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Kuddel · Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 1

Hello!
I am new on this forum and I have one question: I recently purchased a 4x5 Anniversary Speed (which has a different lensboard than the pacemaker) and I am happy with it, but I wld like to use my 2,5/7" Aero Ektar on it, which is permanently mounted on a 4x5 Pacemaker Lensboard. Any suggestions? Are there any adaptors for such a thing on the market,
thanks a lot,
Heiko

t.r.sanford · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:03 pm Post subject:

If, as I suspect, the 4X5 "Anniversary Speed" uses the same board as the "Graphic View" (both models), then you can get an adapter that holds a "Pacemaker" board securely. Graflex made them, and they seem to turn up fairly often on eBay, through which I got one last year. They don't command very high prices, fortunately.

Of course, the standoff imposed by the adapter will need to be taken into consideration when determining the infinity position of the "Anniversary" front standard.

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

this might work, depending on how your Aero Ektar is mounted. If it's all out in front, you're okay. but the adapter does restrict the max diameter of the rear element a bit and it would be close with that lens. On any othe normal to long lens, the adapte is fine.

disemjg · Joined: 10 Jan 2002 Posts: 474 Location: Washington, DC

Adorama has one listed right now for $38.50; they call it "Graphic View to Pacemaker"

t.r.sanford · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:28 am Post subject:

That's a very reasonable price. In a couple of years of casual looking, I never saw one for a whole lot less, regardless of condition.

Joe Koski · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Southwest USA

My Dad made the lens board for my Anniversary Speed Graphic about 50 years ago. It's not high tech. He cut a 4" x 4" square steel plate (aluminum would also work) that was about 1/8th inch thick. He spray painted the back black. He cut the center hole with a chassis punch or similar tool. Perhaps a machine shop could make one for you.

Incidently, one of the the newer view cameras uses the same dimension lens board, but it is made from wood. I believe it is the Wisner. At least the name starts with a W. I have one of their lens boards, and plan (some day) to mount a new 135 mm f5.6 Nikkor W on my old camera.

There was a photograper for the Fort Worth Press back in the 1950s that used the f2.5 7" Aero Ektar for sports photography in our dimly lit stadium. He used a film rated at 12,000 or so. I never did see a shot that was completely in focus appear in the that newspaper.

t.r.sanford · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:54 am Post subject:

Those 4x4 lensboards were used on quite a few cameras, including the Burke & James "Speed Press" and, I think, on some of Calumet's 4x5 view cameras too. The challenge here seems to be to avoid removing the "Aero Ektar" from its "Pacemaker" board and remounting it on something else.

The film you recall probably was a Kodak material which came in sheets, 120 rollfilm and (later) long 35mm. rolls. I used the 120 format, called "Royal-X," in our high school "Rolleicord" in 1958 or thereabouts, also for available-light photos in a gym. The film was rated by ASA sensitometric standards at 640, but usually was exposed at 1600 in interiors with uniform, flat (and dim) lighting. Hardy souls in very low-contrast environments could rate it at 12,000 or just about anything they chose. One developed the stuff in "DK50," and one got pronounced grain (to say the least).

None of my shot was ever in focus from foreground to background, either...