lf-photo.org.uk

As a newbie to LF, I have started to purchase lenses to support 4x5 work (Schneider 210 APO Sironar f5.6 was my first purchase this week). I notice that some (used) lenses come with lens boards, some don't.
At the moment, I intend buying an Ebony SV45U2.
I would appreciate advice as to which make(s) of lensboard are compatible with that rig.
Thanks
John

The current Linhof Technika style board has become a standard for many Japanese and Chinese manufacturers and Wista, Toyo, Ebony, Shen Hao etc all use these lens boards. (Not all Toyo's use these boards).

I have 8 or 9 from various manufacturers and they are all extremely close in their tolerances & fit.

Ian

John,

The lensboard question was one I worried about too when I first started LF photography. Let's see if I can pass on a little of what I've learned.

First, though there are various lensboard sizes out there, some specific to particular brands of camera, there is a board size/design which is commonly used by many LF cameras, particularly 5x4. This particular board is known as the Linhof/Technika I believe, and has a size of 96mmx99mm. The camera you mention in your post (Ebony SV45U2) takes this style of board; those are definitely the boards you will need.

As you say, some lenses are sold with boards; often they come without. There is no need, however, to restrict your 2nd-hand purchases to lenses which come with Linhof/Technika boards. First, the boards themselves are easy to buy (see eBay, or Robert White), and with the use of a lens key (again easy to get from eBay or RW), fitting a lens to a board is a simple operation.

If you buy a lens mounted on a board you don't want, you can always (by using a lens key) remove the lens from the board, and sell it on to someone who wants that size (use the For Sale section here, perhaps?). Then fit the lens to a board of the right size, and you are set.

One caveat to the above -- some lenses are available mounted to specialist boards, which may make it hard to unmount the lens. If buying via the internet, do ask the vendor before purchase how easy the lens will be to dismount and refit to another board.

BTW, are you aware that the size of the hole in the lens board can vary? Depending on the shutter (Copal 0, Copal 1, Copal 3) you need a board with a matching hole size. Most boards for sale are advertised with a statement of which shutter they are intended for, so it's not too hard to get the right one.

Finally, it sometimes happens that the hole in the Linhof/Technika board is cut in the centre of the board, or shifted down a CM or so (so-called "offset" boards). My personal preference is for the offset boards, and I believe the majority of Linhof/Technika boards are "offset" (except Copal 3, due to the hole size!), and you might want to standardise on one or the other, so keep an eye out for that detail.

John,

Another thing to watch out for when buying lenses is the little screw (tiny, about a mm in width and height) which can sometimes be found on the back mount of LF lenses. It has a purpose -- to fit into a small hole in the front of the lens board, and prevent the lens rotating on the lens board once mounted.

This screw is by no means essential, and since the lens boards don't come with the hole pre-drilled (at least in my experience with Linhof/Technika boards), is an inconvenience, since in which case you either need to drill a hole in the board, or simply remove the screw before mounting the lens. You must do one or the other before the lens is mounted, otherwise the lens is not going to be mounted properly. I have had an occasion where I've purchased a 2nd-hand lens, and found that it had been mounted without removing the screw first, and there was no matching hole in the lensboard. I'm not surprised the previous owner felt there was something wrong with the lens, and decided to get rid of it. Of course, once the (rather squashed!) screw was removed, the lens was fine.

Thanks Ian & David,
I didn't know about Offset lensboards nor the tiny screw issue - all good info.
Whilst I was aware that the Ebony takes Linhof-Technik 'style' lensboards, I didn't know which other makes are of that style.
However, as you mention, it's (usually) no big deal to replace a lensboard.
Apart from lenses I'm also researching other decent kit eg cable releases, focus hoods, sheet film holders, loupes, dark slides and WA bellows
J

David Rees wrote:Finally, it sometimes happens that the hole in the Linhof/Technika board is cut in the centre of the board, or shifted down a CM or so (so-called "offset" boards). My personal preference is for the offset boards, and I believe the majority of Linhof/Technika boards are "offset" (except Copal 3, due to the hole size!), and you might want to standardise on one or the other, so keep an eye out for that detail.

To be honest its generally a matter of what your camera is designed for rather than anything else. I know on my shen hao with the front standard zeroed for rise/fall you need a offset board to put the lens centrally with respect to the film. I suspect this is the case too for ebonies etc. I think they are made like this since off-centred is correct based on the original linhof boards/cameras.

If you buy lenses new or secondhand from either RW or Teamwork, you can also ask them to pre-mount the lens on a new or secondhand board (where available). Ebony do their own metal-ebony wood veneered boards too (expensive, but they look and FEEL nice ). I bought mine whilst waiting for my camera to be made (it took over 6 months) and stroked the boards whilst waiting. Pervy, I know......

haha - well if it's pervy, you're not alone.
I just can't help cooing over any piece of well designed world-class engineering lovingly created by the highest skilled craftsman to the highest levels of tolerance using the very best materials.
And I can't wait to smell that leather strap - something Joanna mentioned in one of her submissions

Darwinean_John wrote:And I can't wait to smell that leather strap - something Joanna mentioned in one of her submissions

It's not the strap that smells good, it's those beautiful soft calf-skin bellows.

Ah thanks Joanna, apologies for the misquote.

Darwinean_John wrote: And I can't wait to smell that leather strap - something Joanna mentioned in one of her submissions

Is this still the UK LF Forum, or have i strayed onto one of those websites my wife warned me about?

I use Wista panels on my Ebony. They fit fine, though you have to be careful because the metal panels are not necessarily machined to the same tolerances as Hiromi's front standard and you really don't want to force the panel in.

Mike

Mike, I compared Toyo, Linhof, Wista and various clone lens boards last year and the tolerances were extremely close.

There have been reports of problems but it's the cameras that have been out of tolerance rather than the lens boards.

Ian

Hi Ian,

Don't say that..... it would mean that my SV45TE front panel wasn't right....

Several of the Wista panels I bought last year were very tight and so benefited from running a file down the edges.

Mike

Just to add to David's comments about mounting the lens and the little screw, the screw hole was pre-drilled on my Wista board and was in a position so as to orientate the lens with the iris and shutter controls at the top. However, I didn't bother with the screw and have mounted my lens with those controls at the side so it's easier to see them when the camera's at head height on the tripod. With the locking ring tightened securely (but not over-tightened) the lens doesn't rotate on the board.

I got a very good 20-inch cable release on eBay (there are loads on there new and used) and I bought my film holders from Peter Walnes. I got 6 good condition used Toyo DDS holders for £40 which I thought was pretty good.

Gavin

hmvmanuk wrote:I got 6 good condition used Toyo DDS holders for £40 which I thought was pretty good.

Yeah he's doing some good deals at the moment, I got 6 for 30 sheets.