Technika and Calumet 4x5 lens board compatibility

[mabman]

Forgive the newbie question, but I might be jumping into the world of 4x5 monorail cameras due to a good deal that's come my way. It's a Calumet, likely a CC400.

My potential purchase is coming with a lens/lens board/shutter, but I'm looking into other lenses.

A good number of lenses I see for sale come mounted in a shutter and lens board with the lens board indicated as a "Technika". I'm getting confused by the specs available for new/old Technikas and various Calumets - can someone please confirm if a Technika (presumably fairly modern) lens board will be compatible with the Calumet CC400?

Thanks!

 

[Jon Shiu]

No, not compatible. You want a 4x4 inch Calumet lens board. The Tech/Wista boards are for field cameras.

Jon

 

[grahamp]

It is easy enough to swap lens boards. At least the Technika/Wista type is widely used so someone is always looking for one if you wide up with spares. The Calumet board is fairly simple to fabricate, I believe. For hole sizes, see http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lensboard_hole_sizes.html

I don't recall seeing a single reference for camera and lens board compatibility. You can use a Wista board on an MPP Technical up to Mark VII, but there is a risk of light leak if you don't back it with felt, for example.

Graham

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Just FYI,

I have three field cameras that take Technika boards and two others (monorail and field) that take 4x4 lens boards. I have made an adapter out of Masonite so I can use the Technika boards with my Zone VI field camera and my old Graphic View (my Sinar has a Technika adapter board).

What I did was to make a 4x4 piece of 1/8-inch (or 3/16-inch... not sure now, but the thickness needs to match a factory board) Masonite that fit the cameras with 4x4 lensboards. I then traced the circle of the extended ring on the Technika board onto the Masonite piece and cut that out resulting in a 4x4 board with a large hole in it. That was the easiest part.

Next I laid the Technika board into the hole (which I filed out a bit so the Technika board would lie flat) and marked the outside dimensions of the Technika board onto the Masonite board. There is just a bit; a tiny strip, on either side that is actually exposed when the Technika board is in position. Then, with a sharp knife and a metal straight edge, I scored the lines on the Masonite board and carefully peeled, whittled and chipped away a recess that the Technika board could nestle in. The object is to get the Technika board flush, or very nearly so, with the remaining surface of the Masonite (just the little strips on each side). The result is a thin 4x4 Masonite board with thicker edges and a large hole.

Once finished, I "finished" my Masonite boards with black Sharpie. The "adapters" live with the cameras. When I want to mount a lens on a Technika board, I pull out the adapter, sandwich the Masonite adapter and the Technika board, and mount the whole thing as a unit. All is held in place with the sliders/metal slots, just like a regular 4x4 board.

I've used this a lot, even with recessed Technika boards, no light leaks ever. So, if you're good with a pocket knife and hand tools, you can make yourself an adapter.

BTW, my Masonite stock came from an old picture frame.

Best,

Doremus

www.DoremusScudder.com

 

[grahamp]

That should work with my MPP too, since the OEM boards are significantly thicker than the Technika/Wista ones. Better than a felt pad and shimming the clips.

Graham

 

[glbeas]

If you have both Calumet and Technika style cameras Calumet made an adaptor board that you could hang your Technika mounted lenses on. Makes it handy when you want to play with both cameras.