TLR for modding?

Strange question, but I was wondering if there are any TLR's that use standard copal 0 size lenses, and are relatively simple and inexpensive enough to swap lenses on.
I have a couple of nice tessars. I was thinking to toy around with replacing them on a cheap TLR, but it seems that many use the rollei filter bayonet and so swapping elements may be problematic.

Oh, hoping to stay away from mamiya C series since they are large and somewhat more than I want to pay, even though that would be my first pick, the nice lenses that are allready available kinda defeat the purpose.

-And yea, I know it will be a pain in the rear to adjust them to match, but forget all the reasons why not.. =]

Some of the older Rolleicords don't have "hidden" shutters (they're mounted right on the front like a folder), but they may still be a PITA to remove. If all you want to do is unscrew the elements out and screw yours in, you can do that. The bayonet mount doesn't make any difference, the elements should still unscrew like any camera. I took the elements out of a Minolta Autocord and screwed them right into a Rolleicord. Unfortunately, it wouldn't focus to infinity. That's the problem you're going to run into on these conversions. The film to lens plane differences are probably going to be quite different. If you want to play around w/ different lenses, a small Graflex camera (not the larger 4x5 models) might be better because they have long bellows that can accommodate these differences.

If they're too big for you, maybe a tube camera like an Agfa Isola. I had one that I took the original lens/shutter off of, and put on a much "better" Solinar from an Isolette, w/ a shutter that ran to 1/400. I was able to get around the difference in film to lens plane differences by epoxying a shutter nut to the outside of the tube to make up the differences in length. But you couldn't collapse the tube anymore after that, and to tell you the truth, I've come to appreciate the 3 element lenses more than the so called better 4 elements anyway. They're sharper in the center, and just have a look that I like more than the more modern lenses.

Nowadays I have a regular Isola, but shoot mostly Holgas and Dianas. From 5 element Heliars, to 4 element Tessars, to 3 element lenses, to single element cameras. I like the images better from the simpler lenses. Next is a 4x5 pinhole.

Matching the lenses would be a headache though. I've got a seikosha s shutter that I assume was ripped out of a mamiya tlr lens set. It currently has a 135mm 4.7 xenar in it mounted on a linhof/wista board. It works fine, it's just without a cable release socket (can be solved with one of those recessed boards with the built in angled release I guess) and without a flash sync pc or bi post connector only a wire coming out of it(quite ugly). You also have to worry about if flange distances between the cells is enough for the lenses you put on, as they may fit but may not focus, hopefully only requiring shimming with paper. Maybe someone else has done this before you and can comment more.

I installed a Compur #00 shutter on the front of a Minolta Autocord and then mounted an old Tessar lens from a folder. The lens had speed and aperture markings, and I was able to align the shutter with the release mechanism of the Autocord body. I didn't even bother with the lens shroud- the chance of the aperture and shutter dial mechanisms aligning with another shutter was pretty remote. I had to manually cokc the shutter after each shot; the wind mechanism worked fine, and using the Autocrd's mechanism engaged the wind lock/release system.

I set the focus with the Autocord's viewing lens to match at five feet. I figured that depth of field would put me close enough for most distances and smaller apertures.




Remember that the lens shroud is for convenience and decoration, not function. Most TLR shutters that I have seen have only dots for shutter speeds and no aperture markings on the shutter block itself; a little work and you can make your own scales.

The only TLRs that I am certain use #0 shutters are the f/2.8 Rolleiflexes. If you skip the lens shroud, you could most likely swap in your Tessars. But these cameras used an 80mm lens while most free-range Tessars I have from folders and such are 75mm? I did mount an 80mm Xenotar from a Rolleiflex on a #0 shutter and an use it for shooting 6x7 on a Horseman view camera, but that's not the direction you want to go, I guess.

Darin, if you still have a 2x3 Graphic (preferably Century or Crown 'cos they're short) just get a 6x6 roll holder for it. Then you can screw around with lenses as you want and focus them.

A Gowlandflex would be ideal for modding, but probably expensive.

I agree with the comments above about some sort of Graphic if you don't specifically want a TLR. I think they're about the most adaptable cameras out there.

I still have my Century graphics. -And I have a variety of lenses for it =]. In fact, I am waiting on a #1 shutter to mount a 80mm Planar Ipicked up from an industrial unit. The planar is quite a bit heavier than my Xenotar. But that is another story.

Ciroflex. Or Graphlex 22.

Perhaps. Don't know if they are a standard copal 0 but, if not, close.