len_robertson

February 8, 2015

Back in the late 1970s I lived at Erdenheim Farms near Flourtown, PA, just south of Ft. Washington. I remember going to at least two camera shows in the area. Possibly Ft. Washington and maybe King of Prussia. I bought a 5X7 Ansco from one guy and a bunch of 5X7 film holders from another. This was when 5X7 was really dying out and the guy kept dropping the price per holder if I would buy more. I probably ended up with a couple of dozen, and he wanted me to take more. At the next show I bought a 500 series Gitzo tripod, probably the best purchase I've made. This was also the era before soft focus lenses became the "In" thing. I suspect most buyers at the shows at that time considered them paper weights. I probably walked by a lot of cheap brass lenses that are worth some money today.

Now that I'm here in the State of Washington, I'm about 250 miles from the Puget Sound camera show. I haven't been to it in almost ten years. I've got too much stuff already and it doesn't seem worth it to fight the traffic over there. I guess I'm saying a poor camera show would be okay if it were nearby.

Len

February 3, 2015

This sounds exactly like what has happened to my Yashica 635 - the shutter cocking/release lever just moves back and forth. Since I have other cameras and this is a $30 yard sale camera, I have yet to do anything with it. If mine were a family camera like yours, I'd likely send it off for a proper repair job. Or if you want an adventure, you probably could clean it yourself, but if it becomes a "box of pieces" not all repair folks will want to take on the job.

Here is a recent thread on Yashica TLR shutters:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum51/133227-whats-up-yashica-tlr-shutters.html

I also had this in my Bookmarks:

http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/008KSL with a link to Mark Hama. The 2004 price quoted in that post is probably somewhat higher 10 years later.

Len

March 23, 2014

In my post #8 here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?95425-Sinar-Parts-Unavailability-F-P-F1-P2-Solutions

is a link to a list of Sinar "resellers" in the US. The same site probably has information for Canada. The only one of these I've tried to contact is Foto Care in NY, but I haven't heard back from them. I guess I need to try calling them rather than emailing. If you do find a parts source, please post the information for the rest of us.

Len

February 24, 2014

Jerry - It sounds like your malfunctioning back is an A12, without the peephole to position the film at #1. If it is supposed to auto stop at #1 and isn't doing so, I can only think you need to send it off for a clean and lube.

Len

February 24, 2014

To add to what Q.G. posted, this vid shows loading a non-auto C12 back:

This style back usually has the fold-out key to wind the film to frame #1 (while looking through the peep hole for #1 on the backing paper) as shown in the vid. However, Hasselblad did sell a black plastic crank which could be screwed to the film wind key and left in place on the back. I suspect this add-on crank may be what you have. It is what QG is referring to as a non-folding crank.

Len

February 21, 2014

To satisfy my curiosity I looked up weights of Sinars. I'm not saying a Norma or an F2 is "better" than a P because of being lighter, but I believe weight is the primary reason the P is considered a studio camera. Although they can be used in the field and some photographers use them that way on a regular basis. I seem to recall a landscape photographer on the LF Forum who uses an 8X10 P as his main camera

From this Sinar page: http://www.sinar.ch/en/category/products/cameras/p2/

4X5 P2 - 5.9 kg (13 lbs.)

5X7 P2 - 6.8 kg (15 lbs.)

8X10 P2 - 8.2 kg (18 lbs)

From this page: http://www.kenleegallery.com/pdf/Sinar_system_katalog.pdf

4X4 F2 - 3.6 kg (8 lbs)

My own 4X5 Norma weighs 7 3/4 lbs. with a blank lens board.

Len

February 19, 2014

More thoughts - The Sinar P is easily upgraded to 5X7/13X18 format size by changing the rear frame, focusing back, and bellows. Just these parts need to be changed; the lower part of the rear standard with the knobs and movement controls stays on the rail. I believe an 8X10 frame will fit also, but there may be restricted movements for 8X10 format on the 4X5 standard. There are some details there I can't remember. 5X7 conversion pieces should be easier to find, especially in Europe, than a 5X7 Norma conversion kit.

You mentioned possibly shooting roll film. There are several ways you can do this with the Sinar P, including a slider back like the one that was included in the Plaubel outfit.

