A few years back I got a lot of good help on wide-angle lenses for a 2x3 Century.

http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?t=5417&highlight=

Thanks for all the responses.

Since then I did another tour in Iraq and was medically retired in Aug 2013 with 33 years of service.

I did pick up a 65mm Optar and had it serviced & mounted in a 2x3 metal board for my Century 2x3. It should be back this week. The Century 2x3 does not have a rangefinder.



My plan is to use the Century as a simple wide angle camera with a RH8 roll back. I want to use the Century like a Brooks Veri-Wide but only with the 65mm rather than the 47mm lens.

I also bought a 47mm f/5.6 Super-Angelon in a Copal 0 for use with my Cambo 23SF view camera. Thus I'm not concerned at all with movements with the 65mm in the Century. If I want/need movements I'll break out the Cambo.

Questions:

1. What is the best way to set it up so setting infinity is easy? Do I need a special focusing scale for it? Do I need to drop the bed or will the 65mm be ok with the bed flat?

2. What viewfinder is used with the 65? Can the standard top viewfinder be used with the 65mm lens? I have a 28mm Voigtlander viewfinder that I can use but I will have to add a camera shoe on top.


Does anyone has a Graflex side grip with cable release for the Century that they want to sell? I'm in the market for one. I'll pay above market for a nice one.

Thanks all!

Tony

Graflex corp. used two standards for infinity setting, Anniversary and earlier infinity was set with the rails fully retracted into the camera/body; Pacemaker and later, including the Century, rails fully retracted then forward .040 ±.010 inch. Set infinity anywhere you find easy to reestablish infinity anytime you open the camera.

You will need a focus scale for the lens, measure from the film plane to the subject for the focused distances. Use the layout of the existing scale as an example.

Use a target at least 5000 feet away as an infinity target. A 4000 foot target will leave celestial objects soft but a 5000+ will not.


I prefer to use the sports finder but the optical viewfinder you have mounted should be fine. Mask for the optical viewfinder: http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/viewfinder-masks.html does not list a 65mm lens. cameraeccentric site is down at the moment so I cannot check the RFH catalog for the mask information.

Thanks! I went to the Internet Way Back Machine and found this page from the RFH guide book:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150416201354/http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_13.html

The mask for the 65 seems to be the 3060 wide angel adapter.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GRAFLEX-WIDE-ANGLE-VIEWFINDER-ADAPTER-3060-FOR-PACEMAKER-GRAPHICS-164125-/141827964660?hash=item21059afef4:g:PO8AAOSw4UtWRnfQ


Will it fit the Century viewfinder that I have?

Thanks!

Yes. It will slip into the existing Optical Finder's mask slot.