RE: lens coverage, selection, cost.. was why Re: actual vs ratio sizes

["Lyndon Fletcher (UAB)" <Lyndon.Fletcher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> the Longfellow 6x17cm (or 18cm) joining the pair of Ensign 
> 620s used the
> older and cheaper 90mm f/6.8 angulon (not super); evidently, 
> it hits 150mm
> coverage wide open (and the 156mm format used in the camera 
> nicely); the
> builder was also president of the MPP large format group in 
> Britain, if I
> recall the article text correctly. From my camera hacking 
> point of view,
> the cheaper lens makes it economical to hack a panoramic camera with
> greater coverage, so collecting such factoids and info on actual film 
> gate sizes is handy ;-) 

I think there may be more to this Bob. The Ensigns were one of the few small folding cameras to move the whole lens to focus (ie unit not cell focusing.) This allowed a wider selection of donor lenses for projects because you didn't have to find a lens in a focusing barrel. The 620 and 820 Ensigns are actually pretty rare these days because Ross didn't do at all well in the 1950's against perceived "superior" German opposition. I suppose in theory there is little to gain in a focusable panoramic, perhaps you could use any camera and set the lens on infinity focus.

Has anyone considered an old half plate camera as a doner? I have one and the body is aluninium diecast. It wouldn't even need to be stretched that much if a way could be found to add in a film transport.

Lyndon










> 
> regards bobm
> 
> * Robert Monaghan POB752182 Dallas Tx 75275-2182 
> rmonagha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  *
> * Medium Format Cameras: 
> http://www.smu.edu/~rmonagha/mf/index.html > megasite*
> 
> On Mon, 
> 3 Apr 2000, Ellis Vener wrote:
> 
> > All good arguments that I had not considered! Try writing 
> the various
> > manufacturers. As soon as I find a mm ruler I'll send you 
> specs for my
> > V-Pan mark III. Do you want the film gate diagonal as well. You of
> > course are aware that published specs for image circles are often
> > conservative. And are talking about the older 90 mm f/6.8 
> Angulon or the
> > current or original version of 90 mm f/6.8 Super Angulon? Three
> > different lenses with different specs.
> > 
> > Ellis
>