Len

February 19, 2014

Miha - This is a nice looking complete Sinar outfit. One thing to consider with the Sinar P is it is a heavy camera for a 4X5. I'm remembering a weight of somewhere around 13 pounds, but if weight matters to you, do a search and find the actual weight in kg for a P. Possibly you aren't worried about camera weight. Photographers do use these P models outside the studio, so it can be done. If you ever needed a lighter camera, all the lenses and accessories with this Sinar P will work for a Sinar Norma or Sinar F or F2.

I see a couple of items included in the outfit which add to the value. The Sinar behind-lens shutter seems to sell in the US for around $400, more or less. The shutter in the pictures has the special Sinar cable release included. A normal cable release won't fire the Sinar shutter, so it is very important this cable is included. And I see in the pictures there is a Sinar tripod head (shown in the upper right-hand corner of the bottom of the case). I don't have one of these for my Sinar, but I wish I did. Sinar owners seem to love them. These also sell for around $400 on eBay here in the US. So the shutter and tripod head add quite a bit to the value of this outfit.

The lenses appear to be older versions of Schneider lenses, but are probably fine lenses. The 90mm Super-Angulon is the f5.6 aperture version which is more desirable than the f8 version. All of these lenses are designed to work only with the Sinar shutter so can't really be used on another view camera. However, other lenses with built-in shutters can be used on the Sinar, if you find these lenses not up to the work you do. There are many lenses available on the used market in the Sinar DB mount for use with the Sinar shutter. If you ever want to use older brass-barrel soft-focus lenses, the Sinar shutter is wonderful for those or any lens without a built-in shutter.

Len

February 18, 2014

Greg - You may have a Compur shutter, not a Copal. According to this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_board

Compur made a #00 size which seems close to your shutter dimensions. That seems like a small shutter for a 150mm lens, but maybe that is what they used. If your shutter is a #00, you may be able to find a Sinar board drilled to that size from KEH or on eBay.

Len

February 18, 2014

I hope I didn't give the impression I think Sinar is "better" than Plaubel or Linhof or Arca. I just consider it preferable from the standpoint of availability of extra pieces and possibly lighter weight. To some people these may not be especially important. One of my dream cameras is still the original Linhof Kardan Color, but finding a 5X7 format kit for my Norma makes more sense.

To satisfy my curiosity I searched for information on Compur electronic shutters. There may be many of these out there in world working just fine, but there are people having problems too. An example: http://www.apug.org/forums/forum44/39472-does-anybody-have-schematics-compur-electronic-shutters.html It does seem from reading other posts that there are substitute batteries available which is good news. I don't think I personally would buy a lens with one of these shutters unless it was a really desirable lens (which I don't think the Tele-Xenar is) or really inexpensive (and in this case the seller seems to be asking top price). If the seller would sell this Plaubel without the lens at a reduced price or substitute a better lens with a mechanical shutter, I would consider this a more desirable outfit. But it is entirely possible this particular Compur electronic is working fine and the lens is satisfactory for portraits. Be sure to have the seller demonstrate the shutter is working well.

Len

February 16, 2014

That certainly is an attractive Plaubel outfit. Although I'm a Sinar Norma owner, I love any of the classic view cameras.

To me the price seems rather high, although I'm only familiar with European prices in terms of Sinar equipment. It seems to me European prices tend to be higher than here in the US, but I haven't really researched if there is really much price difference.

I have concerns about the shutter with the Plaubel outfit. Many years ago when Compur introduced their Electronic shutter there was a version with a separate control box and power supply, and a version with a battery compartment on the side of the shutter. I don't know if the shutter with the Tele-Xenar is either of these types, but you should definitely find out how this shutter works, if it takes a battery that is still available, and are all the shutter speeds accurate, especially the slower ones. If this shutter needs to be serviced, it may be more expensive than a normal Compur mechanical shutter. Maybe Dan or someone knows about these electronic shutters and can comment.

I had a 240mm Tele-Xenar once and replaced it with a 240mm Tele-Arton which I felt was a much sharper lens. Possibly the particular Tele-Xenar I had wasn't a good one.

If I were making the decision on this Plaubel outfit, I would look for a Sinar Norma instead (as I said, I'm prejudiced toward Sinar since I own one). There are so many more accessories and pieces available on the used market for Sinar. Some parts such as lens boards, bellows, and extension rails interchange between Normas and much newer Sinar models, so are easy to find. Sinars take modern standard film holders. The Norma may be lighter in weight than the Plaubel, although I'm not at all certain on that.

