Compendium Hood System and Mounting for Deardorff V8 8x10

[Len Middleton]

Trying to set up or build a system to mount a compendium hood onto the front of a Deardorff V8 8x10 field view camera, without damaging the camera.

I have two different compendium hoods available to use:
1. A Linhof compendium from my Technika V which I am very familiar with and know how it is mounted and used on the Linhof.
2. A Toyo View compendium hood that I picked up cheaply on the weekend at a camera show. I do not know if it mounts directly onto the front standard and lifts up out of the way to set the lens, or whether it is mounted onto some strut system for use with longer lenses.

My current lenses range is lengths from a 159mm EWA and a 210mm G-Claron, through to a 600mm Apo-Ronar CL with various focal lengths in between.

What solutions have you used or could suggest?

Thanks,

Len

[df cardwell]

Can't do it. It's not a modular camera,
and a compendium isn't
necessary.

A single shade, even adjustable, doesn't cut it for
a 159 and a 600. A shade that COULD work would be as big as the camera.
Use a darkslide to shade the Wolly.

There is a post somewhere here
that talks about adapting barn doors from a little fresnel light.
That's a great idea, and your best bet.

[Tomf2468]

The Toyo shade mounts to the top of the front standard. Or, at least that is how the mono rail version works. I think Toyo makes two adjustable shades, one for the monorail system and one for the field camera system. Looking at a V8, I doubt the Toyo can be simply adapted. Take a look at the Lee lenshood, it is (I think) a compendium hood that attaches to different lenses by the lens threads, somewhat like a Cokin ring system.

[resummerfield]

Can't do it. It's not a modular camera, and a compendium isn't necessary.

A single shade, even adjustable, doesn't cut it for a 159 and a 600. A shade that COULD work would be as big as the camera. Use a darkslide to shade the Wolly........

I don’t want to be argumentative, but I don’t understand that statement.

A properly designed lens shade that shades the lens on all sides will always out perform a dark slide that only shades on one side. I base this statement on actual tests I have made on an 8x10 and 7x17.

After reading the design mechanics of lens shade design from a thread on APUG, I constructed a custom lens shade, very similar to the Arca (and Linhof and Toyo) compendium, for my Canham 7x17. I attached it to the Canham front standard using the embedded nut that Canham designs in their front standard. Another mounting option is with a filter ring or the Cokin system, like Tomf2468 mentions.

[df cardwell]

I constructed a custom lens shade

The Deardorff won't function like a Deardorff if you hang a compendium anywhere on the camera,
you'll effectively turn it into a 2D.

I hope you'll be able to solve the problem. A few photographers more inventive than myself have considered the matter over the past many decades.

[John Kasaian]

A wide brimmed hat works just fine If you have series filter adapters you could put hoods on your old lenses and use off the shelf hoods for your newer lenses. Another alternative would be a bit of that heavy black foil pros use in studios to control lighting to shape a cone shade for your lens, but...a wide brimmed hat is a whole lot quicker and simpler to use IMHO. My current sombrero is an Oregon Hat Company "Gus" but I think a palm fiber hat would be more flexible and probably take more abuse.

[vet173]

I have found it was worth the expence to go with the Lee system for my V-8.

[Don12x20]

I don’t want to be argumentative, but I don’t understand that statement.

A properly designed lens shade that shades the lens on all sides will always out perform a dark slide that only shades on one side. I base this statement on actual tests I have made on an 8x10 and 7x17.

After reading the design mechanics of lens shade design from a thread on APUG, I constructed a custom lens shade, very similar to the Arca (and Linhof and Toyo) compendium, for my Canham 7x17. I attached it to the Canham front standard using the embedded nut that Canham designs in their front standard. Another mounting option is with a filter ring or the Cokin system, like Tomf2468 mentions.

The Canham Compendium is designed for that embedded nut you mention... http://www.canhamcameras.com/accessoryf.html . it works fine on my Canham 12x20/7x17 with most lenses, but is too small for some of the larger diameter lenses (such as either of the XXL fine Art, or at least two of four of De Golden Busch Lenses- 482 & 610, or the Rodenstock 300W). Like the Arca compendium, it can adjusted to fit the lens (longer for long focal length lenses, etc), as well as somewhat for swings and tilts.

As always, you are advised to view the coverage of the lens either through the back corners or !! by looking through the lens and checking for corners at the groundglass(my favorite means - much easier in low light, but you have to be tall ;-). In either case, if the compendium is in part of your optical path, it will be obvious. If so, readjust to prevent vignetting.

The purpose of the compendium is to keep stray light sources from hitting the lens....

And a Compendium (or whatever you'd like to use) is particularly needed AFTER the sun has set but before nightfall. (or at dawn before sunrise!) when the ENTIRE SKY becomes your lightsource....like a giant light box. Having stray light enter the lens from areas outside the image can make make a difference in resulting contrast. ....for those of you that like to do "John Sexton Quiet Light Photography".

Its also similarly critical for dark interior images when there are expansive windows in the structure (like a roundhouse for engines).

[Don12x20]

I constructed a custom lens shade

The Deardorff won't function like a Deardorff if you hang a compendium anywhere on the camera,
you'll effectively turn it into a 2D.

I hope you'll be able to solve the problem. A few photographers more inventive than myself have considered the matter over the past many decades.

Must be a problem inherent to Deardorfs...

I have no such issues with Compendiums on either Canham 12x20/7x17 or on Arca 5x7/8x10 with lenses from 155 to 1200. I use extensive swings, tilts, shifts on my cameras (when you use ULF you have almost no depth of field...)

I can't picture your problem with a compendium and Deardorf that causes it to be 3D. Can you please elaborate so we understand fully?
Thanks (no argument here, just trying to understand your situation)

[Deckled Edge]

Must be a problem inherent to Deardorfs...

I have no such issues with Compendiums on either Canham 12x20/7x17 or on Arca 5x7/8x10 with lenses from 155 to 1200. I use extensive swings, tilts, shifts on my cameras (when you use ULF you have almost no depth of field...)

I can't picture your problem with a compendium and Deardorf that causes it to be 3D. Can you please elaborate so we understand fully?
Thanks (no argument here, just trying to understand your situation)

Much as I hate to speak for other people, I am a Deardorff user and realize that front rise/fall in a 'dorff is mostly accomplished by a unique sliding mechanism whereby the front half of the front standard, containing the lensboard, slides up and down on the rear half of the front standard. Some additional rise/fall can be accomplished at the sides of the front standard, as well. Putting any hardware onto the lensboard holder would interfere with the sliding function and limit front rise/fall to the more limited side screws. The D2 accomplishes all its rise and fall with slots in the sides of the front standard braces.
DF, did I describe this correctly?