lf-photo.org.uk

I would like to use my 90mm f/4.5 with a 6x17 back. My camera won't allow me to focus at infinity, so I need a recessed lens board. These come in two flavours: 11mm recess and 19mm recess. My main concern is not being able to alter the aperture or shutter speeds due to the lack of space between the front cell and the edge of the recess. Does anyone have experience of these boards? On a cold day, this could be not fun...
Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Charles

I use a 55 mm Rodenstock with the least recessed panel (can't remember the actual depth) for a Toyo 45A & find it just possible to adjust aperture with fingers, & fit a cable release. When I bought it I queried the need for an angled cable attachment & was assured (correctly) at R. W. it wasn't nec. Hope this helps. Dennis.

Charles : which camera / lens board type do you use ?
I ask this because, for example, old Arca Swiss panels, 171mm wide, were really no problem to use in theire recessed version. The standard F-line 171 board being already recessed, in fact.
I am currently using a 45mm apo grandagon + copal shutter on a 110mm A/S F-line board, this works fine.
On some boards, the main tensioning lever of the Copal shutter may touch the slanted edges of the recessed part of the board. On the 110 mm A/S recessed board, the main tensioning lever of the copal has to be sligthly bent forwards. But all controls are perfectly accessible.
On the contrary, a recessed Linhof technika (96x99mm) board can be really tricky to adapt to certain lens/shutter combinations.
I have used in the past a 90mm-f/8 Schneider Super Angulon on a compur#0, this combination works fine on a Linhof recessed board. But for a 4.5 90 mm lens... i do not know.

Charles,

I use a 19mm recessed board for my 90mm F6.8, I assume you F4.5 will use the larger Copal 1 shutter?
I can only offer comment on a Copal 0 shutter.

I do find it fiddly, things like adjusting the aperture lever and the thingamajig that opens the lens up to focus (no idea what it's called) have to be done with a little finger, and even then it's a tight squeeze for my thin fingers.

As regards the cable release, the board I got has a fitting on the front face and a little dog leg piece of wire to connect to the release on the lens.
It was a cheapy lens board from Fleabay, I think it was around £25 delivered from China.
It looks ok to me, not as nice as my Linhof and Ebony boards, but not bad for the money.

Thank you for your responses so far. It seems I omitted a few vital clues. It's a technika style board (96mm x 99mm). The shutter is a Copal 0.
Thanks,
Charles

It's a technika style board (96mm x 99mm). The shutter is a Copal 0.

Thanks Charles.
Then for a 72, 75 or 90, Mr. Salomon, the well-known Technika-Man on the US forum, indicates below that a 16 mm Technika board, hole size 0 is OK. A 21 mm recessed exists and is designed for shorter focal lengths. Taking into account that no size 00 exist today (this was for the 65 and 75 f/8 lenses in the past, plus of course many vintage German 35 mm cameras), and that all short focal lengths of recent make share the same size-0 shutter, the copal being one of the most widely used, you should be confident that the 16 mm or the 21 mm recessed Technika board will work for you.
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/ ... hp?t=10486

I have no experience of the Copal size-0 on a recessed Technika board, but you might be in need of some linhof accessory to help releasing the shutter.

On mounting a lens on a recessed Linhof board, I have found this interesting article from Switzerland
http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/recessed_lensboard/

When I use my 6 x 17 back instead of using a recess board I set the lens further back, I have taken a picture to show as I might not be able to explain so easy.


Hope you get the idea.

Richard

Charles,

I have to use my 72mm XL on a recessed board on my Walker 54XL for the same reason. I tried mounting it on a 19mm recessed Technika board, but as you surmise, the large size of the front cell prevented operating the controls once the lens was mounted onto the camera. Switching to an 11mm board made the lens usable, though far from easy.

The 90 4.5 front cell isn't quite so large as the 72XL, but I'd still think your best bet by far is to use an 11mm recess if you can.

As an aside, I'm using the DaYi back for 6x17; with my Ebony 45SU, I cannot focus the 72mm (mounted on a 11mm recessed board) on the ground glass of the DaYi; the 19mm recess is essential. Unfortunately, since I cannot manipulate the controls, infinity focus is not much use...glad I have a Walker for my 6x17 work...

David.

If 12 mm recess is adequate and you are prepared to spend the money there is a linhof "Comfort Plate" that is much easier to operate. My 72 saxl is fitted on one and my sausage size fingers have no problem operating it.