There is a 13X18 Norma on eBay France right now (eBay 161220988591) although it appears the seller may be in Berlin, for 888,000 EUR (that price seems high to me, but I'm quite cheap myself). It doesn't have any format reducing backs, but has a much more modern lens and shutter than the Plaubel. There are several 4X5 Normas on eBay Europe now, some of which are probably much cheaper than the 13X18. You could start with a 4X5 camera and watch for a 5X7 adapter kit which do occasionally show up on eBay (if you feel the need for larger than 4X5). I'm a lover of the 5X7 format, so I'm not trying to talk you out of 5X7.

Len

February 1, 2014

John - I Initially had the same thought about having the module plugged into the flash and eliminating one cord. My guess is the Sunpak engineers may have felt the attachment point on the 555 wasn't strong enough to support the size and weight of the module and the strain of two cords pulling on it. I think the module predated integrated circuits, so it must have a small circuit board and can't be made smaller. Also, the two cords would have needed to be made much longer for use with flash off the bracket.

The 555 instruction book on Butkus doesn't mention the Hasselblad module which lead me to think fitting the 555 to TTL Hasselblads was an afterthought to the existing system. So the Sunpak engineers made a possibly arbitrary choice on how to do it best. Maybe they just looked at Metz using the separate module and 3 cords and decided that was a workable way to solve the problem. It sort of amazed me Sunpak bothered with adapting the 555 to medium format TTL cameras. They probably didn't sell in huge numbers.

Len

February 1, 2014

John - I'm looking forward to seeing how you get along with you new gear. "...looks like a clobbered up mess." is unfortunately true, but I guess the only way Sunpak could adapt the 555 to a Hasselblad was using 3 cords and the separate module. At least it is light weight. Do you have the Sunpak head to PC connector cord? It would be an interesting experiment to do the same shot with that cord, relying on the sensor in the front of the flash head, and a comparison shot with the module for TTL flash sensing. I suspect at distances of 8 feet or more there may not be much difference between the two systems of sensing. I had hoped to do this test myself during the week and finish a couple of rolls of film, but there is always something else that comes up.

When I got my 555 a few years ago I searched online for information on using it with a Hasselblad. At that time there was almost nothing except the instruction book. The question you posted here and all the answers is sort of "writing the book" on the subject.

Len

January 28, 2014

Sarah - I'll add a bit more here to what I posted over on the Classic Forum. I found two more screw pitch gauges, good Starrett ones, and the pitch on my 5X7 B&L Tessar 1c #3163757 still looks like (probably) 22 tpi. The limiting factor here being my eyesight and the fact that neither of these gauges has 21 or 23 tpi.

I'm impressed that you can cut threads on the lathe. I have a decent 9" South Bend, but I struggle with threading. I think I need to buy some sort of internal threading tool that takes inserts. Sharpening a single point tool to a fine enough point to do camera threads is frustrating to me.

I was curious about the 5X7 Tessar, so I looked at B&L catalogs on Camera Eccentric and held my lens in front of my Sinar (since it isn't mounted on a board). B&L shows the focal length for the 5X7 as 7 1/2"/190mm (early catalogs say 7 7/16"). Focusing my lens on infinity seems to confirm that. I set the camera and tripod at an arbitrary distance from a lamp and focused. With a distance from the focal plane to the subject of approximately 54", the distance from the ground glass to the lens flange was about 8 3/4". I didn't bother to take really accurate measurements, but that gives you an idea how much extension you need if you want to try your lens on your DSLR. Since you mentioned using extension tubes and bellows together, I suspect you already have an idea how much extension you will need. For DSLR use, cutting a hole in a body cap and gluing your Tessar flange to it may work. Usually my wife's Canon 40D is handy but she must have taken it to work today, so I don't know how the size of the Tessar compares with the Canon lens mount.

