Rolls Royce of Cameras" in the day. Works smoothly and tightly in a Leica-type of way. Also looked through my 4x5" Sinar Normas with this lens. It's amazingly sharp-looking and nice and contrasty view. This will get some use now, rather than becoming an interesting broken ornament. BTW I should mention that I bought the camera for 70 Bucks from Adorama. Another great price. And it included a lens board with a #0 hole
• 
  The 50mm f5.6 GX680 takes 105mm filters, so I am glad I have the 4x4" Gelatin Holder and Hood for the GX50, It just covers the outer cell diameter, barely. I have a complete set of Kodak Wratten Gelatin 4x4" B&W Filters, so I am set. The 65mm and 80mm share a hood that also takes 4x4 Gelatins.

 

[lobitar]

I don't believe G-Clarons are dialyte. from what I've read early ones are a Dagor type formula, and the later ones are Plasmats of some kind.

I know the F9 is due to the design, I just wonder why they're all designed to f9? I have plasmat process lenses, tessar process lenses, dialyte process lenses, all with f9 as the max aperture. (actually, I don't know if an "apo-tessar" is really a tessar, or is just using the name.

Right, the G-Clarons are not dialytes. Perhaps Nokton meant Repro-Clarons, that are dialytes - and very nice lenses at that.
Some Apo-Tessars (at least the 600 mm) had an airspace between the two rear lenses, that were otherwise balsamed together.

 

[Nokton48]

Digital Back Peco Jr 150mm F9 Apo Ronar by Nokton48, on Flickr

Plaubel Peco Junior 6.5x9cm view camera, with homemade Digital Back. Rodenstock 150mm F9 Apo Ronar at F11. A tiny GEM of a lens.

Yes I was thinking of Repro Clarons .

 

[Nokton48]

Getting There Set of GX680 Lenses Seiko Shutters by Nokton48, on Flickr

• Getting there with my set of Fuji GX680 lenses, with Seiko #2 Shutters added. Mounted on PLaubel Peco Junior boards and Minolta SRT cable releases, Yellow Filters on each, and Hoods too. From the left front, the 50mm F5.6, then the 65mm F5.6, then the 80mm F5.6. On the far right front, the 100mm F4. Back Row, from the left, the 125mm F3.2, then the 150mm F5.6. Next the 180mm F3.2, and on the far right, the 210mm F5.6 Also adding the 250mm F5.6, should be tommorrow, got another Seiko Shutter coming. The 50mm front view reminds me of the HAL9000 fisheye in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It looks about the same LOL Testing phase is coming up. Will utilize them all depending on the situation. I doubt I'll take them out all at once, too much weight! But select two or three depending on what my intended use will be. In the studio I will have the luxury of selecting whichever meets the intended needs of the photograph. So very straightforward. And good to have a choice of focal lengths in the same modern glass. The 50mm and 65mm take a Gel 4x4 Fuji Hood which is cool with me; I have a complete set of 4x4 B&W Gel Wrattens.
  

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Using Brass Hobby Modeling Screws I bolted a Plaubel 120x120 Adapter Board, to a Sinar Norma Uber Heavy Metal Homemade Machined Norma Board (heavily used) LOL. Always wondered what I would ever do with this thing LOL. So now all my Plaubel Junior mounted boards fit onto the Norma, which I can go up to 8x10, although with these 4x5 will do it nicely. This is the Schneider 135mm F3.8 Schneider Xenar, a not often seen lens, in the F3.8 version. Great to look through on the 4x5 Norma. The tripod is Shulman-inspired Leica Tiltall, modded with aluminum block. This tripod is in Shulman's books on Architecture and Interiors, which I studied intensely back in the Eighties.

 

[Nokton48]

OK So I built this Jim Galvin 2x3 Graflex Back (bought from Glenn Evans) and I adapted it to the Peco Junior. The idea is to be able to use this with Graflex Wind Lever Backs, from which the Galvin Back was designed to use. So I picked up the pieces to make two usuable 220 6x7 RH20 Backs, a 120 RH10 (6x7), and also a usuable 120 RH8 (6x9). So I've cleaned these up, loaded with fresh film, and firstly shot a dummy roll through each to check the frame spacing. These are nice backs to use, flatten the film as it goes through, uncomplicated and comfortable to use. With 220 Shanghai I gain some 220 firepower as far as shooting without reloading, so that is a good thing. To see the groundglass fine detail I am making the fresnel lens easy to take off. To further get going I am thinking of ordering a custom made dark cloth, I think it will fit the Galvin Back very well and very functional with no downsides. And I have a lot of 2x3 Graphic Holders which also work just great in the Galvin. Finally I have a number of 2x3 Graphmatic Backs, so I will be able to shoot all kinds of emulsions in the Peco Junior. I've been looking at the Aptus 22 as a digital back possibility. Seems a like a lot of digital medium format back at lower money

