I've just aquired an RB series D because I wanted to be able to shoot quick exposures with all my old barrell lenses. The problem is, I can't get any of them to focus because the short lens turns out to be too short to focus at infinity (can't get it close enough to the focal plane), and my bellows isn't long enough to accomadate my long lens. Is there an RB out there with more versatility than this series D or does anybody have a suggestion?

-excited but frustrated-

The "Auto" and "Tele" Graflexes seem to have had a lot of bellows extension, and to have been produced in sufficient quantity to avoid becomign "collectible," unlike the "Naturalist" model.

It's not feasible to fit a short focal length lens to any of the big reflexes, from Graflex or (as far as I know) anyone else. The problem is worse with the rotating back models, which must have a mirror long enough to reflect a vertical image on a focusing screen long enough to display it.

You might see whether the shorter lens you want to use can be recessed behind the front, forming an image at infinity while still allowing clearance for the mirror. If it can, some sort of "sunk mount" might be practical.

On the long end, you might experiment to see just how much additional extension you need. If it's only two or three inches, an extension box or tube might be fitted to a lensboard; perhaps a PVC pipe fitting would work.

Short focus lenses always were a problem for SLRs of all formats, until Angenieux invented the "Retrofocus" design in the 1950s. Alas, inverse-telephoto construction seems to have arrived too late for the large-format reflexes.