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Kalart adjustment

 
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Not MPP



Joined: 26 May 2002
Posts: 18
Location: I.O.W. England

PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2002 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Crown Graphic 23 with several modern lenses from 35mm up to 100mm. It occurred to me that the 65mm would make a very useful standard lens for the work I do (mainly architectural/landscape), so I decided to try to adjust the Kalart R/F to correspond. That was 3 days ago!

Is it possible that the manufacturers never reckoned on lenses like 65mm being available? I can get infinty and 15 feet to ackle (as we say round here!), but the front scale would not co-incide without adjusting the prism. If it works close up, it won't co-incide at infinty and vice versa.

Should I give up and go home, or can anyone suggest a solution?
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2002 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, I'm surprised you could adjust the Kalart for the 65mm lens. The Kalart booklet "How to Adjust and Use the Kalart Synchronized Prism Rangefinder" lists only 101mm, 103mm, and 4-3/8 in. lenses for the 2x3 cameras. And your front scale is probably calibrated for the normal lens; you'll need a scale calibrated for the 65 in order for everything to jibe. Here again, I'm not sure that Graflex made a 65 scale, but there are more knowledgeable contributors to this board who could tell you that.

I use the 65, 101, and 203 Optars on a Century Graphic 2x3 in my architectural work. The 65 is mighty handy in certain contexts, but I find it difficult to focus (I always focus on the ground glass), and it will vignette with front rise. Even so, I removed the wire frame finder to extract a bit more rise out of it (at infinity focus the wire finder bumps against the inside top of the camera box). Often when shooting building exteriors in horizontal format the vignette effect gives a nice darkening at the upper corners of your sky, so that's not a big problem. The main drawback is the short rise in vertical format (with camera turned 90 degrees, shift becomes rise on this camera). I removed the knurled nut on the one side at the bottom of the front standard on the "rise" side to squeeze a bit more out of it before it hits the strut. Although I scan all my negs and correct perspective in Photoshop, I still like to do as much of that in the camera as possible.
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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2002 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, Graflex did make one focusing scale for a 65mm lens. The # on the back is 30882-27
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Not MPP



Joined: 26 May 2002
Posts: 18
Location: I.O.W. England

PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2002 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! So the scale I have is for the 101 Ektar... is it the front scale or rear that is changed? And where am I likely to find one - or not!

Quote:

On 2002-09-15 18:28, alecj wrote:
Yes, Graflex did make one focusing scale for a 65mm lens. The # on the back is 30882-27
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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2002 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just saw your message. I'm not sure what you mean by "front" scale or "back" scale. Are there already two distance scales on the bed of your camera? If so, you need to provide the numbers on the back and we'll see what lens they were made for.

Assuming you already have two on the left, there's still hope. Graflex made scales in left hand OR right hand versions, so you can add it to the right side of the bed. You'll need both parts then, the one with the arrow, and the other one made especially for your NEW lens.
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Not MPP



Joined: 26 May 2002
Posts: 18
Location: I.O.W. England

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2002 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply. It is the scales INSIDE the rangefinder that I have problems with, the distance scales on the baseboard don't really matter.



Quote:

On 2002-09-23 10:36, alecj wrote:
Just saw your message. I'm not sure what you mean by "front" scale or "back" scale. Are there already two distance scales on the bed of your camera? If so, you need to provide the numbers on the back and we'll see what lens they were made for.

Assuming you already have two on the left, there's still hope. Graflex made scales in left hand OR right hand versions, so you can add it to the right side of the bed. You'll need both parts then, the one with the arrow, and the other one made especially for your NEW lens.
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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2002 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, now I think I understand.

You need to go back and read the message from Henry again. He was trying to tell you that you CAN'T adjust that rangefinder for that lens. That is simply a mechanical limitation of the rangefinder.

THAT's why the bed scales are important with this lens. AFAIK, THAT's the only way to focus it handheld.
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Not MPP



Joined: 26 May 2002
Posts: 18
Location: I.O.W. England

PostPosted: Mon Sep 23, 2002 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, that is what I suspected. It seems to work down to about 15 ft., which is the range I use for 90% of my work. Many thanks to all for the assistance.

Quote:

On 2002-09-23 14:56, alecj wrote:
OK, now I think I understand.

You need to go back and read the message from Henry again. He was trying to tell you that you CAN'T adjust that rangefinder for that lens. That is simply a mechanical limitation of the rangefinder.

THAT's why the bed scales are important with this lens. AFAIK, THAT's the only way to focus it handheld.
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