Got a 65mm Super Angulon - What should I do with it?

Steve Smith · Mar 2, 2009

Got a 65mm Super Angulon - Wondering what to do with it. Perhaps a 6 x 12 camera.

I have acquired a 65mm f8 65mm Super Angulon lens in quite good condition. I'm now thinking about what to do with it.

I'm going to make a lens board for it which will fit both my speed graphic and my home made 5x4 camera but I'm not sure if either of them will work this short.

I have an idea in my mind about building a 6x12 format camera with the lens fitted at the hyperfocal distance for either f16 or f22. I just need to find a suitable viewfinder - something similar to 20mm on 135 should be about right with the top and bottom masked off a bit. Any ideas?

I would be interested to see if anyone else has made something similar with one of these lenses.

Will I need the centre filter (which I don't have) or will it be o.k. at reduced coverage and stopped down?

Steve.

Ian Grant · Mar 2, 2009

The 65mm will fit & focus on a Graphic, on a normal board, but you will probably get the front of the focus track in the image. So drop the front bed with the standard on the rear rail, fully retracted, then focus the lens by adjusting the position of the standard, you need to be extremely careful not to use the normal focus mechanism/or take extreme care as you can strain & damage the focus tracks.

On my Wista the lens includes the front of the focus track so I use rear tilt, and front rise & tilt to get around this, again I don't need a recessed board, but many cameras do.

I don't have a centre filter but there is fall off at the corners but not enough to cause me problems with B&W, however for colour work it would be better to use one.
Ian

Christopher Walrath · Mar 2, 2009

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

Oh my God, man. Just point it at something! ;p

Steve Smith · Mar 2, 2009

Christopher Walrath said:
Oh my God, man. Just point it at something! ;p

That's certainly worth thinking about!

Steve.

Ole · Mar 2, 2009

I agree with Christopher, but would like to add that you don't really have to point it at something, just point it in the general direction of something. It's w-i-d-e!

It's a nice little lens - so nice in fact that I decided to get a 47mm XL!

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 2, 2009

The center filter is useful, but very hard to find. Heliopan also made a center filter in the same size that should work.

erikg · Mar 2, 2009

Fotoman makes an adjustable viewfinder that will work for a 6x12 format, if you do 6x9, a 28mm finder will do the trick. You can get a CV finder new. This may also give you some ideas: http://www.skgrimes.com/paqpro/index.htm

removed account4 · Mar 2, 2009

i use mine on a speed graphic it is great!
the only problem is it is so wide that even behind the camera
i am in the field of view!

Steve Smith · Mar 3, 2009

I tried it on my Speed Graphic last night. I think that if I aim it at the Eiffel tower, I could get the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty in the frame as well!

Steve.

2F/2F · Mar 3, 2009

Perfect lens for a project I am trying to get together for 6x9 format on my Speed.

In general, 65mm is the widest lens that will fit a Speed, due to the rear curtain. It will show the bed, however (with 4x5 film), so you have to drop the bed to use it.

If you want to use it hand held, you can dedicate it to your camera by calibrating the rangefinder with the bed dropped, or at least rigging a makeshift focusing scale.

They are VERY wide. I might consider using a roll film back, as well as trying some 4x5.

For a framing device, I used a coathanger to make an attachment for my sportsfinder so I can frame hand held with a 90mm (at least on the sides and top). It looks idiotic, and you have to take it off to pack up the camera, but it does work. I set it up by looking at the ground glass with the camera on a tripod. If you use roll film backs, you can try to find the proper Graflex insert for the top viewfinder, or barring that, have a machine shop make you one.

Steve Smith · Mar 3, 2009

I think this is going to go on a 6x12 camera (possibly with masks for 6x9). Probably fixed at hypoerfocal distance for f22 or with some simple focusing mount if I can think of a simple method.

I don't think it needs the accuracy of a rangefinder so a simple scale focus and a viewfinder (preferably optical) will do fine.

I have some pieces of 1/4" thick oak on my desk which would look good made into the shape of a camera!

Steve.

Ian Grant · Mar 3, 2009

You're right Steve, I use a 75mm SA on my 6x17 and just use the helical focusing scale, by f16 there's plenty of depth of field. The 65mm will be slightly easier, but it is a great lens for occasional use with 5x4.

Why don't you build a camera for it that take 5x4, 6x12 (6x9) etc.

Ian

Steve Smith · Mar 3, 2009

I will probably make a small lens board for it to fit on the 6x12 then make a 100mm square lensboard as an adaptor which will take the small lensboard to fit on the Graphic.

