Perhaps Silly Question RE: Newton New-Vue 4x5. Help?

[Punkinhed7]

So I've had this camera for a couple of years but have yet to put it to any use -- owing, in large part, to the fact that i disassembled it to sand and polish the rust off the rails and other moving parts and never got around to putting it back together. I'm rather inexperienced with LF in general, so I apologize if my question is a little silly....

I finally put the camera back together yesterday and ran into a bit of a quandry trying to figure out how one would insert the film holder. Here is the back/ground glass assembly (1) with the viewing hood/flap closed, (2) open, (3) from the 'inside', and (4 & 5) mounted on the camera. By the shape of it it would seem like one could just pull on the ear-like tabs at the top to slide the glass out and replace it with a film holder, however, the glass is firmly held to the back by the two screws affixing it to the spring-like metal strips on the sides (pictures 1,4 and 5). These springs act in such a way that you can pull/bend the glass away from the back to slip something inside (maybe a plate), or at least take a little peek (~2cm max, pulled back less in picture 6). This is also achievable from the bottom of the glass (pivot is in the center). I tried sliding a 9x12 plate holder into this gap to see if it fit and if perhaps that was what it was for but no-go. I tried removing the screws/glass to see if there was something I was missing underneath but no answer there either. So, here I am.

There has to be a faster way to change from glass to holder without unscrewing the entire thing each time, right? Any help would be much appreciated.

Pictures:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

 

[Bill Burk]

In Picture 6 you are already prying open the slot where the film holder slides in. Notice that you are prying the glass away from the camera, leaving air between the film holder and the lens.

 

[Punkinhed7]

Thanks for the reply Bill, but I already tried this. The space isn't large enough to accommodate a normal 4x5 holder. If it were possible to make it so one would still have to pull from both the top and the bottom and there are only tabs on the top. Also, it sorta feels like the force required to do so might break something.

Edit:
Err, looking again I suppose it would be possible if the film holder pushed the bottom of the glass assembly out, but am i really supposed to pull that hard? I dont want to break anything.

 

[Bill Burk]

The part of the back with the glass does come out parallel.

Mine can open extremely well, I did "ehrm" modify it. Yours might just be tight.

 

[Punkinhed7]

Also, pulling the glass back that far seems to be causing a small gap to remain at the top even at rest, though I suppose that could have more to do with the age/condition of the metal springs.

 

[Punkinhed7]

How easily do the holders slide in for you? It definitely feels like I'd have to force them in. Also, what sort of modification : ) ? Thanks again for the help.

 

[Punkinhed7]

Aha! Success. Your picture really helped Bill, thanks again. I feel slightly dumb now, but also happy I knew where to go for help : )

 

[Bill Burk]

I propped the back open to illustrate. The back springs firmly in place.

I made an extreme modification to the rear of the slot to accommodate a Grafmatic holder, Then I had to add a funky shroud to prevent light leak since I modified the original light baffle.

But to make the slot open wide enough for the Grafmatic, I think I filed the elliptical slots/screw holes on the hold-down springs, on the rear side left and right. I wouldn't recommend the modification it was awful.

Yours might just be gummed up?

 

[Bill Burk]

Great! You got it.

P.S. Regular two-sided film holders should work fine. But don't try Grafmatics with it, they don't fit (unless you modify it... and like I say it was a job I didn't enjoy).

 

[Punkinhed7]

I've got a holder sitting in there now and it's sitting quite snugly. A little snug when removing it, perhaps, but I think the main problem was just my fear of applying too much force.

On another note, I've got a 7" darlot petzval projector lens that I'd really like to get mounted on it. Have you had any experience using similar style/shape old lenses with the new-vue and, if so, recommendations for a shutter apparatus? I was thinking something front-mounted or somehow otherwise attached to the lens might work but they seem few and far-between and the ones I've found have been a bit steep as of late. Also, if it helps, the lens board it came with has a ~65mm diameter threaded hole (metal piece screwed in to it).

 

[Bill Burk]

I think the front might be some kind of standard because the two lenses I bought for it, came on wooden boards that "just fit".

I didn't even have to modify the boards and so I got really lucky.

If you can't find anything else, you could always use a "lenscap" shutter, just take the lenscap off and count the seconds.

Black and white negative film can take an extreme amount of overexposure, so just err on the side of too much exposure and you'll be fine.

 

[shutterfinger]

When removing the film holder put your fingers on the camera back and relieve the spring tension on the holder with your thumb. Repeated pulling back on the film holder without relieving the focus panel spring tension will result in the film holder separating at the joint between the film plate and the holder darkslide end.

To increase the opening space put a flat washer between the spring and the back frame. Too thick of a washer will reduce the spring tension, put the ground glass out of position, and not hold the film holder tight enough to prevent a light leak.

With a good film holder installed, loaded with a sheet of film, darkslide removed, the surface of the film should be the same distance from the frame ring as the ground glass is ±.007 inch ,your picture 3. Shim the ground glass to match the film. Not all film holders have the film plate at the correct position, test your holders for correct film plate position of .197 inch ±.007 inch below the edge of the film holder.
TriX 320 in 4x5 sheet is .007 inch thick.

Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish will clean up those springs and rails with minimal elbow grease.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ap?ck=Search_N0454_-1_2743&pt=N0454&ppt=C0209

 

[Punkinhed7]

Thanks for the extra tips shutterfinger. The rails are actually already pretty smooth (though they may not look it) from the polishing i did when i first disassembled it, though maybe I'll attack the springs next...still need to get a shutter on the thing.

 

[John Koehrer]

It's pretty simple to make a drop shutter. For whatever reason I can't load an image of mine.
I made two shutters with different size openings(speeds)
If youl'd like I can send 'em via email.
Just send me a PM.

 

[Whiteymorange]

I just got one of these, with a big Darlot already mounted. I posted pictures of it in the new-old camera thread, but here they are again anyway. The wood assembly at the front contains a packard shutter. The regular back on mine has had the ground glass and spring assembly "updated" to one that appears to be from a Graflex of some type- still not a Graflok back, but less constricted than the original. The back in the pictures is a home-made contraption done by the guy who mounted the Petzval. He also had a full set of waterhouse stops for the lens, going down to f128. I can't imagine using what appears to be almost a pinhole for a Petzval lens, but I've yet to try it, so I can't judge.

 

[Punkinhed7]

That's really cool whitey...can't say I'm not jealous : ) Thanks for sharing