[LargeFormat] 35mm lenses on LF

[Joseph O'Neil]

At 17:02 6/18/02 -0400, you wrote:
>I'm an LF neophyte (actually "neophyte trainee" might be a more accurate 
>descriptor), and have a question that should aptly demonstrate my obscene 
>lack of knowledge on the subject.  What would result if you took a lens 
>customarily used in 35mm format, and mounted it on a...say, 8x10 view 
>camera?  Using a dirt simple example: suppose a 135mm Pentax K mount lens 
>was mounted on an 8X10.  I realize this focal length lens mounted on an 
>8x10 would be the equivilent of an 18mm lens mounted on a 35mm camera (at 
>least in terms of angle of acceptance), and that provision would have to 
>be made for a shutter.  But in terms of sheer optics, what would the result be?

         Actually, it would work, but be a waste fo film.  What you would 
have is an image circle of  - oh, rough guess here - aobut 2 inches in 
diameter, and the rest of ht enegative would be blank.  Might be kinda 
artsy I guess.  :)

         If you want to have fun with weird and wonderful lenses and large 
format photography, old process lenses fomr copy cameras, some old lenses 
form old, big, photocopiers, some enlarger leneses, some Aerial camera 
lenses, and more, will all to some degree cover some large formats - 
sometimes just 4x5, and sometimes up to 8x10.
         Quality also will veary,a s will coverage, but in terms of sheer 
fun and experimentation, that's the way to go.
         to give you an idea of what i am talking about, go to
http://www.surplusshed.com
         and look up his old aerial camera lenses.  Soem of these lenses 
have irises, some do not.  to take a pciture with one, you use th elens 
cap, stop the lens down as far as you can so you need a long exposure, take 
ff the lens cap, count "one steamboat, two steamboat...", etc,e tc, untill 
you have reached yoru exp[osure time,a nd away you go.
joe

PS - if all else fails, and you want to break into 4x5 LF on the cheap, 
pinhole cameras are kinda neat





http://www.oneilphoto.on.ca
http://www.multiboard.com/~joneil
"Una salus victus nullam sperare salutem"