HELP! new to LF. need 150mm lens...

[erafal]

i know that someday i will look back on this post and think, "man, how could i be so unknowing." but, for now, i will look at it and think, "man, why is this all so confusing?" so the story is this. i have been trying to sort out a cheap lens for my burke and james 4x5 camera for some time. i need something cheap and now, after not having much luck on the lens, i realize that my board is copal 1 while most of the lenses i find (keh, adorama etc.. ebay..) are copal 0. after calling some folks it seems that a step down ring + retainer (was that the word?) will cost me $55! yikes. what's the best bet? try to find a 150mm copal 1? try and get a cheaper step down system (if that's the right word?)? anyhow i am lost and really just need to get this sorted. if you have an old lens, by the way...

 

[rdbkorn]

How about finding a used copal 0 board for your camera?

 

[Anupam Basu]

I'd just get a new board. You'll eventually need the #1 board for another lens anyway.

-A

 

[erafal]

thanks... ok, so, where to get a new board that fits burke and james at 5.2"???

 

[Nick Zentena]

Which B&J is this? Is your current board wooden? You can make wooden boards fairly easily.

You could try maybe Mpex for a used board.

You could try a 210mm. Price won't be much different then the 150mm but the fast 210mm I think are mostly in #1.

Still you'll want more boards sooner or later.

 

[erafal]

nick, thanks. the B&J is just an old 4x5 view camera. don't know much more than that. the lensboard is 5.2" square, wood. i've seen some information on making these. is it really so simple? just get a piece of wood and drill? do i need to have the steel ring or just wood? saw mpex...

 

[ic-racer]

Check your hardware store. For about 25 cents I got these two flanged washers (they may have been intended for resizing electrical conduit fittings).

The hole is 35mm in diameter and the inner flange is 42mm in diameter.

This works great as a cheap Copal 1 (hole size 41.8 mm) to Copal 0 (hole size 34.8 mm) adapter.

 

[Ian Grant]

A 150mm f4.5 Xenar or Tessar is in a Copal or Compur 1 shutter. But as others say you'll probably want more boards, put a wanted add in the classified, or make one it's relatively easy.

Ian

 

[Nick Zentena]

nick, thanks. the B&J is just an old 4x5 view camera. don't know much more than that. the lensboard is 5.2" square, wood. i've seen some information on making these. is it really so simple? just get a piece of wood and drill? do i need to have the steel ring or just wood? saw mpex...

If it's just a wood board then it's fairly simple. Needs to be the right thickness and size.

If you can post a picture of the camera. Somebody will know the model. They've made various ones over the years.

 

[Uhner]

A 150mm Convertible Symmar comes with a size one Compur/Copal shutter.

 

[erafal]

nick: is just a wooden board.. another piece behind it.. the hole somewhat recessed. the camera doesn't tell me too much. serial # 1234, scratched into the front. "B & J VIEW CAMERA."

Uhner: now where to get one of these convertible symmar??? hmm...

 

[John Kasaian]

Check with the teacher at your local high school woodshop about having some boards made if you don't have the tools to do it yourself (having a box of doughnuts along helps.) I think a 210 or a symmar convertible are excellent choices though.

 

[bnstein]

Ok you have a pretty standard no-frills lens board. Are you at all fluent with tools? If so DIY is pretty simple, and best done by glueing two different size thin boards together with appropriate holes prebored.

If not (and im guessing not) either look on ebay or similar (you'll pay though), beg or bribe someone handy, or do the washer trick.

 

[Uhner]

Uhner: now where to get one of these convertible symmar??? hmm...

There are usually some to be found on the used market, at least in Europe. Bear in mind that the shutters oftentimes need service.

 

[John Koehrer]

Building boards for these is easy. Or take a piece of 1/8" ply from the local hobby shop, cut it to match the board you have, cut the hole you need & screw the whole thing to the front of your board.

 

[kirkfry]

I buy black polycarbonate (I think) plastic at tap plastics and have them cut the plastic to the size I need. It comes in various thicknesses. The holes are easy, just buy a hole saw at the hardware store that is the size of hole you need and cut your hole using the saw in a drill. I have a collection of hole saws for each shutter size. You of course can use wood also. This works for most of my view cameras (not so much for the graphics). Most shutters have retaining rings you just screw onto the shutter to hold it on the board.

K