large format lenses

[raul_casal]

hello

I'm thinking to buy a graphlex body camera so I wonder what kind of

lenses could I buy for it.

i've thought maybe a copal rodenstock or shneider lenses called

symmar aposymmar sinaron grandagon etc...

do you think it coud be a good combination?

do they fit directly on the graflex lensboard or do they need their

own?

raulcasal@ono.com

[danny_wong2]

graphlex.org

[christopher perez]

The Graflex can handle a wide variety of optics. You might consider a 200mm Nikkor M f/9 or 210mm Schneider GCLaron or 203mm Kodak f/7.7 Ektar. Match it with a 135mm or 150mm Fujinon W/EBC or Schneider Symmar-S/MC. Then follow up with a 90mm Schneider Angulon or 100mm f/6.3 Wide Field Ektar. You have too many options perhaps?

[michael_briggs2]

Raul, your question is extremely broad. You will probably get answers that will be more useful to you if you ask some more specific questions. How many lenses do you want to buy initially? (I suggest starting with one or at most two.) Do you want a normal, wide or long lens? What types of subject matter do you have in mind (e.g., general-purpose, landscape, portraits, architecture,...)? Do you want an inexpensive lens, or would you be happier with the very best, regardless of cost for the incremental improvement?

 

LF lenses suitable for 4x5 photography will fit on a lensboard that will fit your camera. LF photographers normally buy one lensboard per lens since it would be inconvenient to move the lensboard from lens to lens in the field. The lensboard is the interface between the lens and the camera. The interface between the lens and lensboard is the shutter -- what you will need to do is buy a lensboard with the correct size hole for the shutter of the lens, or enlarge the hole to fit. There are some very large lenses intended formats larger than 8x10 that won't fit on your graflex.

 

You might want to browse some of the threads in the forum archives -- see the category "Lenses" at the bottom of the main page of the forum.

[Troll]

The web site is graflex.org. Your question indicates that you need a better understanding about Large Format equipment before you start getting involved with it. Suggest that you buy a copy of "Graphic-Graflex Photography" (used) or a basic book on using the View Camera. Digest them, and then come back to the forum.

[michael_briggs2]

Raul, asking about lenses for a Graflex camera is fully on-topic for this forum, so don't take the suggestions re graflex.org as meant to chase you from this forum.

[loreneidahl]

Spend some time on the graflex site. They have a treasue chest of info on the Graflex cameras.

 

There are a number of us here who own and use graflex cameras ( I have 5). There is a huge amount of knowledge both places with little overlap.

 

If you have specific questions after you visited the graflex site. Stop on back. I vist both places all the time

[douglas_pollock1]

With a Graflex you may want to make sure the lens you purchase will fold into the camera so you don't have to insert/remove the lens and lensboard for each shot!

[big toys are better]

The Graflex boards are a bit small to be using with large lenses (most Copal 3), but that doesn't necessarily conform to focal lengths alone-- more with lens speed and focal length together. As you have seen above, pick lenses that will work within the limitations of your camera, bellows draw in particular.

 

But I wouldn't worry much about having to put a smaller lens back on the camera just so you can fold the camera-- I do this routinely with all my cameras so that the compresed unit is as small as possible and it's not a big deal. You can find a variety of lenses on eBay and elsewhere that were originally mounted on the Graphics and probably some are still on a Graphic board, so there's a good starting point.

[dan_fromm1]

Doug, I use some enormous lenses on my Graphics. Why limit them to using only, for the most part, old lenses?

 

Just about every post in this thread has used the word Graflex incorrectly. Graflex, Inc. and its predecessor companies made Graflex SLRs, Graphic (Speed, later Crown, Century, and Super too) press cameras, and Graphic View Cameras. Also Century view cameras. Graflex' nomenclature is pretty confusing, but given how often we write about their products that's no excuse referring to the incorrectly. Raul, as a beginner can plausibly claim ignorance (Graflex, not Graphlex, english orthography is hard for everyone) but the rest of us can't.

 

The SLRs accomodate a very limited range of focal lengths, in practice no focal lengths much shorter than diagonal of the gate + 25% and limited close-focusing ability with lenses much longer than standard issue. If you mean Graflex-made SLR, say Graflex, otherwise don't use the word.

 

The press cameras have limited draw and relatively small, by modern standards, lens boards. Within their limits they'll accept nearly any lens, old or modern. If you mean Graflex-made press camera, say Graphic.

 

I think that none of you has the GVs in mind.

 

My Graphics are tiny little press cameras of nothing at all, 2x3 Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Century Graphic. Between them I use lenses from 38 mm to 305 mm, and I'm working on ways to use longer ones still. The shortest I'm aware of that can be used on a 2x3 Crown/Century is the 35/4.5 ApoGrandagon.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

[kelly_flanigan1]

Raul; often 4x5 speed and chrowns come with a 127mm F4.7 Ektar; set up as a press camera. These are actually a decent starter system. These only really cover 3x4 inches well. Often these lenses are inexpensive when that are bought with a complete camera. They offer the no real movements but offer a extremely sharp lens in the central core of the photo. Here I have also other wider coverage lenses too; plus some oddball barrel lenses that I use with the speeds focal plane shutter. I happen to like the 127mm Ektars because I started with them; and understand its limited coverage well. There are many facets of large format photography; some folks want massive movements; a smaller group wants fast lenses too. <BR><BR>There are alot of similar names; so ask alot of questions and study the links mentioned above.