Len

January 27, 2014

On the Sunpak box for the HA-2D module, only Hasselblad models are listed. I imagine the internal circuit only works for Hasselbads. So Sunpak (and probably Metz) decided you would either mount the module to the flash bracket rail or use the Hasselbad side cold shoe, hence the short cord to the camera body. It might be possible to mount the module on top of a prism and stretch the fairly short coiled cord down to the side of the camera body, but it looks to me like the cord would be somewhat stressed at the body end. Also the shoe on the module has a 1/4-20 tripod thread inside, so it may be possible to just attach it to the bracket rail with a tripod screw, not needing a cold shoe adapter.

A thread from Flickr on Hasselblad TTL flash http://www.flickr.com/groups/hasselblad/discuss/72157602101171871/ The last post gives some Sunpak model numbers and mentions Quantum having a Hasselblad dedicated TTL flash.

Len

January 27, 2014

Sarah - I looked at my B&L Optical Co. 5X7 1c, serial number 3163757. The outer diameter of the threads on the lens barrel measure 2 1/4" or maybe slightly less than that. The thread pitch looks to be 24 tpi, although my thread pitch gauge goes 22,24,26 so I suppose it could be 23 or 25 tpi. There are only about three threads on the barrel to gauge, so it makes it a bit more difficult to be accurate. I checked with a metric pitch gauge and it looks close to 1.0 mm pitch, but I'm reasonably sure B&L in the era these lenses were made probably used US measurement not metric. Zeiss would have granted B&L license to use the Tessar optical formula and name, but the lens parts would have been made in Rochester NY on American inch standard lathes. That is my guess anyway.

I don't know of a source of off the shelf flanges for older lenses. There are places like S K Grimes who can machine one, but it will be expensive. It would probably be cheaper to buy another Tessar with a flange. There are a number of lens boards on eBay with unknown size flanges. With a lot of search and emailing eBay sellers you might find the correct flange. It should at least be a somewhat common flange since a 5X7 Tessar was a popular lens. A Wanted ad on the LF forums might work for you too.

There are all sorts of hacks to mount a lens to a board without a flange. If it is a wooden board, bore the hole in the wood slightly undersize and thread the lens into the wood. Glue the lens in with a bead of silicon sealer, which can be cleaned off if the lens ever needs to be remounted. A hose clamp around the rear of the lens barrel (hopefully with rubber between) to keep the lens from falling out of the hole in the board. Any of these will probably work, but won't be as secure as the proper flange so will need a bit more thought and care in use.

Len

January 27, 2014

One Hasselblad do-dad I don't have is the body side mount cold shoe attachment. But holding the module beside the ELX body makes me think that would be a good fit. I have a box somewhere of assorted cold shoe adapters for light stands. I think I can mount one of them on the flash bracket rail to capture the module.

I was curious regarding the wiring of other Hasselblad TTL flashes. A quick look on eBay shows the Metz modules look very much like the Sunpak, with 3 cords coming from the module. It appears the Hasselblad D40 flash builds the module into the flash so there are just two cords from the flash to the camera body and lens. However I don't know how far away from the camera the D40 can be used (limited by cord length). With the Sunpak 555 where the module stays near the camera, the coiled cord from the module to the flash head will stretch out to a couple of feet or more. I have no idea if flash extension cords may be available for any of the different make Hasselblad TTL systems.

Does anyone know if Sunpak made a smaller flash than the 555 which gives TTL with Hasselblad? I'm thinking of something smaller and easier to carry for macro photography where enormous amounts of light aren't needed.

Len

January 26, 2014

I forgot what a nest of snakes the cords to hook the 555 to the Hasselblad look like. In this picture, the HA-2D module isn't attached to anything, but it needs to be. Either the Sunpak adapter Jeff mentioned, or the Hasselblad cold shoe which fits the accessory rail on the side of the camera body would be a good spot for the module. I tried mounting it on the cold shoe on top of the prism, but the coiled cord from the HA-2D to the camera body is rather short. In the pictures, this is the larger cord coming out of the front of the module. The PC cord is smaller diameter and come out of the side of the module. The EXT-11 cord comes straight out of the top of the module and goes up to plug into the bottom of the 555 head. This is the slightly out of focus cord behind the others.

Using the optional single cord between the flash and the lens PC socket would greatly simplify the "wiring", but then it wouldn't be reading TTL. For general flash use, the sensor on the front of the flash head probably works fine. However, I bought this flash with the idea of using if for macro and shooting through diffusers where the on-flash sensor wouldn't work.

