Mechanical XPAN, is it possible?

[OlivierAOP]

Another Nimslo conversion, nice. Text says Fuji 45mm f5.6 in 00 shutter. Likely from the GS465W and transferred to another shutter. It's a rangefinder so short focal distance would be expected?

 

[Phildjii]

And some more inspiration:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFXyPCWHwi3/
http://trastic.com/?page_id=787

 

[sanmich]

I was thinking about the same problem.
The Fuji is a nice solution and if one prepares the film in advance with two canisters, the problem of unloading in a dark bag can be avoided. Remain two issues: 1- the choice of lenses and 2- a decent viewfinder

The other solution is the 135W back for the Bronica ETRS. it's really elegant, but they are rare, and very expensive.

Question: Would someone know what should be necessary to transform a 135N back into a 135W?

 

[Scrambler]

The simple process is creation of film holders for 35mm out of 120 film reels. If you use a 120 camera with spacing externally indicated you will get your framing correct. Use a 35mm canister to take up the film, saving the issue with opening in the dark. I use an Ensign 220 Auto-range. Focus is then easy though framing would require extra work I haven't done.

In the end, I just crop 120 if that's the aspect I want.

 

[sanmich]

ok...
thinking of this: is there a way of altering a regular 120 bronica etrs back to advance only half the regular distance?
If so, by cutting a slot in a dark slide, there could be a way to get 30 panos from a 120 film.

 

[OlivierAOP]

Here is a Nimslo conversion with Bronica 40mm. More complicated to convert compared to the Wirgin. The casting is difficult to remove and once gone the camera isn't light-proof. But it is more compact.

The film advance gave me some grief. Very rough with incorrect spacing. But strangely it appears to have fixed itself. I have to test it again to see if the leaks are gone.

I might not need the RF; zone focusing is quite forgiving at 40mm.

DSCF7348 by Olivier, on Flickr



DSCF7349 by Olivier, on Flickr

 

[Phildjii]

That was fast! Very nice!
But wow, the flange distance makes it a big longer than I imagined. Apart from a 47mm Super-Angulon, is there any alternative with a shorter distance?

Edit: the picture from the top makes it look long, but in fact it is not that bad, about 12cm maybe?

 

[OlivierAOP]

Yeah it looks a bit silly. It's 13cm long so not too unwieldy.



The Super-Angulon is a nice compact option. I think the Mamiya Press 50mm f/6.3 has a short flange focal distance (~50mm) but the lens itself is huge.

 

[largedrink]

Interesting pano camera on Flickr, I was chatting to the owner about it. It happens to be listed on ebay for quite a high price: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdogan/50392628367/

 

[Phildjii]

Yeah it looks a bit silly. It's 13cm long so not too unwieldy.

So it is barely longer than my Pentax MX with an FA 31mm on it, and probably lighter. Not bad at all!
In the meantime I got my hand on a Nikon AF600, which has a "panorama" toggle so I can practice framing in 1/2.7 before I manage to build my Nimspan. A poorman's Fauxpan, but it fits in a pocket 🙂

 

[Phildjii]

Probably a silly question, but I know almost nothing about view lenses: for a Super-Angulon 47, is the flange distance from the rear of the lens, or from the shutter plane?

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Probably a silly question, but I know almost nothing about view lenses: for a Super-Angulon 47, is the flange distance from the rear of the lens, or from the shutter plane?

The distance should be close to the rear face of the lens board. It would probably be about equivalent to the shutter plane but you would need to do a visual check before shimming the lens to the exact registration.
Phil Forrest

 

[OlivierAOP]

Yes usually the flange distance is from the back of the shutter mount. It'll be a few mm behind the the shutter plane, which for a symmetrical lens is usually coincident with the principal plane and centre of the lens.

Here is pic with the Nimslo with 40mm. Had to find another body: a small spring in the advance mechanism was bent. Advance is still a bit weird; two frames overshot by 7-10 perfs...

SIM00118-2 by Olivier, on Flickr

 

[Phildjii]

I just saw this new shift lens: https://www.venuslens.net/product/15mm-f-4-5-zero-d-shift/
65mm image circle and 110° angle of view. The image circle is almost Xpan size, or perhaps it would be with some fall-off. I wondered what the equivalent focal length would be on 35mm film with a 65mm film gate?
It is way too expensive for a Fauxpan anyway, I'm just thinking aloud here 😎

 

[OlivierAOP]

The equivalent horizontal focal length would be 36/65*15=8mm. Too wide IMO!



I think most shift lenses are fine for 65mm frames. The gent at zeissikonveb.de has been using 24 and 35mm shift lenses on his cameras. The difficulty is in combining them with a shutter. I read on panomicron.com that the Nikkor PC lenses mount on a no. 3 shutter, but after looking at pictures of it disassembled I have my doubts.

 

[OlivierAOP]

And another one!

And another one!

Another conversion... maybe I have too many now 🙄



Zorki-6 with Bronica 50/2.8 on a Polaroid shutter (self-cocking). Inspired by user seg-k3. 24x60mm frame. RF coupling is done via the protrusion attached to the back of the lens; it simply contacts the cam follower. Went through a test roll and all seems to work. You can free the film advance by pushing and turning the shutter release. This allowed me to glue in a stop for the lever to adjust the frame spacing and get an extra frame or two.


DSCF7367 by Olivier, on Flickr


DSCF7368 by Olivier, on Flickr


DSCF7372 by Olivier, on Flickr


SIM00149-1 by Olivier, on Flickr

 

[Daire Quinlan]

@OlivierAOP Quick question, just got a Wirgin Edixa Stereo to basically do the same conversion as you guys, but complications have ensued.


I've removed the 6 screws from the front plate, taken off the film mask and screwed the attatchment rings from the lenses. There's now a bit of play in the front assembly but something is still keeping it firmly attached. I suspect it has -something- to do with the rangefinder coupling (which doesn't exist in the simpler wirgin stereo you guys were disassembling). Bottom plate got me nowhere so I went in to take off the top plate.

Problem. The wind lever, and that cursed retaining nut. Trying to unscrew it anticlockwise (i.e. the normal way) isn't getting me anywhere, and trying to unscrew it CLOCKWISE is driving me up the wall. So quick question so at least I know I'm not tightening it instead of loosening it, is it reverse threaded do you know ?

 

[OlivierAOP]

I've been trying to remove that nut as well to check if I could mod the film advance. It very likely unscrews clockwise but It won't come off with my pin spanner!

 

[Daire Quinlan]

I've been trying to remove that nut as well to check if I could mod the film advance. It very likely unscrews clockwise but It won't come off with my pin spanner!

Damnit Oivier you were my only hope :-D

It's also impossible to find repair or service manuals anywhere for these things. General sentiment I've gathered seems to be that they weren't particularly well made, and weren't worth repairing when they inevitably broke.

 

[Daire Quinlan]

I've been trying to remove that nut as well to check if I could mod the film advance. It very likely unscrews clockwise but It won't come off with my pin spanner!

Ah. Progress, it's a normal screw, unscrews counterclockwise, but you have to lock the advance before you can get it off. Otherwise it just rotates endlessly. Don't have film in it so I had to rotate that little notched film wheel in the chamber until it locked.