That's the joy of having a CNC router and a laser cutter at work. I can try lots of these ideas out!

For focussing on the 6x12, I'm reminded of the "idiots' guide" of single person, group of people and mountains as seen on many simple cameras such as my Olympus Trip.

Steve.

Steve Smith · Mar 3, 2009

Ian Grant said:
Why don't you build a camera for it that take 5x4, 6x12 (6x9) etc.

I think one camera for 120 film 6x9 and 6x12 with a couple of red frame number windows would be fine.

For 5x4 then just a simple box with a film holder on one side and a lens mount on the other. A bit like some of the 5x4 pinhole designs I have seen.

I think a single camera for all three formats would be a bit more complex than two separate cameras.

Steve.

removed account4 · Mar 3, 2009

have fun with your project steve ..

SNIP

2F/2F said:
In general, 65mm is the widest lens that will fit a Speed, due to the rear curtain

i used to use a 58mm brass barrel on my speed, it worked great!

john

Steve Smith · Mar 3, 2009

jnanian said:
i used to use a 58mm brass barrel on my speed, it worked great!

Did the image overlap at the sides?!!

Steve.

Steve Smith · Mar 4, 2009

Ian Grant said:
I use a 75mm SA on my 6x17 and just use the helical focusing scale

I just did a search for a helical focusing mount for this. Robert White has them for the bargain price of £240! I only paid £20 for the lens so I don't think a new mount is an option.

Steve.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 4, 2009

Steve Smith said:
I just did a search for a helical focusing mount for this. Robert White has them for the bargain price of £240! I only paid £20 for the lens so I don't think a new mount is an option.

Steve.

Try Fotoman. There are also some cheap helicals on Technika boards from China that you can find on eBay.

darinwc · Mar 4, 2009

re the rear rail.. IIRC there are no infinity stops on the rear rail, and I dont think they would fit right if you bought an extra pair. So how can you ensure that the lens is positioned in the proper place to use accurate rangefinder/scale focussing?

Q: does the 65mm f8 SA even cover 4x5?

Viewfinders: The finder for the Konica 58mm is nice and could be close enough to use with 6x9 or even 6x12. I found the finders intended for 35mm cameras to be too small. A DIY option is to get one of those .42x wide angle adapters and mount a flash shoe or similar foot on them. However if you are going to shoot 4x5 I reccomend using the GG so you can get proper framing.

Ole · Mar 4, 2009

The 65mm f:8 SA just barely covers 4x5" straight on. Accurate focussing is not a big problem, since the DoF is so large (at least compared to a 150mm f:3.5).

The viewfinder for a 15mm Ultra-Heliar lens might work - I'll check that when I get home from work since I have one (of both).

Ulrich Drolshagen · Mar 4, 2009

Hi,

I use a f8/65mm SA on my 2x3 Crown so I know the figures

flange back is 70.5mm
min. distance between the rim of the back element and the groundglass is 47mm

I think, this will be difficult with the 4x5 Speed Graphic it barely works with my tiny Crown. May be you can find a recessed lens board.

Ulrich

removed account4 · Mar 4, 2009

Steve Smith said:
Did the image overlap at the sides?!!

Steve.

nope, the box wasn't in the view ..
it was pretty cool, i wish i still had that lens!

Steve Smith · Mar 4, 2009

Ulrich Drolshagen;763124flange back is 70.5mm[/QUOTE said:
Is this the distance between the film emulsion and the back of the shutter which rests up against the lens board? (assuming at infinity focus).

Steve.

Ulrich Drolshagen · Mar 4, 2009

Steve Smith said:
Is this the distance between the film emulsion and the back of the shutter which rests up against the lens board? (assuming at infinity focus).

Exactly

BTW the hyperfocal distance for an image circle of 156mm is 1.27m (1.39 yard). If you focus on 2m (2.19 yard) stopped down to f22 you'll have everything in focus from one Meter to infinity. So you can build a fixfocus camera and won't need tilt capability. You will need to stop down at least to f22 to get a sufficient image circle for 4x5. There is no margin left for shift. So for 4x5 a simple light tight box with a grafloc back will do.

Ulrich

Steve Smith · Mar 4, 2009

Thanks. It's going to be a a 6 x 12 cm camera (at least at first) so I should have plenty of image circle.

Drawings have been made and CNC programs written so watch this space for more details. I may cut some parts tomorrow and start assembling.

Steve.

Got a 65mm Super Angulon - What should I do with it?

Steve Smith

Ian Grant

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Ole

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