Graflex.org

[R_J]

The Taylor Hobson Micronar lens of this old Microflex TLR which I'd been trying to work never worked so I've dissected the lens unit from the camera. I'd thought it might see more use in a 2x3 lens plate for the Century Graflex.

The lens has been retrofitted with a shutter and sealed unit with the viewing lens of the original TLR.

Suddenly it seems like a bad idea. I thought it might be possible to transfer the lens onto a Copal 0 or perhaps find a way to take the lens out. Perhaps I'm no longer sure what I'm doing with this other than creating more parts. Help?

[ImageMaker]

If the original lens board is for unit focusing (that is, in the original camera the entire board with both lenses and shutter attached moved to focus), it might be possible to transfer the lens to another shutter -- if the original is a standard type like Compur, your chances are pretty good, though it might well be a 00 rather than a 0. The way to check is to simply unscrew the lens glass from the shutter and try them in a shutter, assuming the shutter you have is what's not working.

I wouldn't expect to necessarily get good image quality to the corners of a 2x3 from a 75 mm or 80 mm 6x6 TLR lens; surely there have been some lenses mounted in those cameras that would cover 2x3, but there are good reasons you almost never see a lens that length on a 6x9 camera, and a dislike of wide angle isn't one of the prime candidates.

OTOH, I have a 105 mm lens made for a 6x9 folder that (barely, with soft corners) covers 4x5 when stopped down to f/22 or f/32, and looks to cover 6x12 cm, sharp to the corners, even at f/16. Which is to say, you won't really know until you try it.

_________________
Is thirty-five years too long to wait for your first Speed?

[R_J]

Hi there,

the whole lens and board TLR set up is heavily glued into the same unit. There's no screws or anything to separate it. I'm hoping to prise the lens out of the Synchro Compur and mount the lens in a Copal 0. It's not looking good though if I can't even unscrew the lens glass out.

Will be happy to shoot 6x6cm on the Graflex - the 6x9cm ratio of the Graflex is just easier to use due to the size of the focussing screen and view cam.

I've been experimenting with a Voigtlander 105mm Heliar f4.5 which is looking to be a rather weak performer in the corners at 2x3" and low contrast at wide-apertures. I was really looking forward to this lens, but instead, it looks very uninteresting compared to the Ektar equivalent (Ektar slightly wider).

Back to figuring out what to do with the Micronar...