Plaubel Makiflex Standard.

[Nokton48]

I have some time off coming up, and have been thinking about upcoming Makiflex photo shoots. One thing I have decided is to obtain a couple of 77mm Hoya ND4X filters, so that I can shoot in bright sun (ASA 100 film, 1/125 @ F2.8 Schneider 150mm Xenotar WIDE OPEN, with two ND4X filters).
This lens has swirly bokeh and I'm looking forward to trying it out this way.

I've also recently tried the 150mm Xenotar with ASA 25 6x9cm cut film, in bright sun, with dark red Sinar 108mm filter held in front of the Xenotar. Worked OK but I think the 77mm Hoya 4XND's are better for these uses.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371406902480?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Nokton48]

Here is my new freshly restored Makiflex Back. New light sealing inside, and the metal strip on the front was coming off. You can see the black velvet light trapping glued to the back side of it on the far right). I re-glued it back down, using contact cement. Now ready to use on my cameras.

Makiflex Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

An interesting (old) Pecoflex story I found in the archives:

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about (or who just want to drool together with me), here's a link to a Jap site with some pictures:

http://www.nsobject.jp/cameraPecoflex.html

The camera is a weird kind of wedding between a Makiflex and a Peco Junior. So it's a 9x9 SLR camera, which gives you plenty of front movements but no back movements. It has a focal plane shutter, so you can stick any lens of it that isn't interfering with the mirror reflex system. So no (extreme) wideangle lenses, but I seem to be swimming up the stream with my utter absence of lust for wide angle work.

Lensboards are easy to make at home, or I could use those of the Peco Junior. Curtain can be replaced if broken, but mine seems fine.

The bellows can be taken off quite easily, and they should too, for they are certainly NOT perfect. Saw some light leaks already.

You can use all international backs that you'd want. They fit fine. The back is revolving.

I have been looking for this extremely rare camera for quite some time now and was giving up hope of ever finding it. Or even being able to aford it when I did. And then the unimaginable happened today!

We were sauntering around on a large Dutch photographica fair, nosing around for smaller odds and ends. I was looking at some Gossen spot meter thingummy when my gaze happened to travel upward. I think my eyes must have fallen out of my sockets, my heart did a funny thing inside my breast, I gasped audibly and cried "A pecoflex!". Everyone at the stand turned their heads to see who was behaving so idiotic. Apparently I went red all over. That is because I realised it was really a Pecoflex, it was a in a decent shape AND one I could afford it as well. Needless to say, all my usual resistance to spending largish wads of money melted very fast. I could live on air now for at least a week - at least, that's how I feel right now.

As it came without lens, we later bought some dirt cheap older barrel lenses to test drive the camera. An extra-rapid doppel-anastigmat f8/195cm by Ica and a French Som Berthiot f6.8/250. I can't wait to start experimenting with it.

When someone is interested in hearing more about the Pecoflex experience, let me know, although it might take a while before you could see the results.
I have to be off now, to bid on a lens compendium for the Peco Junior - as these older lenses definitively need protection from the sun ;-)

A very intensely happy medform-norm

PS And I don't care a fig if someone here has something to say against it (that it's big and clumsy or old-fashioned or whatever) - it's all a matter of taste anyhow - to each his own camera!

 

[Nokton48]

A fellow Apug member contacted me, and together we purchased Igor Reznik's Plaubel Makiflex 150mm F2.8 Xenotar in Plaubel automatic shutter. The other fellow wants the front and back cells (the rear has hundred of micro-fine scratches) and I want the Plaubel Automatic Iris Mechanism. I also have a 150mm Xenotar, in a regular barrel mount. So we will both benefit from this deal. Here is the Xenotar on one of my Makiflexes, Igor loaned it to me for the weekend, a year or two ago:

002 by Nokton48, on Flickr

003 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

2016-06-20 13.02.19 by Nokton48, on Flickr

New Plaubel Makiflex Auto-Iris shown here with MY 150mm F2.8 Xenotar cells. Works great and image looks very sharp in the viewfinder. The really cool thing is that this fits all my Makiflexes. With bellows fully retracted, the lens is precisely focused at infinity. NICE! The Xenotar I cobbled up previously on a recessed Peco Jr board would not fit the Auto Makiflex (smaller throat in the Auto body and cable mechanism for auto iris in the way). Next to the 150 Voigtlander Apo Lanthar in Auto Iris, this is without a doubt the rarest Makiflex Auto lens. Most important to me, is that I can now place this lens on the Automatic Makiflex, which has 1/250 and 1/500 speeds. So I can take hand-held pictures with these cameras, using this lens, with a very versatile range of exposure. The top speed on the Makiflex Standard is 1/125 which is pushing it IMO for hand-held work. 1/250 and 1/500 along with an F2.8 lens will be very useful to me. The camera was designed for press, fashion, and portrait photography. Going handheld with this will be something new to me.

