Good source for Wista/Linhof/Technika lens boards?

[BradS]

Strangely I've noticed a few lenses sold on Ebay recently mounted on reversed Linhof style boards and wondered why. Maybe this is a problem of tolerances of Chamonix cameras sometimes causing incompatibility with the boards.

Just checking my boards they are all remarkably close in tolerance, Linhof, Wista, Toyo and Generic.

Ian

I've seen this too recently. An ebay listing showing a lens mounted backwards in a Linhof tech style board...I just laughed, and thought what an idiot!

I wonder if Chamonix screwed up their front standard design? or if it is a manufacturing quality issue?

[wildbill]

I make my own linhof sized boards for my shen hao and for the adapter boar on my Wehman. There's no ring on the back of mine. All my boards work on my cameras and my friends Wista. They don't all fit on the Chamonix 4x5 i tried out. The tolerances are too tight, not that there's anything wrong with that.

vinny

[Barry S]

I have a variety of Technika style boards for my Chamonix--Shen Hao (Badger generic), Wista, Ebony, and some no-name boards. They all fit just fine on my Chamonix. The tolerances are close and the fit is perfect, so I'd suspect that the board in question is out of spec.

[Ian Grant]

Barry I suspect that it's the cameras at fault because the boards are easy to make to very fine tolerances. Like Brad when I first saw lenses fitted backwards I also thought what an idiot, but looking at other items being sold it was apparent the seller was quite knowledgeable.

I've also made some of my Linhof/Wista fit plain boards it's very easy and simple, but I prefer the real thing and they are now very cheap.

Ian

[Barry S]

I guess that's one possibility, but I don't understand the connection between Chamonix and the reverse mounted lens. Was it being sold with a Chamonix camera? I suspected the board because the two Chamonix cameras I've owned were very precisely built. Most Technika style boards go on cameras other than actual Linhof Technikas, so if the rear ring was off on a board, it probably wouldn't matter on most cameras. Chamonix may be a victim of their own tight tolerances not allowing for some "slop" in generic boards. It's also possible they messed up on drilling some front frames, but it still strikes me as less likely.