OLd Lens

I am new to the large format camera! I have owned a Kodak Pony premo # 6 for some time have just gotten the shutter to work correctly [I think] I all the reading I am doing here and other places ; In the large format Camera Lens are refered to as in Inches and not MM ? is there a place to get info on that or a way to determine the lens on the camera in Inches?

I also have other kodak lens that came off old kodak cameras! one lens reads[ kodak anastigmat F 7.7 No. 13978 ? what camera its off is unknowen?
the next one is off a No.2-C Autographic kodak Jr.
the lens says ! A rapid rectilinear by baush & lomb Optical co. shutter says US-F4 to F128 - Kodak Ball Bearing shutter! and it sounds good at 1/100

In playing around with the lens I found that the lens them selfs will screw in to my Pony premo mont on the shutter for the Pony Premo # 6???

Now what kind of trouble would I give myself by changing the front and back lens from one set to my set up on the camera Or would it be easyer just change the shutter and lens all toghter and then just Punt from there On!!!!!

thatns for any kind of answers::confused:

The change of centimeters to inches is easily done at any of the websites that convert for you. This works pretty quickly.

The Anastigmatic should be either an 8 in. (the precursor of the 203mm Ektar) or a 170 mm common on 3A folders. Either one should cover the 4x5 format of that Premo 6 with no real issue. Both are pretty nice lenses for their time.

The format of the 2c was just under 3x5, so that lens may work as well. The aperture markings are the old US system. US 16 equals f16 and you can count up and down from there. US 4 to US 128 is f8 to f64, if I'm not mistaken.

Changing cells around between lenses can give you all sorts of different images. The Rapid Rectilinear is convertible so you can remove the front cell and shoot with the rear only or replace the rear with the front and get three different focal lengths. A B&L 5x7 Rapid Rectilinear that I have works as an 8 in. a 12 in. and a 14 in. Using both cells gives me the sharpest image, which is actually quite sharp indeed, considering the age of the lens. Changing cells between shutters works fine as long as the distance between the front cell and the rear cell remains the same. If you change that distance, you may have a lens that will not resolve an image. Mixing cells from two different lenses? Try it and find out. You may have a wonderful Frankenstein of a lens, you may get crap. Just mark them for eventual return to the original to save yourself a lot of grief.

Around Boston is a good place to be for this kind of thing. Come next week to the PHSNE show and sale in Wakefield. I'll be there on Saturday but there are lots of folks there who have forgotten more than I'll ever know ready and willing to talk cameras.

Divide or multiply by 25.54 (25.54 mm = 1 inch) or 2.54 for centimeters. For most LF lenses, you don't need to be quite so precise, a 250 mm is for most purposes, 10 inches.
Or if you need precision, keep your cell phone handy.:rolleyes:

1" = 25.4 mm = 2.54 cm

I thank you all for your information here:

But whitey M; I guess I best get a couple of lens boards made for the extra two lens and shutters: when is the foto show in wakefield next week!!!

Here are the times and directions for the PHSNE show.