There is a 150 F2.8 Xenotar user group on Flikr. And some really wonderful images. This is a lens that I have never worked with much, that can obviously produce many beautiful images. And on the Makiflex it is a completely different experience from a view camera https://www.flickr.com/groups/1359262@N24/

 

[Nokton48]

This one isn't mine, and it was Linhof Technika, not Makiflex. But it's 150 F2.8 Xenotar and I like it

Les marteaux des puces by FAB ENERO, on Flickr


400NC Margot 1 by Alastair Bird, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

So I've been shooting outside recently with my Makiflexes and two lenses, which I have not used much at all. Yesterday it was the 150mm F2.8 Schneider Xenotar (wide-open), and the 200mm Rodenstock Imagon with the H5.8 disc. Trying using both lenses on the same views (for the most part) on Ilford FP4+ and Foma 200, both in 6x9cm Graphic rollfilm backs. Giving myself a choice and I had great fun. Some very satisfying images looking through the viewfinder. Both lenses required ND filters and tripod to use as I intended.

 

[Nokton48]

Here are a few more 150mm F2.8 Xenotar photos that I admire.
Not Makiflex (View Camera) but Makiflex could be quicker to operate:

... by Simon Kennedy, on Flickr



[Film 4x5] Red Cocobar, Boracay, Philippines by Guy, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

• Ken Ruth (Photography on Bald Mountain) emailed me today, so I called him. He says my Auto Makiflex and 150 Auto Xenar are done and ready to use. Had a pleasant conversation; Ken is quite a character!
  
• He stated in his email that he is retiring Jan 01 and is not willing to take on any more new work as of now.
• Regarding my Makiflex he installed a new bellows I ordered from England, and cleaned the inner mechanisms. The shutter was sticky and slow. He says it's a fairly simple robust box.
• It's been a year so hopefully time and money well spent.

 

[Trask]

• Ken Ruth (Photography on Bald Mountain) emailed me today, so I called him. He says my Auto Makiflex and 150 Auto Xenar are done and ready to use.
• He stated in his email that he is retiring Jan 01 and is not willing to take on any more new work as of now.
• He installed a new bellows I ordered from England and cleaned the inner mechanisms. The shutter was sticky and slow. He says it's a fairly simple robust box.
• It's been a year so hopefully time and money well spent.

Well, there's goes my Medalist II CLA! But I can't throw stones, as I'm retiring at the end of August...

 

[Nokton48]

2016-07-07 16.39.09 by Nokton48, on Flickr


As a final step I am lining the interior of the lens tubes (from China) with laboratory flocking paper. The tubes do have an interior sheen so better to flock the interior of the tubes. This one is the dedicated tube for the 360mm F11 Kern Apo-Repro process lens.

 

[Nokton48]

The completely finished Kern Apo-Repro 360mm F11. Quite a rare lens. Fabulously sharp and contrasty.
Easy to focus on the Makiflexes, even though F11. This is surprising. It's actually very light in weight and balances well on the cameras.

I found this lens in the basement of Midwest Photo, when my friend Charlie, Ron Wisner (they flew him in), and I perused all the stuff from the humungeous B&J Chicago buyout. We drank beer and ate great pizza, and had an absolute blast. Man those were the days

2016-07-08 06.11.52 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

Here is a fellow with a Makiflex (over at the Large Format forum).
He had to make a focusing hood for his camera.
Very Nice Work!

Makiflex Hood by Nokton48, on Flickr


Makiflex_Xenar 210 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Makiflex Hood 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Makiflex Hood 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Makiflex Hood 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

One last one.
He makes his own lens boards, too.
Very resourceful!

15_06_30 Lichtschacht für Makiflex_07 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

2016-07-23 13.21.41 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I enjoy the 120 Angulon on the Makiflexes. Today I mounted my 165 Angulon onto a Plaubel board (Man it was HOT in the workshop), previously I've been using this lens on my Sinar Normas. Glad to have both of the Angulons for these cameras. Here it is focused at infinity.

 

[Nokton48]

2016-07-30 16.58.31 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Makiflex #2 w/Auto Iris back today from Ken Ruth. The restoration took a year, shutter was sticky and not really usuable for serious work. Also he installed a new bellows which I ordered from Camera Bellows in the UK. The 150mm Plaubel Auto-iris Schneider Xenar was squeaky and slow-acting. He has sorted that as well.

So far it seems to operate like a brand new camera!

 

[Nokton48]

After many years, Igor Reznik up in Cleveland is selling off his Makiflex stuff. Earlier this year I got his Plaubel Makiflex Auto-Iris for the 150mm F2.8 Schneider Xenotar (a rare piece for sure). Anyway I talked to him this morning, everything is gone, except the Makiflex Attachment With Bellows PX1/08. This converts the Makiflex Standard, or Automatic Makiflex, into the Pecoflex. Previously he could not find the focusing rail for this unit, so frankly, I wasn't really interested. But now, he found all the pieces, and I just bought the complete unit. Will post some pictures when I get it.

