mike_castles Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Hope you guys can help - I recently purchased a Nikkor 150mm 5.6 lens for my 4x5 Beseler. Problem is how to mount this thing on a lens board. It appears that the barrel size is 53mm? Short of buying blank lens board and having it drilled (still have to figure out how to mount the lens, unless the board is threaded). Would I be better off getting rid of this lens and getting another? Thanks for the help..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene m Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 The Nikkor 150 has a 50mm thread size (mounting ring). You can buy a 39mm adapter. If you want a 50mm ring you should contact S.K. Grimes or look on E*ay. You'll get the best deal that way. Email me with any enlarging lens questions you have. I've got some experience with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_sampson Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Is this an enlarging or camera lens? Beseler should make a lens board to fit. IIRC, the back end of the barrel of some EL-Nikkors unscrews to reveal a "standard" 39mm thread, while exposing the rear element. If a camera lens like a Nikkor-W, the rear element group unscrews and should reveal a retaining ring on the back of the shutter. This is used to mount the lens to the board, and the rear group is then replaced for use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncey_walden Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 The correct mounting flange (it is a flange with screw holes, not a ring!) is available from Nikon USA Parts if you get hold of the right person. The first person I talked to had to be convinced that Nikon ever made a 150 EL Nikkor and then sent the 39mm ring in spite of my detailed description of what I wanted. The second one immediately knew what I was talking about and I was quickly shipped the correct one. This lens, at least mine anyway, surprised me by covering 5x7. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_cardon Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 What? Base the lens decision around the lens board? Nothing wrong with Nikkor enlarging lenses. Call midwest and they probably have a board that will fit. RJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene m Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Flange...ring. Jeeze, give me a break Chauncey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncey_walden Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Perhaps it's a fine distinction, Gene, but a mounting ring is thin with only enough width to support slots for tightening to the lens while a flange is wide and has screw holes for mounting semi-permanently to the board and into which the lens is screwed. A flange is what the old 150 EL Nikkor came with. The lens has odd-sized threads (53mm OD) and since the flange was attached with screws to the board and did not have to be removed to remove the lens probably accounts for the apparent number of lenses found without their flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_atherton2 Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 And if you need a mounting flange to mount a lens to a board, but order a retaining ring (and possibly vice versa), you'll probably be screwed until you order the right thing... :-) http://www.skgrimes.com/adapter/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob. Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 My El-Nikkor 150 f5.6 has a 39mm thread (possibly minus the doodad Mark mentions - I bought it used and possibly it had already been removed?). My Rodagon 150 however has a 50mm thread.... Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_castles Posted August 6, 2003 Author Share Posted August 6, 2003 Well, I should have started with you guys - got an answer from Nikon, needs a mounting flange (not a ring ;^{). At this point not sure what I will do - other than be a little more carefull when buying a lens from that e__y. My own fault for not asking and the lens is really a nice one. Not sure if the flange and blank lens board, plus cost of having it drilled and mounted are worth the price. Any comments in this vain...Does not make sense to go to all this effort since I have a perfectly good lens board for a 39mm..... Thanks to Everyone.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_davis2 Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 "Does not make sense to go to all this effort since I have a perfectly good lens board for a 39mm" Well I know the Nikon 135mm is 39mm mount. OTOH I think most of the 150mm are bigger. Do you use the enlarger for more then 4x5? I've got a threaded 39mm for my lenses with 39mm but a 50mm board for my 150 rodenstock. That board never comes off the lens and it's quick to mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob. Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 In response to a question off-site, I did a bit of research - there seem to be at least two versions of the lens - this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh4/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=36886&is=GREY which is the one I have with a 39mm thread, and this one, which looks older: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2942757222&category=29986 (If the photo.net editor has inserted any spaces in the above links, remove them....) Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garry_teeple1 Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Sorry Robert but the 135 Nikkor was also made with the 50mm threads. These are the older Nikkor El, the new ones have 39mm threads. B&H sells flanges for the 50mm thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_briggs2 Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 <p>The older 150 mm El-Nikkor is a fine lens, but a bit of a troublemaker if he gets separated from his flange. The threads of 53 X 0.75 mm are rather odd. Previous discussions on Photo.Net: <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0034UO">What mm opening for Nikon 150mm enlarging lens?</a> and <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003Y4A">Thread sizes for EL-Nikkor enlarging lens</a></p> <p>Once upon a time Beseler made a lenboard specifically for this lens, with screw holes to match those of the flange. It wouldn't be that hard to make such a board as a DIY project, but the flange takes real machining. I suggest trying Nikon's parts department. If they don't have the flange you could have custom machining done, e.g., by SK Grimes Co., though in this case it might be cheaper and easier to buy a different lens.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_todd Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 I made the lens board for my Nikkor 150 5.6 from 1/8" airplane plywood. It is a very simple board. I then cut a dense matboard ring, or flange if you want, with a hole in the center a bit tight for the lens threads. I then proceeded to screw the lens into the matboard ring, letting it cut it's own threads as it went. The matboard is softer than the lens metal, so it won't damage it. The board I used is dense enough, though, to provide a very good grip on the lens threads. The lens has been mounted with what I thought was going to be this short-term mounting ring for many years now. It shows no sign of giving in. I don't leave the lens on the enlager all the time anyway, so if it ever comes loose it won't fall off when I'm not around. I have also done the same sort of idea with the 1/8 plywood for lens rings on old barrel lenses. They can get very tight--I have one I can't unscrew now, at least not easily. You'd be surprised how tight and flat you can mount a lens with a simple ring made from material softer than the lens metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_castles Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 Thanks again for all the help adivce. The lens mount is indeed 53mmx0.75 and Nikon still sells the flange required for mounting - item #1K640-475, contact Nikon Service for price (<$40 U.S). Then find a lens board and have it drilled or as mentioned earlier DIY. After looking around and checking - ordered the flange and will try to mount the lens. Any ideas on drilling the 50-53mm opeining? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee_seegers Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 Convert mm to inches.. go to your local hardware store and get a holesaw of the correct size, for your drill. I did this for a lens once. A well stocked store will carry the hole saw bits from real small up to 4 or 5 inches in diameter, in 1/16 inch steps. I did mine on a drill press, but in a pinch I think I could do it with a hand drill. Clamp the lensboard down real good so it won't spin or move around while you drill it. dee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_briggs2 Posted August 10, 2003 Share Posted August 10, 2003 The hole in the lensboard needs to be slightly bigger than 53 mm because the flange has a 55 mm diameter lip that is meant to project into the hole. A hole saw would work -- as Dee says, be sure to clamp the lensboard. A drill press would be better than a hand drill. You could have a machinist do the work (e.g., S.K. Grimes Co.), perhaps for not too much more than the cost of the hole saw. A low-tech and safe but tedious approach would be to buy the Beseler board with a 50 mm hole and use a file to increase the hole size. The screws (which I think originally came with the lens) are #2-56 flat head. A #43 drill would give a through hole, or a 3/32 could be used. If instead of using a through hole and a nut, you want a tapped hole, the drill size is #50. This would also be an easy job for a machinist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayavant Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 i have the same lens. it is currently on the board for my view camera. it came with no flange, just the ring. it holds ok on the view camera lens board with just this. seems i should get a flange though... but i'll have to enlarge the hole in the board then. am thinking of fitting it to my graflex. i need to order a new board for my graflex - i take it the hole in the board should be 53mm to take the flange - which i'll now have to go and buy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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