I am looking for a source for helical focus mounts and feedback from anybody who used them.

I would like to mount a 47mm Super Angulon XL, and 135mm Nikkor W into focusing mounts to fabricate a non-bellows camera similar to the Cambo Wide, but without the enormous cost of the Calumet system.

OK to email me, also.

-- Bruce Gavin (doc@compudox.com), December 11, 1999

Answers

Rodenstock makes helical focus mounts with dof scales for all of their lenses in 0 size shutter from the 35mm Apo Grandagon 4.5 to the 150mm Apo Sironar S and N. They can be ordered from any camera store and many are in stock for immediate delivery (each lens requires a different size focus mount obviously).

Schneider carries the same for their lenses.

Also we both carry focusing systems for our 39mm mount enlarging lenses and, in the case of Rodenstock, our duplicating lenses.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 11, 1999.

I am using a 47mm Shneider Super Angulon (non XL) for 6x9 on a Silvestri SLV. The lens is mounted in a helical focusing mount and I have found it a joy to use. The mount is marked with a DOF scale and I have found this to be very accurate. Silvestri supply the 47mm XL in a similar mount for the Silvestri S4 (4X5) camera. I was aware that Rodenstock offered a service to convert lenses to a helical mount but was not sure if this applied to non-Rodenstock lenses. Regards Paul

-- Paul Owen (paul@paulowenphotography.freeserve.co.uk), December 12, 1999.

" I was aware that Rodenstock offered a service to convert lenses to a helical mount but was not sure if this applied to non-Rodenstock lenses"

Not quite. We offer the mounts for Rodenstock lenses. If you order a Rodenstock lens with a mount we will install the lens in the mount for you if so requested.

Otherwise we ship a mount and you, your dealer or a repair shop installs the lens in the mount. This is done in exactly the same way as you mount a lens to a lens board.

We do not sell mounts for lenses other than Rodensstock.

We do sell Schneider lenses in focusing mount and lens board for Linhof Technorama 617S and 612 cameras and Linhof Technar, Aero Technika, Aerotronica and Metrika cameras

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 12, 1999.

Bob, I had in mind the use of a helical mount on a lensboard to be able to focus a 65 mm on my tech V (instead of the special device designed by Linhof). Would you have the diameter size of the retaining ring, so I could see if it fits inside the lensboard? Thanks in advance ! Paul

-- Paul Schilliger (pschilliger@vtx.ch), December 13, 1999.

Buy the Linhof device. A helicoid would be very awkward and the diameter is so large you may not be able to get your fingers around it when it is in the camera body.

Besides if you want to get another wide angle (55, 58 and 65 will work on your camera) you would have to buy additional mounts and there would be no savings.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 13, 1999.

Your non-bellows camera is allready made by Gran View. This camera is hand held (or tripod) under 3lbs., uses YOUR lens 47mm-210mm and cost under$1000.00. Granview.com Mark Cieslikowski

-- Mark Cieslikowski (Mcieslikow@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

A non-bellows 45 exists from many sources.

Linhof Technar Sinar Handy Cambo Wide You can also very easily make one from say a Linhof Kardan standard and a ground glass back from a kardan and a lens board. As the front standard for a linhof Kardan has an accessory shoe you can easily slide the Linhof Multifocus Finder on to the top.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 17, 1999.