Medium format lenses with leaf shutters

BetterSense · Jan 12, 2011

I have a 4x5 box camera that has a 90mm lens. I want to make a similar camera for medium format, so I was thinking that if I could find a lens that has an internal leaf shutter that can be tripped somehow, I could use it for my box camera and have focusing ability and a shutter built-in. What medium format lenses have leaf shutters, and are there any that can be easily triggerd externally? Also what formats do they cover?

415km · Jan 12, 2011

the lens from a mamiya c330 would work perfect for something like that, although its a twin lens camera both lenses are mounted to a common lensboard. You could use a spanner wrench to remove the taking lens and mount it to your own lensboard, the shutter is easily cocked and tripped from the front.

elekm · Jan 12, 2011

You could buy an older folding camera and remove the lens/shutter assembly. They all used leaf shutters, and you simply would have to mount the entire thing to the box that you make.

There are all kinds of lenses available, from three-element anastigmats to Tessar types to the Voigtlander Heliar. Your best deals would be on the triplets.

Plus, some of the shutters are able to accept a cable release.

elekm · Jan 12, 2011

As I think about this, the best shutter will be the Compur (and Soviet and Japanese copies).

Then there is the Pronto(r) and below that are very simple two- and three-speed shutters with very simple lenses, including two-element achromats.

And it all depends on what you want to do and the type of lens that you want: triplet, Tessar type, coated, uncoated, etc.

keithwms · Jan 12, 2011

The rb67 lenses are leaf shuttered and can be triggered mechanically. Look for Erie Patsellis' comments here on APUG; he took the front off an old rb and put that on a lensboard. Also I have done quite a few things on 4x5 and 5x7 using the rb lenses, they have quite a lot more coverage than most MF lenses, even at infinity focus.

An especially fun MF lens for LF amusement is the rz 110/2.8, although the shutter is triggered electronically so it's not quite obvious how to make that work (I just hand shutter it).

2F/2F · Jan 12, 2011

I have a 65mm f/3.5 Mamiya C series black lens that is not in great condition that I would sell for fairly cheap. Glass has cleaning marks (which do not affect the sharpness to my eyes, but are very visible on the lens). Shutter speeds all work, but there is always a split second delay between when you press the release and when the shot fires. Lens board looks a bit warped too, though I do not have a clean one to which to compare it to find out for sure. I wanted to sell it and eventually get something cleaner. Might make a decent wide for a not-too-serious box camera.

MattKing · Jan 12, 2011

Are you looking for both a leaf shutter and a focusing helical? If so, you will need something like either a Bronica or Hasselblad lens for their cameras that have no focal plane shutters, or something like a Mamiya lens that is intended to be used with one of their focal plane shutter cameras.

A C330 or RB67 lens has a leaf shutter, but needs a focusing mechanism.

One thing you will need to figure out is how to deal with the shutter cocking and double exposure prevention mechanisms built into these lenses.

The leaf shutter lenses for the Mamiya 645 cameras might be a good choice. They are designed to be cocked by hand, and are set up to be usable with stop down metering. The older, 70mm version can often be obtained at reasonable cost.

These lenses can not, of course, be counted on to cover formats much larger than they are intended for. In addition, if you are intending to use a lens intended to be used to cover a rectangular format, you may find that they won't cover the equivalent square format - they are sometimes internally baffled to minimize flare.

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2011

Each Hasselblad Series V lens [500, 501, 503 ...] C, CF, CFE, CFi lens has a built in shutter.

A 90mm lens on 4"X5" is roughly equivalent to 20mm in 35mm or 38mm Biogon for Hasselblad SWC [56mm x 56mm]

Steve

2F/2F · Jan 12, 2011

I was assuming fixed focus, or maybe Mountain, Tree, Person type focus, but, silly me, that is not necessarily the case just because it is a box camera. As others have said, you will, of course, need a focusing helical if you want to be able to steplessly change focus.

Paul Sorensen · Jan 12, 2011

I think that an RB67 lens would be ideal, except that you would either have to take the lens off the camera to cock it, or perhaps figure out some sort of mechanism to do it. The issue is that the cocking mechanism is basically in the mount. I would guess that other lenses are similarly designed, so that they can be triggered from the body.

