Focusing to infinity

[bluefade]

Hi
This is my first time here.
I am new to LF photography.

My doubt is, i have a linhof color kardan, it came with 300mm and 150mm lenses, wich are great! But recently i bought a rodenstock 80mm grandagon in a recessed board and it is pretty hard to focus to infinity. I pull the front has much as i can, but i reach a position where the bellows can't compress more.

What i'm i doing wrong? Can it be the recessed lens board?

Thanks
Bruno

 

[wildbill]

The bellows must compress enough so that the lens board is approx 80mm from the film plane. Simple as that. I've never heard of an 80mm grandagon though.

 

[Bruce Osgood]

Yes it can be. Perhaps you do not need a recessed board with your setup for 80mm. You are only trying to get 80mm distance from the film to the lens and many cameras can do that with a "normal" board.

 

[darkosaric]

Welcome to APUG btw .

 

[Bruce Osgood]

Welcome to APUG btw .

+1 ​

 

[Trail Images]

Welcome to APUG Bruno.

Not sure here. I would have thought using the recessed board would help over a flat. I have a 90mm on a flat board and the bellows has very little rear space when focused to infinity. If the recessed board moves the lens backwards a tad, does that not give it more play? Again, very early in the morning for me and pre-coffee.
I'll need to check back here to see what others have as an update for my own needs. I've thought about getting a recessed to get more spacing. :confused:

 

[Trail Images]

A recessed board can help a little, but what is really needed for short focal lengths is a wide angle bellows. On a Kardan-type you shouldn't really need a recessed board for a 90mm.

Thank you for this quick update.....

 

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. OP, remove the tripod mounting block, position it at the front of the rail, move the front standard as far forward as it will go, move the rear standard as far forwards as it will go, and then focus by moving the rear standard backwards (away from the front standard). Until you've made sure that the tripod mounting block is not the reason you can't get the standards close enough to focus y'r 80 mm lens you shouldn't even think about recessed board or bag bellows.

 

[bluefade]

Hi again,

I'm going to try all your sugestions and see wich one goes better.
Thank you for your feedback.

Bruno

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[Jeff Kubach]

A warm welcome to APUG!

Jeff

 

[fralexis]

I have a Sinar F1 and a 90mm. I can focus to infinity, but I can't use much in the way of movements. I am considering buying a bag bellows. I assume that would solve the problem.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The Kardan Color is the one like a Technika on a rail, isn't it? If it has a tapered Technika bellows, it should be able to compress adequately, even with a 35mm lens. If I've got the camera right, then I'd suspect the mounting block is in the way. With many monorail cameras, it's normal to put the tripod mount behind the rear standard for use with wide lenses.

 

[Dan Fromm]

The Kardan Color is the one like a Technika on a rail, isn't it? If it has a tapered Technika bellows, it should be able to compress adequately, even with a 35mm lens. If I've got the camera right, then I'd suspect the mounting block is in the way. With many monorail cameras, it's normal to put the tripod mount behind the rear standard for use with wide lenses.

I hear an echo. David, see post #9. I suspect that the OP is unfamiliar with the LF dialect of English.

The Color Kardan is a typical monorail. The Technika on a rail is the Linhof Color.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Ahhh, thanks.

 

[norm123]

Welcome to LF world.

You need a bag bellow.

 

[RobC]

all LF camera have a limit as to the shortest lens you can use on them. As mentioned above, monorails are usually fine with shorter focal lengths but only to a point. what that point on your camera is I don't know. And note that if the bellows have been replaced with some non OEM bellows, that point may have changed. i.e. the bellows may not compress as much as the OEM one did.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Hmm. OP, remove the tripod mounting block, position it at the front of the rail, move the front standard as far forward as it will go, move the rear standard as far forwards as it will go, and then focus by moving the rear standard backwards (away from the front standard). Until you've made sure that the tripod mounting block is not the reason you can't get the standards close enough to focus y'r 80 mm lens you shouldn't even think about recessed board or bag bellows.

To clarify a bit: If the tripod mounting block (positioned as it usually is, between the standards) is keeping the standards from getting as close as the can, then you may have problems focusing a short lens. You need to get both standards on on side of the mounting block. When I use a similar camera with short lenses, I usually put the mounting block behind both standards and get the front standard very far forward so as not to end up with the rail in the image . See here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?81350-From-Prince-George-BC-Canada

If you do this, you should be able to focus easily with short lenses without movements. You only need a bag bellows if you need more movements than the standard bellows will give you when compressed. You'll have to experiment a bit to see if you need this or not. I ended up with a 90mm on a recessed board and no bag bellows for my application.

Best,

Doremus