Shooting 4x5 film on MSK Osaka Half-Plate

Hi everyone,

Completely new to large format but I've been reading quite a bit, but I guess not quite enough to know that I bought a camera suited for half-plate instead of my original intention of a 4x5 . But anyways, I've been trying to find out how I'm dealing with this problem, most of my stuff I bought for a 4x5 with a Linhof style lensboard, but nothing has been working out today.

Long story short, I have an MSK Osaka Half-Plate and I wanted to know what would be the best option to get myself in to lf with. My original intention was to shoot daytime landscape for class and continue in that direction. I couldn't really find much information on the camera itself for instructions, sizes, and so on.

I was wondering if I could get help on:

• Finding the correct way to mount my lens
• How, if at all, can I use a 1/4" tripod mount on it
• The possibility of using 4x5" sheet film (5x7" holder? or just center it?)
• Any other knowledge known about the camera

I was quite sad, but yet determined, to use this camera as my first LF considering it was about $380. I could return it but not too sure if the seller would take it back... even though he listed it wrong. At this point I think the only way to go is forward haha.

If you got it through the bay or used paypal you should be able to get your $$ back. The bay mostly sides with the buyer regardless of whether the seller say they accept returns or not.
Mounting a lens is no problem. Make a lens board, have someone cut the hole(or DIY).

The bigger difficulty is making or adapting a back and base plate. The base isn't too hard, it would be a simple insert with a 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 thread.
The back is more challenging, modifying it to take a standard holder.

I'm sure someone will chime in with the how-to for the back.

Thanks for the input John, I'll probably just end up returning it, at this point the investment for me as I'm just getting in to LF would be a little sketchy considering I can get my hands on a crown graphic for less than this without the hassle.

If you can't send it back.

Actually it's fairly easy to make an adapter to use normal modern 5x4 darkslides (DDS) with a book form half plate back because the T distance of book form plate holders is significantly larger the modern holders.

Essentially you make a plate that fits the grooves in the back where the book form holder slides in then add wooden strips on the two long sides and one end these need to be slightly thicker than DDS and the tops of the sides angled slightly inwards, then you add two sliders. I've done this twice now once for my half plate Houghton's Duchess and a smaller one to allow a 6x7 Graflex roll film holder to be used with a Houghton's Victo quarter plate camera.

Making a tripod mount would be even easier.

Ian

Reviving and adding a bit of info re mounting a lensboard to this particular camera: The top of the lens board is inserted first and pushed up against a springloaded plate. The lensboard is then pivoted inward at the bottom and allowed to drop into place. My Graflex Super D boards mount the same way.