Since I have three Makiflexes, this will be a very useful accessory to have for this system

Makiflex Bellows by Nokton48, on Flickr

It looks like this ^^ when all put together.

 

[Nokton48]

Makiflex Bellows Attachment by Nokton48, on Flickr

Just arrived! Maki Bellows Attachment for Makiflex. Turns Makiflex into Pecoflex. Shown here with 300mm Schneider Componon, camera focused at about 3-4 meters. Lovely on the groundglass and an extremely tight closeup with the 300mm. Useful to have front swings, tilt, and lateral displacement. I would say as precise to use as my Sinar Normas. Love it!

 

[AgX]

It is even more than a standard bellows attachmend as it yields front standard movements.

 

[EdSawyer]

At Dan's request here's some pictures of my Arca Reflex 4x5. I was the other half of the buyer for the Igor 150/2.8 Xenotar (I needed the cells), with Dan. I used the cells for my Cambo TWR (also pictured).

For the Arca I've made a few spare bits, including a few lensboards (one of which is a recessed one), and also adapted a Graflex Graflok back to the Arca so I can use Fuji FP100C45 and other Graflok film holders more easily. (they will fit in the stock arca spring back but it's a stretch).

The Arca required a little refurbishment, mostly renewing light seals and some CLA on the shutter. It works great now! I have more pics I'll post somewhere of the insides, if anyone is interested. It uses a double-blind curtain (fabric), self-capping, adjustable from T, B, 1/10 or so all the way to 1/500. Fully mechanical.

It's an interesting alternative to the Plaubel reflex cameras, can't quite take as short a lens (180-200mm or so is about minimum and still get infinity) but overall I enjoy it a lot.

More pictures here: http://edsawyer.com/lens/arca_reflex/

Thanks
-Ed

 

[EdSawyer]

Here's a few pics of the Cambo with the Igor-source Xenotar as the viewing lens.

More TWR pics here: http://edsawyer.com/lens/Cambo_TWR/ Includes making the lens boards for the below setup.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Ed, I see that you have what looks like an 8" Pentac. How do you like it?

 

[EdSawyer]

Hi Dan, i actually have 3 of them, and have had 3 others in the past. I like them in general. A bit of glow at f/2.9, mostly gone at f/4. Nice bokeh. Not as sharp as xenotar. Reasonably priced, and works well with reflex cameras including Super D. Quality among them varies some, as do the mount options (some have removable flanges, some not.) most have some flaws , eg haze (sometimes cleanable) or surface marks. They are all 60-70 yrs old mostly, so to be expected. Uncoated, so contrast is not as good as a coated lens.

Ed

 

[norphot]

120mm F6.8 Schneider Barrel Mount Angulon.

As wide as you can go, with the SLR Makiflex, due to the mirror striking the rear cell of the lens. Another new lens arrived from Germany. The 120mm f6.8 Schneider Angulon (in barrel mount) and it's now mounted on another IXOTUB recessed Durst enlarger board, and quite usuable on my Makiflex. This lens will be great for 6x9cm or 9x12cm/4x5" photography.
According to the original Plaubel literature, this camera will work with lenses as wide as 125mm. This is pushing it.

A great Dagor-formula lens, I also have one in Compur shutter, that I use on my Sinar Normas.

Glad I have both of these. They perform different uses.

I made some effort to mount Mamiya RZ and Fujinon GX lenses in a Seiko #1 shutter. As the RZ and GX wide angle lenses are tele-wides, I guess you could mount them on your Makiflex too? Here are the approx. focal flange distances. The wide angles actually have longer flange distances than some of the others.

Mamiya RZ 90mm F3.5: 118mm
Mamiya RZ 180mm F4.5: 131mm
Mamiya RZ 50mm F4.5: 148mm
Mamiya RZ 65mm F4: 150mm
Fujinon GX 180mm F3.2: 151mm
Fujinon GX 210mm F5.6: 174mm

 

[Nokton48]

I made some effort to mount Mamiya RZ and Fujinon GX lenses in a Seiko #1 shutter. As the RZ and GX wide angle lenses are tele-wides, I guess you could mount them on your Makiflex too? Here are the approx. focal flange distances. The wide angles actually have longer flange distances than some of the others.

Mamiya RZ 90mm F3.5: 118mm
Mamiya RZ 180mm F4.5: 131mm
Mamiya RZ 50mm F4.5: 148mm
Mamiya RZ 65mm F4: 150mm
Fujinon GX 180mm F3.2: 151mm
Fujinon GX 210mm F5.6: 174mm

dag.bb,
Thanks for your post!

I've thought about putting RB67 lenses on the Makiflexes. The Fujinon GX'x and Pentax 6x7's seem possible too.
This adapter from Japan looks really interesting, and I wouldn't need to reshutter the lenses:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111810834091?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I can't remember, does the iris on the RB lenses work when the shutter is open?
I need to read further!