Hi All,

I've recently gotten a Graphic View I with a 120 Schneider Angulon lens, which I've been using to learn view camera photography. I've got to admit that using the GV is a blast (especially the looks you get when doing outdoor work). I'm looking to expand out my lens collection, and am wondering if any currently manufactured lensboards will work in a GV I. Reading through the posts, someone said a Wisner will fit - any other makes? I've just gotten a 210 in a copal 1, so this will be my most immediate need. I've been keeping my eye out on that auction site that people don't seem to like to name here, but at times the Graflex boards can be quite expensive.

Thanks!
Bill

Hi bill,

A few square inches of 1/8" hardboard from Home Depot and about 10 minutes of time and a couple of hole saws and you can make as many lens boards as you want, I do this for many of my cameras, a little satin black spray paint and your in business, just bevel the bottom edge that goes into the stationary lensboard holder and it works great at a very small fraction of the cost that the guys on the dreaded auction site want.

Like said, I have been doing it for years with no problems at all.

Dave

Thanks, Dave! Since it looks like the competitors all seem to be wood anyway, I might just do that.

Bill

Just about any 1/8 material wil work. I make 4x4 boards out of 1/2, 5/8 or 3/4 plywood. Or whatever I have laying around at the time

If you have access to a drill press & router table, you can get fancier. I use an adjustable circle cutter in my drill press to make holes of any size. Easier than hole cutters or forstner(sp?, not enough coffee yet) bits.

A good option is hardwood 1/8 plywood available at many hobby shops. I recently got a small sheet of Birch stuff that looks very nice. Haven't used it yet though.

For "real" boards, try Midwest or lens & Repro. They usually have some on hand.

And there's a guy that sells new exotic wood boards on ebay that look really nice. He lists them from 10 to 20 bucks. They usually sell

It's not rocket science, and if it doesn't turn out well, just make another


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: RichS on 2004-05-29 06:51 ]</font>

I just use wood scraps. The really thin ones from wooden crates can work great. The problem is some are too think and you get a glow of light. So I cover the back with duct tape or I guess you could get some black cloth and glue it in place. Fancy mine aren't but they fit.

Before you drill the lens hole put it on the camera and point the whole thing at the sun. Climb under the dark cloth and you should see nothing but darkness. If you see any light fix the problem.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Nick on 2004-05-29 07:48 ]</font>

Just a quick note on the light leak problems that can happen sometimes when making your own lensboards, I use a product that is sold in archery stores, it is used to quiet the arrow rests down on bows, for lack of a better name some call it moleskin, but it is actually thin felt that has sticky on one side, I have seen in black and brown, 1/8" strips around the edge of your homebrew board and it cuts out any possibility of light leaks.

Dave

Thanks for that. Although a real product name would help?

I have used fabric store velvet to seal light leaks before, but it is a bit on the thick side.

And... Thanks for this whole discussion... I went to a wood business today looking for flooring and came home with a 5 foot long 1/4 inch thick sheet of cherry to make lens boards! Jus what I needed...

If you run out of time to make your own lensboards, lensboards from the old Kodak Master View, the Calumet grey camera which is also called the Calumet 400 also will fit. These also used cast metal lensboards.

And for a quick look at new lenses, I've been known to cut up matte board. In fact I had to use a 65mm SA on my Cambo and didn't have a board for it, so I doubled up some black 4 ply, got out the exacto knife and some flat black masking tape. It saved the day.


les

Les,

Been there done that before, I still have a couple of corregated 4" x 4" pieces of cardboard with a circle cut in the middle with the exacto knife, my wife comes across them every once in a while and ponders over them for a while before asking me if they can go in the fireplace....

virtually anything that is flat and can be cut, can be used for a lensboard, I have even taped together a couple of recessed boards before to do some checking with wide angle lenses..

I am just one of those guys who will get the picture and don't care what the equipment is that does it, I do get some funny looks in the park when my excitement overcomes me and I need something to take a picture right now...duck tape and cardboard has taken some of my best pictures!

Dave

I didn't think the Calumets did fit. Thought the other way worked. But if they do new ones are still being sold by Calumet. The recessed ones can be cheaper then buying a used one.

Hmmm,

I recently sold a calumet 400 and if I remember right it had a lip on the backside of the board that prevented it from being mounted in either my speed or my view...

Dave

Yep, the lip on the Calumet board makes it not work for a GV. But it is an easy thing to carve off. I've done that with one board

The Calumet recessed board will not fit at all. The inside 'box' is too large to fit inside the GV standard. And that's a shame because it's deeper than the GV recessed board. I wish I could use it but it doesn't look like there's any way to make it fit...

For future reference, do any of the current manufacturers' recessed lens boards fit? Haven't got that wide a lens yet, but one of these days. . .

Bill

The flat boards for the Kodak Master View / Calumet CC-400 will fit on a Speed Graphic if you mount it backwards. Maybe it would fit your camera this way? Like Dave, I will do about anything that will make it work. Oh, boards for Besseler 23 and 45 series enlargers should fit, too.
The ones without the useless "pilot light" thingy.

Are you sure about the lensboards? When I tried they didn't fit. Too thick IIRC.