Anybody Here Using the Plaubel Peco Junior?

JPD · Mar 20, 2024

Nokton48 said:
Plaubel Suprocomar 100mm F2.9 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is coming to me from the Ukraine. The Plaubel 100mm Suprocomar F2.9 in Compur shutter. Plan to use it on my Plaubel Peco Juniors. Is anybody here familiar with this lens, I have several Anticomars and like them. Is this off of an olde Plaubel Folding camera??

It's a 3,9. It's been seen on a couple of KW Patent Etui 6,5x9 cameras.

nosmok · Mar 21, 2024

I know, and you probably do too, that the faster (f/2.0 as opposed to f/2.7) lens available on the Makinette 3x4cm 127 film camera was also called a Supracomar, but not sure if there is any connection between the lenses (as JPD alludes, I have a 6x9 Patent Etui with a Plaubel lens on it, but it's an Anticomar f/4.2 iirc).

Nokton48 · Mar 21, 2024

JPD and Nosmok,

Thanks for your comments. My bad LOL, it's a f3.9 lens, I have two 100mm F2.9 Anticomars; one on my Makina II, and one for my Makina IIIR. I also have a 100mm F4.2 Anticomar that is sharp as a razor, and also a 150mm F4.2 Anticomar. Collecting Plaubel is fun, almost like hunting for buried treasure

I hope this one has a socket for cable release ! LOL

JPD · Mar 24, 2024

There is a Patent Etui with the 3,9/10cm Supracomar on eBay, and one of the photos is of an article about this lens: https://www.ebay.de/itm/123774055192

"Das Supracomar wurde nur in wenigen Exemplaren gefertigt (Versuchsserie) für die Umstellung des 3-linsigen Anticomar (1:4,2 - 1936/37) auf den 4-linsigen Tessar-Typ, speziell für Farbtauglichkeit (1929/30). Nur ganz wenige Makinas wurden mit dem Supracomar ausgestattet. Danach folgte das Anticomar 1:2,9 mit 4-Linsen."

This Supracomar is therefore most likely a four element Tessar type. And about 50 were used on the Patent Etui.

Nokton48 · Mar 24, 2024

Thank You JPD !

Translation:

The Supracomar was only manufactured in a few copies (test series) to convert the 3-lens Anticomar (1:4.2 - 1936/37) to the 4-lens Tessar type, especially for color suitability (1929/30). Only very few Makinas were equipped with the Supracomar. This was followed by the Anticomar 1:2.9 with 4 lenses

Nokton48 · Apr 11, 2024

100mm F3.9 Supracomar Plaubel Peco Junior Sawed Off Baggy Bellows by Nokton48, on Flickr

The 100mm F3.9 Plaubel Supracomar arrived from the Ukraine. The lens glass is clean and unmarked, the shutter is good and right on. It's got a patina but I like that Shown on my "Sawed-Off" Plaubel Peco Junior, with Peco Bag Bellows and Makina Style Back, with wonderful swiveling rear. I can see the entire screen with clarity and brightness. Love it. The Supracomar is focused at about three meters, so close-up. Leica-like quality from Peco Jr adds to my enjoyment. The view is very sharp, contrasty (not flary like the Anticomars), with a "plastic" like rendition really pleasing. I think the lens was calculated to cover 9x12cm, so I am only using the sweet smaller center of the optic. FANTASTIC rendition, love it. This will get some good use if spring ever gets here. Small enough to be used handheld, and I do have a digital back for this camera. Hmmm

Nokton48 · May 14, 2024

Sawed Off Plaubel Peco Jr 100mm F2.9 Suprocomar F4.5 Nex C3 Digital Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

Looks very sharp, a bit flary (like my Orthometars too, I kind of like that). Lovely Bokeh shot at F4.5 to increase DOF a bit and lens shpuld be better one stop down. Very pleasant rendition. Plaubel Peco Junior Mini-Me View Camera, with Sony Nex-C3 Digital Back homemade by me. 1/160 sec not bad with a 100mm lens. I bought this recently from the Ukraine, I'll be shooting with it this season I'm sure. Should be good with Ortho and Pan B&W too. Camera was handheld.

Nokton48 · Dec 15, 2024

APSC Sony Nex C3 JB Welded to Peco Rear Standard Plate by Nokton48, on Flickr

I bought this Nex C3 16mp Body for Fifty Bucks at World of Photography. Then I JB Welded it to a flat scrap black metal Plaubel Plate from my junk box. Then JB Welded the flat plate/APSC Back to a flat revesible Peco Junior Rear Plate. VOILA! "Poor Man's Medium Format Digital Back". Great for testing and trying different OLDE lenses. This one is historically interesting, it was on the cover of the Peco Junior literature I have. It's the Plaubel 150mm F4.2 Orthometar, it takes the stock Plaubel Makina Hood on the front. So fully tricked out for digital fun. I finished this with a rubber magnifying Nex 3 hood $10 from Ebay.

ivan35mm · Mar 25, 2025

As someone who just picked up their first Peco Junior, this thread has been incredibly enlightening!