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Fred Newman at BZTS has a smaller BZTS Focus Hood, that I think will fit the 2x3 Galvin Back on the Peco Jr. Also it should work with the European 6x9 Peco Jr Back I have. And also, I found my Grey 2x3" Graflex Peco Junior Back, which it should also fit? This is getting to really be fun

I'm busy cleaning and loading old holders

 

[Nokton48]

Galvin 2x3 Graphic Back 75mm F8 Super Angulon Compur Twin Levels by Nokton48, on Flickr

I've been test shooting with this camera in the studio. Jim Galvin 2x3 Graphic Wind Back Peco Junior Plaubel with 75mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon. I have the specific Schneider Center Filter for the 75 F8 which will go on this. Good when doing exptreme movements. I like shooting 6x9cm images with the 75mm F8 it's a needle sharp Sinar approved lens. Added Two Bubble Levels from B&H, which make the camera now VERY precise to align. Very well made mechanism it's quick and seamless to operate. Looking at the Aptus 22 Digital Backs, it might be a good choice for this. A lot of medium format digital back for not that much money. Anyway this is ready to go outside. I will prolly be working out of mu olde Zone VI Small Monorail Bag, I used to carry my 4x5 Norma around in it, it worked good. Last thing is a BZTS Focusing Hood, has elastic stretching fitting tightly, so I can compose in bright sunlight. Looking forward to testing this outside. Too cold right now!

 

[Nokton48]

Galvin 2x3 Graphic Back 75mm F8 Super Angulon Compur Twin Levels by Nokton48, on Flickr

Digisnap for the above post; Not sure what happened to the link?




SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Fred Newman at The Darkroom Store looked around for me, and he had in stock, a smaller version (fits about 18x18 inches), perfect for my two Peco Juniors. This finishes my basic kit for these cameras and it works great, will get used to it. Since I have three Spring-Loaded Sheet Film Backs, The Galvin 2x3 (fits Graphic sheet and lever wind roll backs), The Plaubel Makiflex #526 Bail Back (fits 6x9 and 2x3 Linhof Glass Holders!, and finally, a grey 6x9 European Peco Jr Sheet Back, which came with dedicated 6x9 single shot holders, and a couple of double sided, too. This hood works with all of these, and is very well designed to be useful to me. Much nicer than the olde horse blanket! Camera shown with my Fuji GX680 180mm F3.2 in Seiko Shutter.

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Two more Seiko LS23 Shutters have just arrived from Japan, so these two Maki mounted lenses, the GX680 210mm F5.6, and the 180mm F5.6 GX680 are now finished and integrated into the Plaubel Peco Junior lens bank. These are not expensive lenses compared to the more exotic ones, and both are really excellent. I just shot a sweep table still life with the 180mm F5.6, shooting Ilford PanF+, Overhead Softbox Lighting with frontal foamcore panel fill. Very luscious looking on the 6x9 Ground glass. These are very good lenses I can tell. Well worth the money

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Completely restored Plaubel Peco Junior with Bag Bellows and Plaubel Makina Back with homemade Rotating Magnifier. Camera shown focused at infinity, very light and compact for easy carrying. Along with the widest lens (58mm Grandy), I also have: 65mm f6.8 Schneider Angulon, 65mm F8 Super Angulon with Center Filter, 75mm f8 Super Angulon with Center Filter, 135mm F3.8 Schneider Xenar, and 150mm F9 Rodenstock Apo Ronar. All this fits in my olde blue generic camera bag. In each end pocket are two 120 Plaubel Makina 6x9 Backs. Extra 120 rolls, tape, markers, notebook, etc all fit in the bag. It's not lightweight, but it's quite a BIG outfit cut down to minimum size.

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

The Fuji GX680 Lens Set, from left 125mm F5.6 GX680, 210mm F5.6 GX680, and right the 250mm F5.6 GX680. All neatly shuttered Seiko LS23 Shutters from Fujinon WS lenses. lensboards 3D printed from the Guy in Italy, light seals added by me using Rotary Cutter to cut strips. Works good Minolta SRT Cable Releases (Good Ones!) 82mm Yellow Filters, Rubber Lenshood. Lens on left not finished, needs JB Welded Ring to board, back cell lip removed by me with grinder (to back focus on Makiflex) now needs brush painted with Krylon. Also I will Krylon the back of the lens board to make sure no leaks.