Plaubel Makiflex Standard.

EdSawyer · Mar 21, 2019

Thanks for posting! I am still puzzled by that... ah well. Nice to hear you got the loupe finder too. I saw the darkroom thread, good to hear of progress. Someday I have to set up plumbing in mine (saniflow pump or something). Good luck!

Nokton48 · May 7, 2019

Darkroom Print 1 Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

My first darkroom print in twenty five years.

Plaubel Makiflex, 270mm Tele Arton, 4x5" Efke PL100, ADOX Borax MQ Developer. Entire 9x9cm neg printed full frame.

Ilford Multigrade Print Developer, RC silver gel

gorbas · May 7, 2019

Nice job Dan! Just keep printing!

Nokton48 · May 7, 2019

Darkroom Print 4 CCG Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

Columbus Camera Group Exterior
Plaubel Makiflex, 4x5" Efke PL100, ADOX Borax MQ Developer, 180mm Xenar hand held
8x10 B&W print scanned and slightly cropped

gorbas · May 7, 2019

This one is even better!
Its is very interesting inside, with all that amazing stuff, waiting for us

Nokton48 · May 7, 2019

gorbas said:
This one is even better!
Its is very interesting inside, with all that amazing stuff, waiting for us

Goran,

Twenty five+ years ago, while in college, I worked at Columbus Camera Group. I was hired by Stu Appelbaum, my special job was to work closely with Bernie Mehl, and to keep him from having a heart attack!!! My areas of expertise were Leicas and large format.

You name it, I have seen it and prolly sold it. Those were the days............. Back then they had astronomical stuff.

Nokton48 · May 8, 2019

Darkroom Print 5 Makiflex Focus Test by Nokton48, on Flickr

Another darkroom B&W RC print. Full Makiflex image on 4x5" Efke PL100, ADOX Borax MQ

Focus right on the button.

Nokton48 · Jun 13, 2019

Fuji GX680 Prism fitted custom to Makis by Nokton48, on Flickr

Today I felt the need to tinker, so I completely disassembled the Makiflex finder (down to the plate that fits in the camera). I then attached the Fuji GX680 Prism Viewfinder to the Maki plate. This is rapidly becoming my favorite Maki viewfinder

Shown with 70mm Beatty Coleman Transet film back, still loaded with a 220 length of unperforated Efke PL100. I'm close to finishing it.

EdSawyer · Jun 13, 2019

Nice! I like the RZ prisms I have used on the Graflex RB cameras too. Just a great way to view stuff.

Renato Tonelli · Jun 13, 2019

If one of these days I end up buying a Makiflex, it will have been all your fault!

Nokton48 · Jun 26, 2019

Thanks Renato!

GX680 Completed 180mm 125mm F3.2 Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

Things have been crazy around here. Over the weekend I tinkered again, here these two HOT series Fuji GX680 cells, are now fully converted for Makiflex use.

On the left, the 180mm F3.2 GX680, some say this lens is "too sharp". We will see. Transplanted into a Seiko Shutter (from a 250mm F6.7 WS lens with nasty front separation). Bought the lens for the shutter. Looks deadly acutely sharp through the finder. Hot glass with a big circle. This is a serious cult lens and I am stoked to use it in this way.

On the right, the equally hot 125mm F3.2 GX680, transplanted into a busted RB67 Seiko shutter, then into a Peco Jr Recessed Lensbard. The f/stop tab is JB Welded on, it's an electrical tab connector I re-shaped with a grinder. Speaking of grinding, I had to remove 3-4mm aluminum from the rear lens mount, it was hitting the Maki mirror at longer distances. Now the lens focuses to infinity and Maki fires OK. Also deadly sharp big circle Hot glass. Plaubel stated that 125mm is a effectively wide as can go on a Maki. But of course that was in 1963

Both of these take 95mm filters and hoods!

Nokton48 · Jun 26, 2019

Makiflex Standard 125mm F3.2 GX680 Tiltall Tripod by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the big 125mm F3.2 GX680, it only fits the Makiflex Standard Body, due to Plaubel Peco Jr Recessed Lens Board.
Shown focused at infinity. Shutter release is Sinar Norma Shutter Cable, works beautifully. Leitz Tiltall Tripod (actually Star D) holds Maki Standard very solidly and is amazingly light.

So I can transport this rig easily. It is nowhere as heavy as it looks. Just bulky. Maki has "soft body release" absolutely no vibrations. Plaubel made a big deal about this mechanism, they were excited about this camera in the early 1960s.

Nokton48 · Jun 26, 2019

GX680 115mm by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the lens I don't have. The 115mm F3.2 Fuji GX680. Might work well on Makiflex Standard, not sure. I do have one more recessed board that would fit this.

Would be cool to have the triad of F3.2 GX680 Hot glass lenses.

Nokton48 · Jul 2, 2019

Darkroom Print 1 Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here it shows up now. Makiflex 270mm Tele-Arton Efke 4x5 PL100, ADOX Borax MQ. 30 seconds at F16. Entire Makiflex 9x9cm image printed. My first darkroom print in 25 years. Promaster RC paper Multigrade Developer

Nokton48 · Jul 28, 2019

I just called McMaster Carr and ordered a 6x6" 1/8" thick brushed aluminum plate, for $12 plus shipping. I am going to cut that down, making a precise fitting head for my three Plaubel Makiflexes. The Makiflex bottom plate is 4"x 5 1/4".

