Mounting a LF lens

[luvcameras]

I am fairly new to the LF game and have a question....obviously one must remove the rear component of a LF lens to mount it....is there any concern about unscrewing and rescrewing the component and keeping the optical properties precise ? Do you just screw it back into the shutter until "snug?"

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Yes, that's right. You shouldn't have to do it that often, unless you're using a convertible lens. Most people try to have each lens mounted on its own lensboard, unless they just have too many cameras and too many lenses for that to be practical, which only seems to happen around Area 51 in Nevada.

 

[BradS]

....unless they just have too many cameras and too many lenses for that to be practical, which only seems to happen around Area 51 in Nevada.

I think the disease spreads though. I've heard of at least one case in Bergen, Norway as well.

 

[Dan Fromm]

I am fairly new to the LF game and have a question....obviously one must remove the rear component of a LF lens to mount it....is there any concern about unscrewing and rescrewing the component and keeping the optical properties precise ? Do you just screw it back into the shutter until "snug?"

A while ago the late Steve Grimes remounted a 38/4.5 Biogon in a Copal #0 for me. Long story. Anyway, the first time I saw the lens' rear cell was when it came back from Steve. I'd sent it to him in a relatively enormous solenoid-actuated shutter that enclosed both cells.

While he had my lens I fretted about how to use it. I wasn't sure, then, that the rear cell would clear my camera's front standard. If it wouldn't, I'd have to unscrew the rear cell, attach board with shutter and front cell to front standard, and then screw the rear cell into the shutter from the back. And then the lens and camera would be ready to use.

Since I didn't know, I asked Steve if that would cause problems eventually. He told me not to be so damned neurotic. His answer fits you too.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Dan Fromm]

Yes, that's right. You shouldn't have to do it that often, unless you're using a convertible lens. Most people try to have each lens mounted on its own lensboard, unless they just have too many cameras and too many lenses for that to be practical, which only seems to happen around Area 51 in Nevada.

Um, David, I'm not quite in the same situation as our grizzled old prospector who has a lens mine hidden somewhere in the eastern Sierras. But I shoot many of my lenses front mounted; they all share the same Copal #1. Some of them even share the same adapter to #1.

But there is a situation where removing the rear cell is hard to avoid. Rear cell larger than front standard. This is the case with my 58/5.6 Grandagon on a 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic. Reattaching the rear cell, and ltaking it off later, is too fiddly by half.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Well, Dan, I'm probably calling the kettle "black," as it were, as well.

On 8x10" I have a 10" WF Ektar in an Ilex #5 and a 12" Gold Dot Dagor and a 19" Apo-Artar both in barrel with the same size flange that I front mount on the same shutter. It's a fairly compact way to carry three great classic lenses.

But at the other end of things, I've pretty much standardized on Linhof and Sinar-sized lensboards, so I don't have to do too much lensboard swapping.

 

[Ole]

I think the disease spreads though. I've heard of at least one case in Bergen, Norway as well.

Well - the lens cell that most often gets unmounted here is the rear cell of my 121mm Super-Angulon. It's too big to pass through the hole in the front standard, so I have to unscrew it, mount the lensboard on the camera, take off the camera back, and then screw in the rear element.

The rest, with one exception, have their own lensboards which don't need unscrewing anything to mount on the camera.

Then every once in a while I have something utterly different that I want t o try out. But I have a nice old antique 13x18cm plate camera with an iris universal lens mount, so that gets used for trying out anything with a diameter less than 10cm / 4inches.

 

[mikewhi]

I am fairly new to the LF game and have a question....obviously one must remove the rear component of a LF lens to mount it....is there any concern about unscrewing and rescrewing the component and keeping the optical properties precise ? Do you just screw it back into the shutter until "snug?"

The only way you can 'screw' this up (other than dropping it on concrete) is to cross-thread when screwing it on. To avoid that, place the rear element on, turn it counter-clockwide slowly until you hear a 'click' - this will indicate that the threads are now lined up. Start turning in a clockside direction until 'snug'. It's no big deal. I own about 13 LF lenses and I don't have to do this very often at all so don't sweat this simple operation.

-Mike

 

[laz]

I am fairly new to the LF game and have a question....obviously one must remove the rear component of a LF lens to mount it....

Huh? I'm clearly more of a newbie than you. Am I missing something? Isn't this something you do once and that's it? Maybe I just haven't had the gentleman near area 51 relieve me of enough money and I need more lenses to practice this valuable task?

(LMD, how's that new Nikon rangefinder doing and have you picked out the BMW yet? )

-Bob