Does anybody else have issues with recessed boards and cable releases? I seem to recall some highly flexible release adapters and also a 90 degree angle adapter available somewhere (Calumet?).
Can anyone point me in the right direction? I have no choice but to use a recessed board on my old Calumet monorail when I mount my 90/8 Super Angulon. The bellows just won't compress enough to get infinity focus.
I'm actually a little concerned with 90 degree adapters. Unless the collar that screws in is a lot shorter than a standard cable release, I can't position the lens in the recessed board with the proper orientation to have the cocking lever clear.
I guess a consequence of having to use a small 4x4" board.
i also use a 90º adapter, but for me it isn't tripping the shutter that is difficult. it is tough to cock the shutter+change the fstop. you have to use the tip of a pen, the plunger of the shutter release (what i do) or bring a little person with you to make all your adjustments.
The simplest solution is the Gepe flexible release adapter. It will even fit in a Linhof recessed board, which is very tight, so it should be no problem with the Calumet board.
I used Hasselblad angle adapters on my recessed lense boards. They are not 90, something less, maybe 45. They worked smoothly and came in black as well as chrome.
I haven't had a problem with my recessed board but that's because it's one of those huge Arca-Swiss board. Fortunately, it's an adapter board for mounting Linhof boards so all my lenses are on nice small boards.
Get a WA bag bellows. It'll allow you to work without the recessed lens board (what a drag !!!) AND make movements with your monorail that you won't be able to do with an accordion bellows in "closed" position... I can even use the 65mm lens on my monorail 4x5 without a recessed lens board with no problem...
I have a fine little collection of very old cable releases with less than 1cm ferrules. I can't understand why new ones have to be so long, the old ones still work fine after 80 years?