I own a 4x5 camera, 3 lens boards, no film holders, and no lens. I guess that makes me a beginner! My question concerns the lens boards:

One lens board has a hole in it that measures 34.7mm. The seconds board has a hole that measures 35mm. (I assume that, for all practicle purposes, these are the same.) The third lens board is a recessed board, and its (sloppy/not very round) hole measures 35.6mm.

What kind of shutter are these boards are drilled for. Where can I go to find out what shutters take what diameter holes?

Thanks!

-- Paul Hondo (PelagicFish@Yahoo.com), June 22, 2001

Answers

If you have the wooden boards that the retainer rings have to go through the wood, I can't help you. However, if you have metal boards that the ratainer rings just screw against, these are the hole sizes you need measured from my own shutters.

No. 1 Rapax/Graphex 30mm No.2 Rapax/Graphex 34mm No.1 Supermatic 30mm No.2 Supermatic 35mm No.0 Compur/Synchro Compur 32.5mm No.1 Compur/Synchro Compur 39mm No.0 Copal 32.5mm No.1 Copal 39mm No.3 Rapax/Graphex 42.5mm No.3 Supermatic 44mm

On the wooden boards where the retainer rings have to go through the wood, you'll have to measure the outside diameter of the ratainer to know what size hole to drill. The sizes I have listed above are for the threaded portion of the shutter housing. Or in other words, the size hole I drill to fit them to my Century Graphic metal boards.

-- Lens Boards (mav7077@yahoo.com), June 22, 2001.

Paul: Here's a simple answer. Shutter sizes are represented by hole sizes drilled in the lens boards of cameras to mount the shutter/lens assembly. The sizes are "O", #1, #2, and #3, etc. All the lenses boards you have are for the size #"zero". They might varry somewhat because some camera repair men might cut the lathe holes to accomodate shutters with 'shoulders' on the tightening ring that secures the shutter within the hole. I went into the Schneider web site and this is what they show for mounting holes for Copal shutters. #O =34.8mm, #1 = 41.8mm, #3 = 65.3mm. For some reason they did not list the size hole for #2. If you have a slightly larger lens/shutter, any decent camera repair man will just mount your lens board in the 4-jaw chuck of his lathe and cut the correct hole. Don't sweat it. Lens boards can be expensive and if you have a board with a #o hole, your repairman will just enlarge it to fit your new and larger lens/shutter assemble. Hope this helps. Be well, and have fun. Richard Boulware - Denver

-- Richard Boulware (boulware-den@att.net), June 22, 2001.

Paul,

Start here.....

http://www.skgrimes.com/products/index.htm

-- Matt O. (mojo@moscow.com), June 23, 2001.

Paul: You are much better off having boards with the small hole. You can buy any lens you want and enlarge the hole to fit. I would just choose a lens and file out the hole to fit. It ain't rocket science, and it doesn't matter if your hole is off center a little. Welcome to LF.

Regards,

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alaweb.com), June 23, 2001.

Thank you very much to everybody for their answers! They have been very helpful. All I need to do now is decide on a lens, and pick up a few film holders... and I'll be on my way!

I've been spending some time looking around this site,... VERY IMPRESSIVE!

Paul

-- Paul Hondo (PelagicFish@Yahoo.com), June 24, 2001.