[LargeFormat] how short is a rail

[philip lambert]

----- Original Message ----- >
> I just bought the Sinar in question on Ebay with a bag bellows, one
lensboard and a 6-inch rail for £217 plus freight.  Presumably it will
> arrive in a week or so. This should suit my 47mm-105mm 6x9 lenses.
Hopefully I can connect a second 6-inch rail to the first to give me 12
> inches, otherwise I will have to buy a 12-inch rail to use with Symmars.
>

The Sinar arrived. It has a new focusssing screen (mounted back to front
initially- presumably the ground side should face the lens). The six inch
rail is good with my 150mm f5.6 Xenar and the bag bellows (itself a bit
shabby). There is also one quite reasonable standard bellows and another
which is missing its mounting  frames each end.
I don't know what model Sinar it is but I was surprised at the shortness of
geared focussing movement. On changing lenses I have to slide the standards
to and fro until the image looks about right and use the geared focussing to
get it sharp.  The crossfront/tilt/rising front/swing are all used by
releasing friction locks and pushing in the direction desired. There are
plenty of scales to show where you are and a spirit level on each standard.
I am making an adapter lens board to take my lenses on their home-made
Century boards (the smallest I know).  However this adapter moves the boards
outwards 5mm. Even with a standard flat board my 47mm S.Angulon doesn't want
to focus infinity so I shall construct a shallow recessed board that will
stretch the bag bellows enough to facilitate rising front. (Of course the
latest wideangle lenses have extended back focus and might work on a
standard panel.)

If we get some sun I shall try it all out with a Calumet 10/120 rf back .

Philip