38 SA XL Covers 4x5 To the Corners Wide Open On Flat Board & Standard Bellows

[Mike1234]

Just received my used Chamonix 45N today... for any super-wide freaks out there... see the title. This is with the lens focused at infinity. Of course, if you need movements at all... other than a tiny bit of rear swing/tilt... you'll need a recessed board and the bag bellows. Those are next on my list. I also assured the front rail is absent from the image and it clears. Once I replace the focus panel with a Maxwell I'll be very pleased. This is a well-made camera. Happy happy joy joy!!

EDIT: The nipped corners of my focusing panel tricked me... looks like approximately 1/8" is lost on all four corners as measured from the corners inward... still very impressive, IMO.

[wildbill]

Just received my used Chamonix 45N today... for any super-wide freaks out there... see the title. This is with the lens focused at infinity. Of course, if you need movements at all... other than a tiny bit of rear swing/tilt... you'll need a recessed board and the bag bellows. Those are next on my list. I also assured the front rail is absent from the image and it clears. Once I replace the focus panel with a Maxwell I'll be very pleased. This is a well-made camera. Happy happy joy joy!!

EDIT: The nipped corners of my focusing panel tricked me... looks like approximately 1/8" is lost on all four corners as measured from the corners inward... still very impressive, IMO.

they cut the corners so air has a place to go when expanding/contracting the bellows. The shen hao leather bag bellows will also fit your camera nicely and you can order them from badger graphic in wisconsin.

[Mike1234]

Thanks, wildbill. Yes, and the nipped corners also help in finding mechanical vignetting but they've always fooled me. I'll get a bag bellows from Badger. Now... to save the cash for a Maxwell screen. :o

[marduk]

Thanks, wildbill. Yes, and the nipped corners also help in finding mechanical vignetting but they've always fooled me. I'll get a bag bellows from Badger. Now... to save the cash for a Maxwell screen. :o

I also think of ordering one from Badger for my Chamonix. As far as I understand I should select bellow for PTB45 model, correct?

[Mike1234]

I don't know... also don't know if I need the centered or off-center lens boards...

[mjs]

Perhaps the lens will cover at a smaller stop?

[wildbill]

I also think of ordering one from Badger for my Chamonix. As far as I understand I should select bellow for PTB45 model, correct?

I have and use the bag bellows from my shen hao HZ or whatever (the original). I don't know if the ptb45 are the same but Jeff at badger can tell you if they are.

[Mike1234]

Perhaps the lens will cover at a smaller stop?

I "think" what I'm seeing is mechanicaL vignetting so stopping down won't help. Still... to come that close to covering straight on isn't bad. I'm sure there will be some loss of sharpness on the far corners but WOW that's wide.

[mjs]

Would you need a center filter for this wide of a lens?

[Ian Grant]

they cut the corners so air has a place to go when expanding/contracting the bellows.

Not strictly true, corners are cut so that you can check corner coverage when movements are used. The idea is that you need to be able to look through the cut corner and see light through the lens aperture when it's stopped down. This was more critical when EWA lenses etc like Protars had maximum aperture of f18/f16 and screen brightness would be too poor at the corners.

Ian