dan_fromm2

To the person who hasn't bought yet, Nikon and Canon are as much alike as the proverbial peas in the proverbial pod. After purchase, however, whichever is bought will be found much superior to the other.

Cheers,

Dan

John, have you asked Bogen for advice?

Cheers,

Dan

I don't know. But if you use a long lens for metering you can get much the same effect as an on-board spot meter would give.

Cheers,

Dan

"take off the ring on the back element"?

Shouldn't you just unscrew the entire rear cell?

Cheers,

Dan

I'm not really sure which lenses you're asking about. If you're asking about Graphic Kowa lenses, they're process lenses and are in barrel, not shutter. No shutter, no flash sync. People have written nice things about them here and on rec.photo.equipment.large-format, but I've never used one.

Roll backs come in other sizes than nominal 6x6. Readily available sizes that will work on 4x5 cameras are (all nominal) 6x6, 6x7, 6x9. There's also 6x12.

Why use a roll back on a view camera? For one, to be able to use movements to place the plane of best focus where you want it. For two, to be able to use movements to eliminate converging verticals.

Why use a roll back on a press camera? I dunno. I use 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (nominal 6x9) Graphics. 2x3 sheet film is hard to come by, with a 2x3 roll holder 120 works as well. And it does give bigger, and to my taste, better proportioned negatives than 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 (nominal 6x6).

I carry on about nominal sizes because the gates are smaller than the nominal metric sizes.

Cheers,

Dan

Emile, you keep asking essentially the same question and getting not much in the way of answers. There's a reason. You're not specific enough, and you come across as lazy.

Why don't you tell us what you're trying to accomplish? What format do you intend to use? "larger formats" covers a lot. What magnification do you intend to use? 1:1, as you suggest? Higher? Lower?

The 100/6.3 Luminar covers 4x5 from 0.8:1 to 8:1.

Luminars and Photars are universally said to be very good, although my 100/6.3 Luminar, which has problems, isn't that great.

The Milar is an older generation lens than the modern Photars.

Now take the hint I gave you in response to an earlier version of this question, go read what's written about micro lenses on W.J.Markerink's page, and sharpen up your questions.

I have no idea what the rear threads on a 105 EL-Nikkor are, so I don't know if a #0 or #1 shutter is appropriate. I also don't know what shutter you have or plan to use. With all this ignorance fully in mind, I suggest you ask Steve Grimes (www.skgrimes.com) how much he'll charge to make the adapter you need. It can be done one way or another.

Michael, a couple of months ago I went shopping for the Schneider adapter you mentioned. It seems to have been discontinued.

Cheers,

Dan

In theory old folders are a good way to get into MF, but having bought a few I have me doubts.

Item: Agfa Ventura 66 Deluxe with Solinar lens. Supposedly a good lens, mine had damaged coating and was unusable.

Item: Ensign Selfix 820. Comments on the web on its 105/3.8 Ross Xpres are all glowing, but Roger Hicks doen't like it. The damned thing is out of collimation, so when the lens is set to infinity distant objects aren't in focus.

Old folders tend to have problems, ranging from hazy lenses to stuck focus to bent struts to general looseness. If you must get one, make sure the vendor will let you return it if it fails test.

Cheers,

Dan

No.

If I understand what you're trying to do, you're going to crop, not shift the lens. Remember that shifting the lens gets more of the subject's top (or bottom) in the frame without tilting the camera. Tilting the camera causes converging verticals, regardless of orientation.

Cropping, as you plan to do, will have the desired effect only if you stand far enough back from the subject to fit the section you want in slightly less than the whole negative without tilting the camera. Why not just stand far enough back to get it all in without tilting the camera, and use the whole negative?

By the way, few of the less-expensive 65 mm lenses (65/6.8 Angulon, 65/6.8 Wollensak) made for use on nominal 6x9 (really 2.25" x 3.25") have enough coverage to allow shift.

Cheers,

Dan

Can't help you with the Gitzo, but do have the Manfrotto. I use it under all my cameras, got it to use with the Manfrotto fluid head Bogen sells as the Mini Fluid to shoot S8 movies. It works, has always felt a bit rough (a lot of stiction? less than perfectly smooth ball or socket? not enough grease?) but I've always been able to center the bubble in the level. Like many (all?) Manfrotto heads, it has three little set screws for gripping whatever goes on top of it. These damned things vibrate loose, even with Loctite, at the sight of an aircraft.

Hope this helps.

Re adjusting the rangefinder, run, do not walk, to www.graflex.org and

search there. I take it you have a Kalart rangefinder on the side of

the camera, not one on top.

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Re lens, ditto. Are you sure it doesn't have a press focus lever? I

have a couple of Wollensaks (not a 101/4.5) and most of them do.

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Other lenses? Whatever fits, subject to finding boards. I was given

a 2x3 Pressman, less board, 10 years ago. Still have it, still don't

have a board. Am shooting 2x3 Graphics, which are better supported.

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You didn't ask, but you CAN use roll film in a 2x3 Adapt-A-Roll 620,

which slips in like a sheet film holder. Again, info on

www.graflex.org, and since I wrote the first draft I think its ok.

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Cheers,

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Dan

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Oh, yes, the 2x3 Pressman's big advantage over 2x3 Crown/Century

Graphics is that it has more rise and gives a bit more extension.