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[R_J]

Any ideas as to how I would go about building a lensboard and mount for this lens to the dimensions of the Century Graphic's lens board?

Plaubel Makina 6x9cm format shutterless lens, 19cm f4.8 pristine lens, in tiptop condition.

If this is an idea wrought with impossibilities, please let me know.

[t.r.sanford]

I haven't seen the lens, so I can only speculate on the difficulty you may have to surmount.

It seems to me that the second question (the first one is "What are you going to use for a shutter?" -- but you know that) is whether the rear group of the lens will fit into the rather small front of a "Century." I raise this point because, e.g., a Rodenstock "Rotelar" 18cm. f:4.5 will not fit, unless you're willing to modify the front.

If it will fit, and you have a flange, then all you need is a lensboard (and a shutter). The boards are readily available.

[Dan Fromm]

[R_J]

TR and Dan,

Thanks for the posts. It's given me a lot to consider about this project.

The Plaubel lens has a diameter of around 6cm at the rear lens, and when set to close focus, an element protrudes towards the image plane by around 10mm. It is a big lens, and although I can handhold it in front of the Century, fixing it via a lens board looks very difficult.

I'm planning on using it indoors (EV = -1 to around 4) with ISO 25 Tech Pan or ISO 50 speed film on a tripod so the lenscap would be the shutter. With a lightseal insert, this is fully light tight and although the exposures would run into several seconds (minimum, it would be a rather inconvenient set up.

The main task which daunts me is mounting it onto a lensboard, which can barely cover the the size of the lens.

The Rodenstock might be a better alternative, although I wonder what modification of the lens panel (or the front standard) would be required?

Dan - I'll look up Goodwin Photographic. Thanks for that link. I sourced a Copal No. 1 shutter and its cost exceeded that of the Graphic. The adaptor system to hold the lens on to the board is probably the most unstable part of this set-up; I can't see how such a heavy lens would stay perpendicular to the lens board through its simple slide retainers. Is that a problem with any of your longer lenses, such as the 210 Boyer, or the Hexanon GRII? Thanks for the detailed instructions on the lens board - I've saved that and will look into it.

[Dan Fromm]

[t.r.sanford]

I believe there are lenses of 7 to 8-inch focal length that will fit nicely on a "23" board; my impression is that the 8-in. f:5.6 "Tele-Raptar" was intended for this use, and that there was a similar f:5.5 "Tele-Arton" or "Tele-Xenar" that was, too.

Alternatively, have you considered mounting the entire lens on its own front standard, which could be very uncomplicated if it were robust and accurately made, and just backing the rear group of the lens into a mating light trap built out from the "23" lensboard? Many years ago, I horsed around with the idea of fitting an 8¼-in. f:4.5 Ilex "Paragon" in a big "Acme" shutter to my "Century" in this manner, but the lens wasn't worth the effort.

[R_J]

TR -

that's a very ingenious solution. Unfortunately the 'front standard' of this lens is part of the Plaubel camera, which is elegant in its own way; the lens is really a screw-in lens. The beauty of it, is that it disassembles, front and rear elements, so that all the surfaces can be cleaned, and the oil of the shutters wiped off. It stops down in a near perfect circle without serrated edges, and looks like it will generate a distinctive bokeh....if only I can get it to work. Being a fairly wide aperture, I'd hazard that the lens covering power is sufficient for some of the movements, but perhaps not all.

Many thanks.

Dan's given me immense help on how to convert this, so I'm going to explore these options.