Rolleiflex-like lenses for Crown Graphic?

[BrianShaw]

Thanks everyone!
Hmm, not sure what to say to all of this. I don't think the ground glass is in the wrong position, since I checked this previousy. I have some pretty sharp photos taken with both ground glass focusing (it is true that I forgot the loupe on the last trip) and with the rangefinder. The softness is in the negatives and positives. A bit less visible in prints. So it is true that the larger format helps for sure. It is quite possible that I am being very picky here, apart from a number of photos in which something clearly went wrong. My tripod is a bit flimsy, so maybe that's a factor. But I do think that the Rollei lenses are extraordinarily sharp (they beat my Minolta camera as well), so it would be fun to try something similar on the Crown, if possible.

You need to rectify the flimsy tripod before convicting the lens!

 

[trondsi]

You need to rectify the flimsy tripod before convicting the lens!

I think that getting a new tripod could help against some of the randomness in my photos. Some are more blurry than they should be.

 

[Ian Grant]

There's no doubt that a modern plasmat lens is better than the older Tessar designs particularly at wider apertures. Thre's a difference in quality and sharpness between a Tessar or Xenar compared to a Planar or Xenotar when you compare images from Rolleiflex cameras. However despite 5x4 being a larger format the differences between Tessar (&type) lenses and modern plasmats luke Symmars, Sironars, etc (a Planar/Xenotar is a plasmat) the difference is more noticeable as soon as you open up from f22.

A better tripod will help, but so will a modern plasmat lens, I know from experience that it's much harder working with a 135mm Tessar (or type) lens I prefer using a 150mm Tessar/Xenar as there's better coverage, but I also have my 135mm Caltar (Symmar S) and 150mm Sironar and they get more use..

Ian

 

[trondsi]

That's true, but the old Rolleiflex Automat has a remarkably good tessar lens (both my rolleis are great). I have often been very impressed with it, though I am not a pro. Anyway, my Crown Graphic is capable of producing good pictures, so I'll see how it works when it comes back from the cleaning and shutter adjustments. Maybe I'll look for a better tripod too

 

[Dan Fromm]

Maybe I'll look for a better tripod too

Maybe? Maybe? What is this silly maybe?

Don't you know that unsteadiness is the best way to lose the quality that a better lens might give you if the camera were well supported? Steady tripod first -- I use a pre-WW II Ries and a Berlebach -- and then testing to learn what stopping down y'r 135 Optar does and doesn't accomplish. Then and only then contemplate getting a better lens.

 

[Alan Gales]

Maybe? Maybe? What is this silly maybe?

Don't you know that unsteadiness is the best way to lose the quality that a better lens might give you if the camera were well supported? Steady tripod first -- I use a pre-WW II Ries and a Berlebach -- and then testing to learn what stopping down y'r 135 Optar does and doesn't accomplish. Then and only then contemplate getting a better lens.

+1

Yeah, I completely agree. I've seen it over and over again. People buy expensive cameras and top end glass only to cheap out on the tripod. It doesn't make any sense to me.

I own a pair of Ries tripods. I bought them used on Ebay so they didn't cost me a small fortune. Of course Berlebach, Gitzo, Feisol, and others can work just as well and buying used can save plenty of coin for the person on a budget.

 

[trondsi]

The one I have is STX Pro 62. I am not terribly happy with it, but I don't have a lot of cash this summer, so we'll see.

 

[Lachlan Young]

The one I have is STX Pro 62. I am not terribly happy with it, but I don't have a lot of cash this summer, so we'll see.

Prioritise getting a better tripod. Seriously. The claimed load capacity of the STX is about 5.5lbs/ 2.5kg & that is likely to be on the edge of wishful thinking on the manufacturer's part. It is also about what my Speed Graphic & lens weighs, and that can potentially shift nominally higher rated tripod heads if they don't lock well/ are poorly designed. A Berlebach/ Ries is overkill for what you need, but a decent Manfrotto/ Gitzo/ Feisol or something of that ilk will be fine.

 

[EdSawyer]

The obvious answer here is the Xenotar 135mm f/3.5. I have one, fitted to a crown graphic, with an aligned rangefinder (Kalart) and it works great, sharp from wide open. Folds up inside the camera easily too.

 

[trondsi]

Hi again! After a long time I thought I should finally answer my own question, since I finally found a lens (for a reasonable price) that I am happy with:
Nikon 150mm f/5.6 Nikkor-W Lens does the trick for me. It is very sharp, and never blurry towards the edges. I have captured some very nice images with the Optar lens too, but with the Nikon I don't have to worry about anything turning blurry towards the edges.
One minor bad thing is that the Nikon does not work with the inbuilt shutter mechanism of the Crown Graphic, so I always have to use the cable release. But that's OK with me for now.

 

[Dan Fromm]

The paddle can be adjusted on its shaft and the lens can be rotated on the board so that the paddle can engage the shutter release. They're a little hard to find, but there are other paddles. Y'rs is probably for the 135 Optar.

 

[jimgalli]

Back on page 2. Flying Camera. Kodak 203mm f7.7, coated and in a modern shutter. Looks just like your Rollei and teeny tiny.

 

[Bob S]

Hi again! After a long time I thought I should finally answer my own question, since I finally found a lens (for a reasonable price) that I am happy with:
Nikon 150mm f/5.6 Nikkor-W Lens does the trick for me. It is very sharp, and never blurry towards the edges. I have captured some very nice images with the Optar lens too, but with the Nikon I don't have to worry about anything turning blurry towards the edges.
One minor bad thing is that the Nikon does not work with the inbuilt shutter mechanism of the Crown Graphic, so I always have to use the cable release. But that's OK with me for now.

If your camera has a built in shutter you don’t have a Crown Graphic, you have a Speed Graphic.

 

[Dan Fromm]

If your camera has a built in shutter you don’t have a Crown Graphic, you have a Speed Graphic.

I b'lieve the OP referred to the camera's body shutter release.

 

[Bob S]

I b'lieve the OP referred to the camera's body shutter release.

Maybe, I can read it both ways.

 

[trondsi]

I b'lieve the OP referred to the camera's body shutter release.

Exactly. I'm not talking about the shutter itself, but the release mechanism on the Crown Graphic.

 

[trondsi]

The paddle can be adjusted on its shaft and the lens can be rotated on the board so that the paddle can engage the shutter release. They're a little hard to find, but there are other paddles. Y'rs is probably for the 135 Optar.

When I bought the lens in a used camera store, the seller tried to rotate it into the correct position, but the only way to make it work was apparently to leave the release on the lens half pressed down (because the paddle does not travel far enough to release the shutter otherwise). I didn't like this solution, as I was afraid it would damage something in the long run, so I rotated it back. I'm only using the cable release now. I haven't tried changing the paddle though.