Looking forward to more of your continuous updates, and even contributing in the near future. cheers

Nokton48 · Apr 15, 2025

ivan35mm said:
As someone who just picked up their first Peco Junior, this thread has been incredibly enlightening!

Looking forward to more of your continuous updates, and even contributing in the near future. cheers

Thanks for your comments. Congrats on finding a good Peco Junior; I have a lot of upcoming plans regarding several personal projects coming up using my two PJ's. That is, if it EVER warms up around here! LOL

ivan35mm · May 11, 2025

Here is my "finally ready to be used" Peco Jr!

The camera came to me in pretty rough condition, as it was purchased For Parts via eBay Germany. The original bellows were torn up, so I dissembled it from the rear and front standard plates, and sent them to Keith at Custom Bellows, who did an excellent job!

Also, the camera came with a Xenar 105mm F3,5 (Synchro-Compur-P Copal 0), but sadly the speeds were way off, so I had in CLA'd. I decided to throw this Planar 100mm F2,8 (Linhof Synchro-Compur Copal 1) lens on instead... but I have some fun plans for the other shutter

For the moment, I'm using the camera with the 6x9 Plaubel roll film back.

I have quite a few more modifications going on, but will refrain from posting until everything is fielded tested.

-ivan

Nokton48 · May 15, 2025

Oooooo.... NICE!

100mm F2.8 Zeiss Planar would be most excellent on the Peco Junior. Beautiful job! Bright to look through I'll wager. My GX680 Fuji 100mm F4 is easy to look through too. Sharp and bright, snappy focus.

I'm not a photo machinist, but I try anyway LOL. It's all great fun.

I'm kinda interested in making a medium format digital back for mine. I have a Hasselblad CFV16 that might be able to play nice. My Nex3 APSC back is also fun to play with.

ivan35mm · May 15, 2025

Nokton48 said:
I'm not a photo machinist, but I try anyway LOL. It's all great fun.

I'm kinda interested in making a medium format digital back for mine. I have a Hasselblad CFV16 that might be able to play nice. My Nex3 APSC back is also fun to play with.

Thanks! Yes, the Planar at f2.8 on the ground glass is very nice! Looking forward to getting my first test roll back

One of the first things I did when I bought the camera was take all the standard plates, and throw them onto my flat bed scanner. From there, I traced everything, cross referencing all the real word dimensions, and fabricated 2D and 3D files of everything.

- The 2D files (.DWG) lent themselves very useful for laser cutting 1.5mm aluminum sheet metal, and then spraying it matte black.
- The 3D files (.STL) were more tailored for quick 3D printing of prototype spare parts.

I'm currently too new of a user for the private message feature, but if you can message me, I will send you both versions (2D & 3D) of the back standard, with original to Plaubel spec, "6x9" cavity. If its still not possible to message me, I will reach out after i surpass 20 posts!

Could be a nice start to get that digital back on your camera in the near future!

Nokton48 · May 22, 2025

Thank You! Previously I took a olde bail back completely apart, just to get a reversible plate for my Nex-3 APSC back. Used JB Weld to cover a lot of holes.

Great to be able to make more.

ivan35mm · Jun 3, 2025

My pleasure! If you, or anyone, need anything else, please let me know. Happy to attempt any reverse engineering on this camera I can.

Got my hands on the Galvin 6x9 Roll Film / Ground Glass adapter last week. Special thanks to Glenn Evans. Glad he still has some of these in stock.

Got that mounted onto one of my custom 12x12cm back standard plates today. Bolted together using M2.5 x 10mm RC/Hobby shop bolts and M2.5 nuts. Sandwiched in-between the back standard plate and Galvin adapter is a 2.5mm thick 3D printed black PLA "spacer". Looks & functions beautifully. Using with a Horseman 6x7 roll film holder.

Seen alongside my DIY bag bellows & Zeiss 100mm Planar

ivan35mm · Jun 4, 2025

Found this used Manfrotto "Tri Backpack L" (MB MA-BP-TL) bag at a local camera shop. The price was good, so figured I'd take a chance on it. The foam inserts were a tad too big, so I chopped them down to a size that the entire padded surface holds the camera mono rail in place. When closed up, the camera feels secure. I can't feel too much movement going on. I think the bag bellows also help fill any negative cavity space. Looking forward to testing it out!