John - There is an HA-2D module ending on eBay tomorrow morning. Search under Sunpak 120J which I think is the non-US designation. The module in the eBay picture shows it labeled HA-2D. You will still need an EXT-11 cord, but I suppose those are available. I didn't check KEH for Supak bits and pieces.

Len

January 25, 2014

John - I seem to remember when I bought my 555 off eBay I didn't really understand what I was getting. The pictures showed a bunch of cords and bits and it was supposed to be dedicated for the TTL Hasselblads. Which turned out to be true, once I figured out the hookups. Now that I have it out of hiding, I need to play with it more. I have a couple of black cats here in my dark house I can use as test subjects.

Len

January 25, 2014

I finally located my elusive Sunpak 555 flash. It has a Sunpak "Interface Module HA-2D For Hasselblad 500ELX, 503CX, 553ELX Cameras" (that is what is written on the side of the Sunpak box for the HA-2D Module). Plugged into the top of the HA-2D is a Sunpak EXT-11 coiled cord, the other end of which plugs into the underside of the 555 flash head. Two cords come out of the HA-2D module - one with a smallish round plug on the end which plugs into the Hasselblad body and the other has a PC terminal on the end to plug into the Hasselblad lens. So there are 3 cords - one to the 555 flash, one to the camera body, and one to the lens. It has been awhile since I used this with my 500ELX, but I'm pretty sure this is how I plugged everything in and it worked. The HA-2D has a cold shoe on the bottom, I think just to support the weight of it.

Also included with this 555 is a cord with a 3 prong end which plugs into the 555 head and the other end is a PC terminal. I assume this cord is used in place of the HA-2D and EXT-11 for any camera without TTL capability. Then the sensor on the front of the 555 would read the flash off the subject.

I'm not sure what the difference is with the HA-1D module. In one picture on eBay of an HA-1D, it appears to not have the PC cord of the HA-2D. Since you have a 553ELX, it may be safer to get the HA-2D.

Len

November 17, 2013

I have several Weston IV and V meters and am familiar with the incident light attachment for them. I know the Ranger 9 is a different design from previous Weston models, so suspected the Ranger wouldn't use the same attachment. I found this page showing the incident attachment for the Ranger: http://www.johndesq.com/pinhole/stagewestonranger.htm

I suspect it will be easier to buy another meter with a built in incident attachment than to find the attachment for the Ranger. However they may show up on eBay from time to time.

Also, here is a good general page on the Ranger 9:

http://www.jollinger.com/photo/meters/meters/weston_348-r9.html

Does anyone know how well hearing aid batteries work in place of the original mercury cells in a Ranger?

Len

October 25, 2013

Looking here: http://microscope.database.free.fr/Accessories_manuals_files/Aristophot%20Instructions.pdf page 20, is a list of condenser lenses for the "Macro-Dia Apparatus" shown in Figure 10, page 18. There are numbers on the condenser list which correspond to the 35, 42, 24 numbers shown in your picture. I can't make out numbers on the two larger lenses in your picture, but I suspect they may be the same type of condensers.

Len

October 16, 2013

A couple of Aristophot links:

http://microscope.database.free.fr/540_files/540-8d%20Aristophot.pdf

http://microscope.database.free.fr/Accessories_manuals_files/Aristophot%20Instructions.pdf

Len

August 8, 2013

The Nikon items looks to me like part of a free-standing microscope light. The side knob would clamp the unit to a post sticking up from a base. Missing is the holder for an incandescent bulb. This holder would slide into the open tube at the end opposite the lens. Usually these bulbs were low voltage and would be powered by a separate transformer. The diaphragm is properly used for something called "Kohler illumination" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6hler_illumination. Many amateur microscope lovers convert various microscope lights to LEDs. This could be done with your unit if a holder for the LED were machined to fit the open end of the tube. It would then be usable as a light for macro photography.

Does the Zeiss unit have a shutter speed dial somewhere? Some of these used a manual leaf shutter with a speed dial, and some used an electronically controlled shutter with a separate power/control box.

Len

May 23, 2013

How are the AE-1 Programs as far as reliability? I have a vague memory of reading about "shutter squeak" in the original AE-1, although I don't know if that is a real problem, or just an annoyance. I passed up a dead AE-1P in a thrift store last week. I assumed it was probably just a dead battery, but then wondered if it might be something more serious.

Len

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