Speed Graphic

Does anyone know how to mount a Kodak Aero Ektar 7" lens on a board

for the Speed Graphic? I know its terribly unoriginal but I like the

concept. Thanks

As long as the rear element will fit through the front standard, I don't think it would be a problem. Maybe I don't understand the question.

 

If you need a drilled lens board, I am sure you could get one from Midwest Photo supply.

 

I have a Speed Graphic but not an Aero Ektar so that may be why I don't understand your question. The rear element should screw off and there should be a flange and mounting ring.

 

You might cross post at Graflex.org

If the rear of the lens won't pass through the lens throat, then you'll have to have an adapter made. Many are the ways.

 

Way 1: if the inside of the rear of the lens' barrel is threaded, have a stepped bushing made, threaded externally at both ends. One end to screw into the back of the lens, the step to butt up against the lens board, and the rear of the bushing to accept a retaining ring. This is how the late Steve Grimes put a 12"/4 Taylor Hobson telephoto on a 2x3 Pacemaker Graphic board for me.

 

Way 2: if the back of the lens isn't threaded internally and it has external threads behind the diaphragm, a cup shaped adapter that the lens screws into can be made. My 12"/4 Taylor Hobson came to me in an Agiflite mount that was threaded internally to accept the lens. The rear of the adapter has to be threaded externally and small enough to clear the front standard's throat.

 

Start measuring and thinking, what you want to do has been done, and with 7"/2.5 Aero Ektars too.

 

Good luck,

 

Dan

There are many different types of adapters that have been made to do this thru the years. About once a month their is a Aero Ektar and 4x5 speed graphic metal lens board on Ebay as a set. Sometimes it is cheaper to get a lens and mount; than to have a machinist make one. The type that has the entire lens forward of mounting plat is what I have. The lens tends to sag downward if the movements are not tight.

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/1387989-lg.jpg">

On mine the 178mm F2.5 Aero Ektar is screwed into an aluminumn tube; which has internal threads that match the lenses. The tube is connected to a standard 4x5" metal Speed Graphic lens flange. I mostly leave the lens on the custom adapter. Sometimes I swap lens with another serial number lens.

Um, Kelly, about that unwanted forward tilt, my solution for the 12"/4 was a piece of plexiglas that fits on the crosspiece at the front of the bed rails and is just thick enough to level the lens. Hanging a heavy lens far in front of the front standard isn't the best of ideas, especially with Graphics, whose front standards are made from stamped sheet metal.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

Dan; good comment about the tilt. Edward; some Ebay adapters have an extra support; sort of like Dan mentioned; to hold the old heavy lens up in the front.

I saw a photo of David Burnetts Speed Graphic in a Pop Photo magazine and it was mounted directly on a plate so it seemed as if there wasn't a tube to connect it to a plate, it was mounted directly to the plate. How did he do that I wonder, did anyone see the photo?

The rear of the lens won't fit through the front standard. See if you can find a recessed lens board for a Calumet CC 400 view camera. it will fit a Pre-Pacemaker Speed Graphic if mounted backward (an outie vs an innie). The is just barely enough room to drill the board out to the diameter of the lens threads, where the outrageously huge original mount was. Then, it's up to your imagination. I just filled the entire recess plumb full of hot glue. Those lenses are cheap and mine has front coating problems, so I wasn't concerned about possibly harming it. One way to hold this beast up so it won't break your camera, is to get another front standard and adapt a mount for the front of the lens for additional support. Be aware that if you try to remove any elements from the barrel, the retaining rings on these were often tack welded to prevent disassembly. Look very closely for welds using a loupe before proceeding. If your camera is a Pacemaker Speed, see a machinist.

David Burnett stops in sometimes on the forum at graflex.org. You can ask him there, or maybe someone else on the forum has done it as well.

Also--if the lens has rear threads it can be mounted using a two-part ring that will go through the board instead of a tube. S. K. Grimes did this for me to fit an 11.5" Verito on a Technika board.

In astrophotography in the 1960's; some folks nibbled the "front standard" in four places; the lens rear theaded part would drop thru. Then royal pan was about 1250 in speed; and available in 4x5 sheets. One friend just epoxied the darn 5 dollar lens to the front standard on an old speed; used for astro photo usage; and used black tap to fill the gaps. A perfect marriage of a junk body and lens! :).

Let's make it more complex! It seems many of us have had the same idea at more or less the same time. I have also recently acquired a very dead Speed Graphic (a military model, somebody painted it red). It is my winter project. I have also purchased a complete K-24 camera, hopefully with a nice Aero Ektar inside (waiting for delivery).

 

I've read all the information I can Google up on the Aero Ektar - pros and cons, radioactivity, and so on. I'm still wanting to do this, just like Edward (the O/P on this thread). "Unoriginal" or not, it seems like a fun project.

 

Now, to make things more difficult - any way to mount this particular lens in shutter? My Speed has a barely serviceable rear focal plane shutter, but I would like it if I could shoot this lens through a leaf-shutter. However, I've never seen an Aero Ektar (7" f2.5) live and in person - perhaps it is just way too huge for a shutter and a 4x5 Speed Graphic.

 

Failing that, then I too am interested in getting my anticipated Aero Ektar mounted to a board, perhaps propped up in front to deal with the cantilevered weight. Heck, if Marilyn Monroe could do it, I can do it (grin). I understand that Mr Grimes has passed on, but his crew is still working. Does anyone know if they do this sort of work?

 

Any assistance or advice would be appreciated!

 

Best,

 

Wiggy

The S. K. Grimes company certainly does this work and does it quite well, even in Mr. Grimes' absence. Here's a photo of the recent Verito mounting that I mentioned above--<p>

 

<img src="http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/temp/11Verito.jpg">

Um, er, ah, Dubble Wubble Jones asked about Steve Grimes' successors. They're still in business, still doing interesting work. Just now they have my 38/4.5 Biogon that needed an internal cleaning -- called me yesterday with the news that it was done -- and a 1.75"/2.8 Elcan that they're putting on a board for me. One of the shortest lenses, if not THE shortest lens, that will work on a 2x3 Speed. I use the Biogon on my Century.

 

About putting aerial camera lenses in shutter. If you were to ask Adam at SKG, I think'd he'd give you a polite equivalent of "If you've got the money, honey, we've got the time." But it won't be cheap. SKG -- Steve himself, actually -- charged me $300 for extracting my Biogon from its AGI/Williamson shutter and the machining needed to adapt it to go into a Copal #0. The shutter itself was an additional hit in the wallet.

 

Spend and enjoy,

 

Dan

See http://www.johndesq.com/graflex for all your questions.

Till then..

John D<div></div>