Graflex.org

FStopFitzgerald · Joined: 08 Feb 2018 Posts: 1 Location: Lost Coast

Hi there y'all,

Just armed myself with a 2x3(or thereabouts) Century Graphic and a couple good Horseman 6x9 backs. I'm set for my 100mm lens but have been wary of going too long with the 8" of bellows. I would try an 8" tele-optar but haven't been able to find one. Mostly I'm intending to be doing landscape work at infinity and am wondering if I can expect to get there with a 180mm lens(likely a Rodenstock Sironar). Information I've found reading hasn't been clear just how impractical a 150 or 180mm lens is.

Thanks for any assistance. Glad to be a part of the Graflex family, this is my first American made camera.[/b]

Dan Fromm · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 2144 Location: New Jersey

I'm a bit farther down the slippery slope than you are. See http://www.galerie-photo.com/telechargement/dan-fromm-6x9-lenses-v2-2011-03-29.pdf.

150s and 180s fit comfortably on my Century. ~ 200 mm lenses take, um, heroic measures. For example, a 210/7.7 Beryl S screwed into an adapter that screws into a #1. The adapter and shutter add extension.

The person who posts here as Henry uses a 203/7.5 Optar on his Century, reports that with it the bellows is stretched nearly to the limit. Not good for near subjects but fine for distant ones. The equivalent lens from EKCo is the 203/7.7 Ektar.

To help you think about the problem, according to the bible, 10th edition, the Century's maximum extension is 7 3/4" (= 196 mm). I think Henry squeezed out a little more.

You can find information on lenses, including flange-to-film distances, using links on this list: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AggQfcczvHGNkGG_P2z8Qiyc8Qo- The list has bookmarks that don't work with on-line pdf readers. Download it.