Frustration

Ian Grant

Ian Grant

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I just spent some time making a lens board to fit my Squire & Co, Shepherd Maker, 6" Carte D'Visite Petzval on my 10x8 Agfa Ansco. Not easy as I have no flange, and it's missing the pinion for focusing. The lens is from 1862-67 when Squire went bankrupt. the mounting thread had been recut to use it with a 1930s Ensign lantern slide projector.

With the lens secure in the lens board I mounted it on the camera, great, a nice bright image on the 10x8 screen, but it only covers 5x4. Then the frustration, switching to the 5x4 reducing back and it won't focus, bellows won't focus as they are fully compressed, The reducing back came with the camera, I could modify it but that seems

So now plan B, new lens boards so I can use it with a 5x4 camera, I've opted for early Speed Graphic (pre-Pacemaker)/MPP sized lens boards. It's slow waiting for wood glue to dry. 4 in progress :D

Ian
 
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The reducing back issue.

reducing-back.jpg

The 5x4 film holders are approx 3.5 cm further back From the lens) compared to the10x8 back. Part of the issue here is it's a 7x5 Ansco back converted to 5x4, who ever made it overdid the spacing, you need a little to be able to handle the film holders.

The 6" Squire & Co Carte D'Visite Petzval, which is well corrected.

squire02.jpg

In fact if I had the pinion I could focus the Squire lens, however not without the original WAterhouse stops.

squire01.jpg

I've twisted the lens to show why, this would be the lens at its closest focus, the Waterhouse stops had a tab that folded under the focus collar. This must have been quite impractical, I will lock the focus with a grub screw, hopefully I'll have new Waterhouse stops soon.

The lens predates dry plates by at least 4 years, so would have been used on quite a simple camera.

Ian
 
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