LeroyJr · Jan 12, 2011

Mamiya Press and Universal cameras have the shutter and release coupled in the lens.

removed account4 · Jan 12, 2011

mamiya 6 folders ( the I, II, III, and IV ) all have leaf shutters

Q.G. · Jan 13, 2011

Sirius Glass said:
Each Hasselblad Series V lens [500, 501, 503 ...] C, CF, CFE, CFi lens has a built in shutter.

Make that "each Hasselblad 500-series lens"
F and FE series, i.e. 2000/200-series lenses are V System lenses as well, but don't have shutters.

What people do to ius ethe 500-series lenses on other cameras, is get an old Hasselblad non-automatic bellows unit, and use the front end of it as mount.
It has a cable release socket to release the shutter, and a wheel to cock the shutter again.

Dan Fromm · Jan 13, 2011

BetterSense said:
I have a 4x5 box camera that has a 90mm lens. I want to make a similar camera for medium format, so I was thinking that if I could find a lens that has an internal leaf shutter that can be tripped somehow, I could use it for my box camera and have focusing ability and a shutter built-in. What medium format lenses have leaf shutters, and are there any that can be easily triggerd externally? Also what formats do they cover?

BS, given the prices of used MF camera and lenses to fit them, why go to all that trouble, except perhaps for the joy of making something? Why not just get a camera that will accept a lens of the focal length you want? Starting with a complete camera will also save you the trouble of engineering and making a camera back that will accept a roll holder.

Come to think of it, what focal length do you want? And what format do you want? 645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9?

BetterSense · Jan 13, 2011

BS, given the prices of used MF camera and lenses to fit them, why go to all that trouble, except perhaps for the joy of making something?

My 4x5 box camera is lighter and more compact than any other LF camera I've ever seen. I think that I can make a medium format camera that is similarly improved over something like a pentax 67. Folding MF cameras are close to what I'm looking at, but they generally have normal or long lenses that are difficult to focus and often, not that great of quality. I'm looking at a wide-angle.

Dan Fromm · Jan 13, 2011

Interesting that y'r 4x5 box is so small and light. How does it compare to the Piccolino? Read about the Piccolino here: http://www.obscura-camera.com/spip/spip.php?rubrique3

Mamiya Press with 50 or 65. Graflex XL with 35/4.5 Apo Grandagon or 47/8 Super Angulon. Fuji G690. Any of the wide angle Fuji folders. Koni-Omega/Rapid-Omega with 58 or 60. Mamiya TLR with 65. All of these are easy to focus.

Or do what I do. Century Graphic with 35 Apo Grandy, 47/5.6 SA, 60 Hexanon (ex-K-O), 80/6.3 WF Ektar. All cover 2x3.

I hate the phrase, but this time it is appropriate. Think outside the box.

BetterSense · Jan 13, 2011

Interesting that y'r 4x5 box is so small and light. How does it compare to the Piccolino?

That piccolini looks pretty cool. My 4x5 box camera is made out of a cigar box, with a Graflok back and Angulon 90. I think it weighs about the same amount as a Grafmatic. An advantage of my box camera over the Piccollini is that mine cost me about $12.

haplo602 · Jan 14, 2011

I second the Mamiya 645 LS lenses suggestion. The main problem with medium format leaf shutters is that they are not designed to be cocked manualy (Bronicas, Hasselblads, RB/RZ). Only the Mamiya 645 LS lenses have on-lens cocking rings.

John Koehrer · Jan 15, 2011

I've got a 58mm f5.6 I'm trying to unload, uh, sell It's in a Graflex XL helical. 00 shutter, likely compur. All speeds sound good(calibrated ear).
The Helical measures just ove 3" diameter and is 1 3/8" deep. Has a Gen-U-wine Graflex hood. SS/fstop/ cocking lever are all on the front of the helical.
Glass on both ends is sparkly clean, no scratches or fungus.
Pretty common to Rodent-stocks of this era it's got separation in the rear group. I think the back I had for the camera was a 6X9.
I'd like to get $125. for it.

Medium format lenses with leaf shutters

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