Autographic lenses???

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Scuffy

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Okay folks, I'm brand spankin' new to the large format universe as I just had a Graflex 4x5 Pacemaker given to me the other day by a friend. Normally I shoot an RZ67 so I'm definitely out of my league!

I've been reading the threads around here about the Kodak Autographic cameras and their lenses and I've seen the great effects one can get with them. I've been a fan of photo's with shallow dop for a long time so I'm kinda hyped about this. From what I've gathered it is possible to take the lens off one of these cameras and mount it on another board for use in another camera, say the 4x5? If it is, where would one go about getting a lens board to fit them and which lens from the Autographics would be the best for getting such lovely bokeh?

Like I said, I'm new to this area so don't be too hard! I'm finding out that there is a heck of alot of terminology that I had no clue even existed. So now it's time to enroll myself at "Ape Hugger" U! lol
 

athanasius80

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Welcome to large format. Pacemakers are fun cameras. Regarding Autographics, the camera doesn't have to be a Kodak Autographic in and of itself. Autographic was a Kodak feature from (I think) 1917-1930. These cameras had everything from meniscus lenses to Zeiss licensed Tessars, most being meniscus and rapid rectilinear types. Kodak 3A's have been popular to steal lenses off of as the film size was 3.25 by 5.5 inch and the lenses can cover 4x5. If you want to experiment, I suppose you could look on ebay for junk early Kodak folding cameras and experiment on your own. Good luck!
 
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Scuffy

Scuffy

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Thank ya, thank ya! Muhahahaha... experimenting is the best part of photography!
 

paul ewins

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I made myself a cheap panoramic camera using an old Kodak 3A horizontal folder. The lens that came with that was a B&L Rapid Rectilinear in a Kodak TBI shutter. That shutter is slightly smaller than a Copal 0 and will mount quite happily on a SG lensboard with no further assistance. It works the other way too - the 3A now sports a 90mm Angulon.

I've also got a vertical 3A folder with the same lens, but in a 3 speed shutter (25, 50, 100 + B & T) so you're not restricted to using the rear shutter on the Speed Graphic. The vertical folders are a lot more common but I suspect there would have been a large variety of lens and shutter combinations over the years. In any case you can probably afford to wait for the right camera at the right price without worrying too much about missing out. Best of all, the lens and shutter can be easily removed without damaging the donor camera in the process.
 

Bob F.

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You may be disappointed by the quality of some of these lenses - i.e. they can be very good!

There is a post on here somewhere with an attachment of a pic I took with the lens from my 3A ... I'll go find it... hang on....

Ok, it's in this ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)) thread.


Have fun! Bob.
 

jimgalli

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You're definitely on the right railroad track going to neverland. That's what is the most fun about any of the large formats. Anything you can cobble onto the front of the camera can be used to make a picture. (there was a url link here which no longer exists) I did with an ancient 4 inch (100 mm) lens from some sort of old slide projector. That lens wouldn't fetch $3 on Ebay but it has become priceless to me. Don't worry too much about shutter for this type of photography. Here's a piece I wrote on the patented (there was a url link here which no longer exists) :wink: The main idea is to have some fun. Last evening I worked on a picture of an empty wine bottle with another old magic lantern lens that turns out to be an f4 14" triplet. More on that later. Gotta go develop the film. It looked gorgeous on the ground glass though.
 

Whiteymorange

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Scuffy said:
From what I've gathered it is possible to take the lens off one of these cameras and mount it on another board for use in another camera, say the 4x5? If it is, where would one go about getting a lens board to fit them and which lens from the Autographics would be the best for getting such lovely bokeh?

I've been making boards for my Anniversary Speed Graphic for a while now and find it pretty easy to do. I cut a 4" square piece of 1/4" Luan plywood and another that is about 3 5/8" square. Center one on the other with a good wood glue and clamp for a few hours or put the pair under some weight. Bevel the rear bottom side of the larger board with sandpaper or a plane so that it tips in more easily. Mark the center by drawing lines from the corners and drill out the size circle you need for your lens. Usually I find the old RR lenses from the Kodaks take about 1.25", a size that is readily available in hole saws at the local hardware store.

I've found a bunch of old lenses on antique store cameras - under $20 in decent shape, cheaper if ripped or without leather on the outside. I'll buy anything though, so I may not be the best source of info on that. The 3A's are great for this but be careful, you may find, as Bob F has said, that these are pretty sharp lenses, not all that warm and fuzzy.
 

r-brian

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I just mounted a lens from the Kodak 3A on my Tachihara. It is the 170mm f7.7 Kodak Anastigmatic in the Kodak Ball Bearing shutter, T, B, 25, 50, 100. Just scanned the first shot, a bare tree against a blank sky, with it last night and it looks very sharp. Probably the best $5 lens I have (OK, the only $5 lens I have). Definitely look at these older lenses. They will surprise you.
 

removed account4

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hey scruffy

you can go to your friendly neighborhood junkque ( antique/expensive junk) store, thrift store, sal's place ( salvation army ) &C ... get a folder, a box camera, anything really ... they usually are cheep cause mostly they take film you can't find anymore. pull the lens off of it, and stick it in either a piece of foam core or matboard/bristol board. get a black sharpie and you have a cheep board.

have fun!
john
 
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Scuffy

Scuffy

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Wow! I didn't expect that much info so fast! Looks like I'll be playing McGuyver for a while and experimenting. It still amazes me that one can take just about any lens at any cost and use it in some way on large format camera, even the small end of things i.e. 4x5. But when it comes to MF it becomes so much more difficult and the glass so much more expensive. With so many options one would think that even with the cost of film being a bit more, more people would be turning to LF instead of MF.

-Okay, so I'm amused by the simple things in life! Another example of why I love photography. lol

Thanks guys!
 

Smudger

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Kodak Anastigmat..

I have a Kodak Anastigmat F7.7 /203mm from an Autographic.
It has a lovely quality : sharp,but with an overlay of flare.
The resolution is very good : I read somewhere the resolution figures :
F11 : 48/67/54 lpm
F16 : 67/73/42
F22 : 54/68/48
That compares pretty well with my Apo-Symmar 150/5.6,
which is quoted at 60/60/54 lines at F16..
 
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