Nokton48 · Jun 4, 2025

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Looking Great!

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.

I use this with my Glenn Evans acquired Galvin Graphic Back. Works great when I am using a loupe in the field.

ivan35mm · Jun 6, 2025

Looks like the perfect size dark cloth! I also appreciate your custom fresnel screen on the galvin back, from a few pages back. Really nice solution.

Tested the backpack on a trip yesterday, camera survived!

Currently using a dark cloth my wife sewed together for me, using silver on the outside & black on the inside "blackout fabric". just some locally sourced fabric. appears to be 2 layers of polyester fabric with a vulcanized rubber in between them. strange stuff. works great, though!

Nokton48 · Jun 8, 2025

2x3 Graphic Back Peco Jr 100mm F4 GX680 Seiko HP5 Replenished HC110 JOBO 2500 Uniroller by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing the Graphic Jim Galvin Back (from Glenn Evans) which I grafted onto a Plaubel Peco Junior Lensboard. Also testing the 100mm F4 GX680 converted to Seiko Shutter. The image occured to be acutely sharp on the groundglass, this is testing HP5+ EI 800 Replenished HC110 "B". Neg digitized with Sony Nex-7, Zeiss T* 2.8/50M Macro Planar, and Skiier Box for Illumination. Looks pretty good to me! Using 6x9 and 6x7 Graphic XL Film Backs, in 120 & 220 types.

ivan35mm · Jun 18, 2025

A while back, I found a Makina ground glass holder (the pop-up viewfinder one) for sale, being sold for parts/as-is. That same week, I found a Linhof "Einstell-Meßbalgen" (focusing bellow) for 6x9 - Part number: #002504. In my head, it seemed like a good idea to marry the two parts, so that I could have the option of using my Peco Jr without the dark cloth.

The Makina viewing screen was missing the ground glass, one of the ground glass holder clips (see images below) and the pop-up screen was torn, rendering it useless. I removed the pop-up screen entirely & had a new ground glass made. I then took the single glass holding clip, and fabricated a new one in Fusion 360. Replacement clip was printed in Nylon 12 using SLS printing. Even at just 0.7mm wall thickness, the part is very strong!

Just like the glass holding clip, I then made the adapter plate to connect the Linhof focusing bellows to the frame of the Makina screen in Fusion 360. Also printed in Nylon 12. It took 2 attempts to get all the measurements correct, but now the fit is very snug! First glued together via contact cement, then attached using M2.5 nuts and bolts.

ivan35mm · Aug 17, 2025

Copal 0 -> Compur 2 lens board modification

Nokton48 · Tuesday at 11:51 AM

Hi Ivan,

It all looks awesome.

3D Printed Italy Plaubel Peco Junior Boards by Nokton48, on Flickr

These are 3D Printed Lens Boards for the Plaubel Peco Junior. Purchased from Italy, rigidity not too bad, making these usuable. I cut the adhesive Foam down to exact size and some of these are light trapped ready to go. I bought quite a number of these in all the sizes, they were $10 each, saved on shipping. Quite a few of my Peco Junior Lenses have these boards, like the GX680 lenses. Original catalog Peco Junior Lenses get the original Olde Peco Junior Boards, light trapping updated. These boards clamp on tightly to the Clips holding them, mounting moderately heavy lenses solidly. I have thought about brush painting spray Krylon Ultra Flat on each board, maybe that will be another upcoming project to finish them out. These boards are good to use in the field IMO.

Nokton48 · Tuesday at 12:53 PM

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is my 250mm f5.6 Fuji GX680, I transplanted the front and rear cells, into a Seiko Shutter from a WS 210. Here focused at infinity, the glass view(throught my olde Printer's Loupe) is quite acutely sharp, I'm mighty pleased. Intend to use this as it is for Telescopic Photography. Many Wind Lever (mostly Graflex XL) 120 and 220 6x9, and 6x7 Film Backs, loaded with film ready to expose. I can carry this around easily with one hand, without straining anything. It's great fun to use, the Peco Junior is a precision instrument, with Leica like build quality. I'm totally pleased.

Nokton48 · 2025-08-28T10:16:08-0400

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Fuji GX680 65mm F5.6 bought cheaply, cells transplanted into a Seiko Shutter from a WS Fuji lens. Lens Board from Italy 3D printed, light trapping added by me with adhesive black foam strips cut on Rototrim. extremely sharp looking through my Olde Printer's Loupe on the groundglass. I am pleased, this lens has a large image circle and is easy to focus at F5.6. Minolta SRT Cable Release is a fave and super heavy duty.

Anybody Here Using the Plaubel Peco Junior?

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