I'll machine the aluminum plate to fit the Tiltall attachment. This will be sweet to use. It makes the tripod mounted Makiflex quite portable and light in weight. Also solid, of course

Makiflex Standard 125mm F3.2 GX680 Tiltall Tripod by Nokton48, on Flickr

Nokton48 · Jul 28, 2019

Bottom Makiflex Standard Tiltall Plate by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the bottom of the Makiflex Standard, so you can see why I need a custom plate. The "contacts" in the four corners stabilize the camera.

OrientPoint · Aug 4, 2019

Is it possible to use Peco Junior backs on a Makiflex? Or are the Makiflex backs specific to that model?

Nokton48 · Aug 4, 2019

OrientPoint said:
Is it possible to use Peco Junior backs on a Makiflex? Or are the Makiflex backs specific to that model?

Makiflex backs are specific (badged MX###) which makes sense, since they must focus in the correct image plane.

Some Peco Jr backs will fit, but it is likely the reflex focus will be off. Could be used for GG focusing.

OrientPoint · Aug 4, 2019

I suspected as much but was hoping. I now have a Makiflex, but it only has the back for 6x4.5/6x6/6x9 holders. I really would love to shoot 4x5 in it (understanding that there's only 9x9 coverage). I've knocked together a Graflok onto a plate that mounts on the camera and it works (!), but of course the reflex focus is entirely off. I was hoping there was a reasonable solution for getting a 4x5 back onto these things with correct focus that doesn't involve a machine shop.

Thanks for your help!

wombat2go · Aug 4, 2019

Nokton48 said:
Here's the bottom of the Makiflex Standard, so you can see why I need a custom plate. The "contacts" in the four corners stabilize the camera.

You could do a weldment in form of an X with a machined boss.

The RB67 has 2 locating holes on its cast body so I did a welded grip of square tube with locating pins brazed in.
https://app.box.com/s/j8s76dmrtqgvkwekalmsx9hittdfa63q
https://app.box.com/s/9pfqhb9tlfkxen01pg8nv9zd6fugy7ho

Nokton48 · Aug 6, 2019

OrientPoint said:
I suspected as much but was hoping. I now have a Makiflex, but it only has the back for 6x4.5/6x6/6x9 holders. I really would love to shoot 4x5 in it (understanding that there's only 9x9 coverage). I've knocked together a Graflok onto a plate that mounts on the camera and it works (!), but of course the reflex focus is entirely off. I was hoping there was a reasonable solution for getting a 4x5 back onto these things with correct focus that doesn't involve a machine shop. Thanks for your help!

Hi OrientPoint,

Congrats on finding a Makiflex. Is it a Standard or the Auto Makiflex?

The standard Adapter Back was:

97318 2 1/4"x 3 1/4" "Rail Back" MX 1/521 $44.50
for 8 exp Plaubel Makina
120 roll backs which come in
12 exposure, 8 exposure and 35mm

Other Adapter Backs

97320 2 1/4"x 3 1/4" back MX 1/525 $44.50
with spring loaded
ground glass screen

97322 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" back MX 1/526/1 $81.00
with spring loaded
ground glass screen
for double dark slides

97324 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" back MX 1/537 $57.00
for single slides 4x5"

97326 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" back MX 1/538 $57.00
for double dark slides
4"x5" (FIDELITY,
GRAPHIC, LINHOF,
POLAROID)

97328 Adapter Back- MX 1/539 $67.00
Accepts following
holders:
1) Linhof Rollex
2 1/4" x 3 1/4"
2) Linhof Cine Rollex
56mm x 72mm
3) Linhof Super Rollex
56mm x 72mm
4) Graphic Roll Holder
2 1/4" x 3 1/4"
5) Polaroid Sheet Film
Holder 4x5"

97316 Polaroid Back Adapter MX 1/531 $232.00
for Makiflex System, with
viewfinder mask for film pack CB100
(usuable format 74 x 86mm)

06/67 CATALOG EHRENREICH PHOTO-OPTICAL INDUSTRIES

OrientPoint · Aug 6, 2019

Mine example is an Auto with the 150mm lens. It works nicely and I have several of 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" plate holders and roll film backs from my Plaubel Makina III to use with it. I love the huge reflex viewfinder. Now I just keep to figure out how to take advantage of the all 9 of the 9x9

Thanks for posting the list of backs. I guess they're all as rare as hen's teeth? I'd love to find a back to take a Polaroid i545 back and I still have a fair amount of usable Polaroid 4x5 ready loads. I'll start looking!

Nokton48 · Aug 7, 2019

Ebay.com and Ebay.de are the best sources. I search under "Plaubel" Scrutinize carefully and good luck!

OrientPoint · Aug 7, 2019

Please stop bidding until I get my 4x5 back. Thank you. ;-)

Nokton48 · Aug 7, 2019

I have enough backs.

Hacked Makiflex 4x5 Graphic Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

You get close to a full image (some is cut off) using the 405 Polaroid Holder. Here I am shooting 3000 Fuji Instant.
This is a 4x5 double sided back, then had the Machinist Glenn Evans remove a lot on each side, so I can attach all manner of backs (basically anything Graflock) with gaffers tape. Crazy but it works, great for testing and prototyping stuff.

RADA 9x12cm Makiflex Plate Back by Nokton48, on Flickr

This one came from Eastern Europe. It is 9x12cm, takes 9x12 RADA, VOIGTLANDER, RUSSIAN, single plates.

Presently I am loading J Lane Dry Plates, Ilford Commercial Ortho, Efke PL100M, and HP5+ film into my assortment of single sided holders. This will produce a 9x9cm image on a sheet of 9x12 sheet film. I have JOBO Multitanks to process up to eighteen 9x12 sheets in one go. I buy all my 9x12cm film from dealers in Europe.

Plaubel Makiflex Standard.

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