Anyone using a non-stock lens on a Press camera?

[Pirate]

I trie putting a Nikkor 135 lens on my Crown Graphic in place of the stock Schneider-Kreuznach 135 f/4.7 lens with the thought of "a 135 is a 135..."

It didn't work.

The focus would not match up to the rangefinder even after resetting the bed stops and matching the focus at a specified point. I didn't think i would have to change cams if keeping the same focal length.

Is this normal or did i do something wrong?

Anyone running a non-stock lens on their Press camera, and if so, how did you do it?

 

[Curt]

No but I was thinking of changing mine on a Busch C. It was suggested that the Kalart would need to be recalibrated.

 

[Stdon]

I use several lenses on my Busch D. Adjust infinity first focusing with the ground glass then set your stop. Should be fine at anything less. If the Kalart needs it adjust it too at infinity. My lenses range from 65 mm to 275 I mark the stop placement for each lens with a different color paint and put the same color paint on the lensboard somewhere for that lens and infinity stop.

 

[Dwig]

...with the thought of "a 135 is a 135..."...

Ah, that's your problem.

The "135" spec is generally only accurate within about 5%. Accurate focus requires much much higher accuracy.

There are many threads here on adjusting Kalart RFs. You generally need to start by getting the bed stops set right for infinity and then adjust the RF so that close focus aligns. This adjustment in effect is adjusting the RF for the lens' actual FL. The non-cam side mount Kalarts have a rather large range of adjustment. You should be able to adapt it to the new Nikkor.

 

[Pirate]

My Crown is a Top Rangefinder model. Oh, well.

 

[Frank Petronio]

If you poke around graflex.org you can find directions for making custom cams.

 

[Vickko]

Yep, "135" on the lens is only nominal. The cams are much more precise than that, if the cam table is correct.

I have a 150mm APO Sironar-S on my Crown Graphic (with top mounted RF). It seems to be working fine. I think I got lucky, because the 150mm cam matches my lens. The cam was for the 150mm Rodenstock Ysarex, but I swapped lenses.

 

[Dwig]

My Crown is a Top Rangefinder model. Oh, well.

These use an interchangeable cam located under the RF just above the bellows. Follow the cable from the tab on the focusing rails up toward the RF and you'll find it. It would be possible, but tedious, to duplicate this cam with small alterations in the curve to create one for the new replacement lens.

 

[Pirate]

Thanks, I've seen the cam before. I was really hoping there were some more fine-tuning adjustments than just the cam. Oh, well.

 

[3rdtrick]

Pirate, While I have not used a Nikkor lens on my Speed Graphic, I have used the Speed Graphic lenses on my Nikon DSLR. The main difference between the lenses is that the Nikkor lens is designed to focus on the film plane just behind the barrel and the image circle will be only a bit bigger than the 35mm frame and the Speed Graphic lenses have no barrel and require the extension of the bellows to focus properly. When I use my Speed Graphic lenses on the Nikon, I mount it on a macro bellows for focusing. If you mount the Nikkor lens on the 'Graphic, you will need to move it back about 1 inch from the film plane for proper focus. I do not think it can be done successfully.
Pete

PS: My Kodak Ektar 127 4.7 is sweet on my Nikon.

 

[Corran]

He's talking about a 135mm lens made for 4x5, by Nikon. They produced LF lenses for many years (not anymore).

And yes everyone is correct, you need the right cam, or grind your own. I prefer the side-mounted Kalart for this very reason - I've calibrated dozens of lenses to various Graphics over the years.

 

[3rdtrick]

Thanks Corran, I did not realize that Nikon made LF lenses. Do you know if they ever made a large format camera?
Pete

 

[gdi]

The Crown Graphic "Special" (read "Budget") I assume, with Xenar?

I have never tried this lens - all my Graflex cameras have had Ektars or Optars, but I hear the Xenar is not so great. As Frank said, you can get instructions on cutting your own can at Graflex.org, you may also find someone over there willing to do it pretty cheaply for you - I had a user "45pss" help me with some problens in the past.

 

[Pirate]

Yes, I was referring to the Nikon large format lenses. Here's a listing of some:

http://www.keh.com/PDFFolder/LF06000033437.pdf

I have the 135 currently and would have loved for it to have worked on my Crown Graphic.

 

[3rdtrick]

Thanks Pirate, they look like very high quality lenses too bad it did not work. I was picturing a 135 2.0 DC lens sticking out the front of your Crown Graphic.
Pete

 

[Pirate]

Haha... I would love to have that lens for my F5 though!

The 135 lens I have looks and feels of good quality and the pictures have come out very well. I do not know which type of glass it is -Distagon, Planar, Sonnar... etc. I prefer the Sonnar design and have found a couple Zeiss large format Sonnar lenses, but they were thousands of dollars out of my reach.

 

[Corran]

Thanks Corran, I did not realize that Nikon made LF lenses. Do you know if they ever made a large format camera?
Pete

They did not (unfortunately).

They also made some medium format lenses for the Bronica S line.

 

[Particular]

My Crown is a Top Rangefinder model. Oh, well.

Check out this site as well.
http://lommen9.home.xs4all.nl/cams/index.html

I have made custom cams for Linhof Technika, and these Graflex ones look to be a simpler to make than those. Adjusting a rangefinder is tedious and requires some patience, but it is not that hard to do. The cams I made are quite accurate as well.

 

[Pirate]

Thanks for the link. One of these days I will get around to changing lenses and making a new cam from scratch. I've pulled out the cam and seen how it all works, it's not hard, just a lot of trial and error to get it right. It's all time.