Lensboards and lens mounting for Omega View 45D

<p>I hope you aces won't mind answering a few questions stemming from my basic ignorance. I want to find a 90mm lens and lensboard for my Omega View 45D, and get the lens mounted or else be confident I can mount it myself. So:<br>

(1) Can the Omega View 45D use Toyo View 4x5 lensboards? Because Toyo View recessed lensboards (which I think would be useful insofar as I have the regular bellows and would be using a 90mm) seem to be more plentiful than Omega View recessed lensboards.<br>

(2) When for example K.E.H. lists a lens-shutter combination as having a "35 mount", does that mean I need a lensboard with a "35 hole"? And is it as simple as 35 being the diameter of the hole in millimeters?<br>

(3) I thought if I bought the lens and lensboard from K.E.H., I could get them to mount the lens in the board for a modest charge and modest delay. But I called them today, and they said they just can't do that, period. Should I do it myself, or can you recommend somebody who does it for a nominal charge? Does you answer change with a recessed lensboard?<br>

Thanks!</p>

1. Yes, exactly the same. Heres what I do... I buy the smaller 110mm boards for Toyo

and graphic view cameras, and use the Toyo 158mm to 110mm convertor. It makes

carrying lenses more compact. By all means, a recessed lensboard is fine for your

lenses.

2. Yes.

3. Just do it yourself. Make sure the lens comes with the threaded nut to hold the

lens to the board. Very easy to do. While youre at it, get a Rodenstock spanner

wrench so you domt scratch up you gear.

<p>Thanks Michael. Quick question / concern: although mounting enlarging lenses on an enlarger lensboard is a piece of cake, I am under the impression that most (all?) large format taking lenses actually come apart into front and rear cells to mount, and therefore the process is more involved and requires more precision. Is this really an issue / potential problem? Thanks!</p>

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Not really, but I always trie to buy a pre drilled board so I dont mangle it... I wouldnt

be concerned if I had a shop. Maybe one thing though.... some lenses have very tight

movement in the aperture. That happens when the aperture plate fits tight against

the board, in which a spacing flange may be needed. The two lense elements is not

really a problem.

<blockquote>

<p>I am under the impression that most (all?) large format taking lenses actually come apart into front and rear cells to mount, and therefore the process is more involved and requires more precision. Is this really an issue / potential problem? Thanks!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>All large format taking lens have 3 main parts, the front cell group consisting of two or more lens cells mounted in a metal barrel commonly called the front cell, the main barrel or shutter, and the rear cell group which has two or more lens cells mounted in a barrel commonly called the rear lens cell. Special tools are usually required to disassemble the front or rear lens cells. <br>

The only time the front lens cell needs to be removed is for cleaning the inside surface of the lens cell or for shutter cleaning.<br>

The rear lens cell on some lens is larger in diameter than the main barrel or shutter it is mounted on requiring it to be removed in order to mount the main barrel or shutter to a lens board. Removing a front or rear lens cell from the main barrel or shutter is a simple unscrew the lens cell from the main barrel or shutter. Reinstallation is simply screwing the lens cell back into the main barrel or shutter until bottomed then snugging. Older lens cells become stuck with age and may require a strap wrench or jar opening aid to loosen them. Some lens have shims under the front cell which must be reinstalled when reassembling the lens cell to the main barrel or shutter.</p>

<p>Some mount rings have a lip. The lip is designed to protect or cover the shutter's mount threads. The flat side of the mount ring always goes toward the mount board, the lip goes away from the mount board. Measure the outside diameter of the mount threads to determine the size of the mount hole for the lens board, most are in millimeters, old U.S. made shutters may be in inches.</p>

<p>All threads are standard right hand threads, turn right to tighten.</p>

<p>Any lens can be clocked as you wish on the lens board. Set it in the lens board with the lens board mounted on the camera to determiner the orientation you want it to be in. Pay attention to the controls, flash sync, cable release socket positions, and scales for ease of access and interference with camera supports and controls. Once the positioning has been determined consider the top center of the lens board and shutter as the 12 o'clock position. With the lens board removed from the camera set the shutter to the 10 o'clock position and install the mount ring and tighten. While holding the mount ring stationary or turning toward tightened with a spanner turn the shutter to the 12 o'clock position. Check for shutter rotation when setting or tripping the shutter.</p>

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