Any Leica M-Mount adapters for Graflok 4x5 LF Cameras?

[Cayenne]

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Ok I know this is going for a weird one.

I"m currently playing with adapting my GFX100 to use a fotodiox adapter to the back of a 4x5 camera with the graflok attachment system.

GFX to Graflok 4x5 camera back adapter

I've asked fotodiox and they don't have a M-Mount equivalent.

I asked if I could get their Canon EF mount adapter and put a EF to M mount adapter and do it that way and they said that really wouldn't work and couldn't focus to infinity.

I was of the thought that the M10M would really be cool as a digital back on a LF camera.

I did find something similar with the Cambo Actus....but the set up for that alone is about $4K and wouldn't be as versatile as an actual 4x5 camera that could be used as on its own as, well....a LF film camera.

Anyway, I know grasping at straws...but I have GAS, and an itch to try something in this vein.

Anyone know of something that might work like this?

 

Thanks in advance,

cayenne

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[Cayenne]

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Bueller?

 

[adan]

I'm not aware of any specifically-made M-camera to Graflok adapter - especially modern (e.g. post-1970 or so). Probably too "niche" a product for any company to bother engineering. They need to be able to sell 1000 or so to make money.

And frankly the "job" of view-camera lenses is to cover a large piece of film with "very good" overall resolution that only gets enlarged 1x-4x. They are not as sharp - per mm - as lenses made for 35mm cameras. (with enough resolution to be enlarged 4-40x).

Once you crop the image down to 1/11th of the full image area (assuming 4x5 cropped to 24mm x 36mm sensor/film), the results may be disappointing.

However, it is almost certainly possible to do, especially with a live-view digital M. And assuming the view-camera has a fully-collapsing bellows (and one uses actual view-camera lenses of 75-300mm focal lengths, not M lenses), infinity focus will be possible. "Reducing backs" to mount smaller formats (11x14 > 8x10 > 5x7 > 4x5 > 6x9(cm) ) on view cameras have been a "thing" for over 100 years.

https://intrepidcamera.co.uk/products/4x5-reducing-back

Really, you just need to find (or build a copy of) a Graflok mounting plate.

Then arrange to put an M female (i.e. lens) mount on the back, for the camera to mount on, with any excess image area blocked off, and good felt light-seals.

Or for that matter, buy another $199 GFX adapter, and remove the GFX mount tube (screwdriver job), and replace it with a home-made tube with an M lens mount on the back (the Leica-R-to-M adapters that Leica (and others) already sell could be a part of that). Epoxy may be your friend, also. And the GFX plate already has the "shift" function for stitch-panos - the "red-dot" click-stops may just barely be enough for shooting 24x36 horizontals with the necessary bit of overlap. If not, drill your own more-closely-spaced click-detents. or just paint your own spacing dots (in say, green or blue or yellow).

.................

Historical background:

There was a conversion available to put 6x7 Mamiya roll-film backs - adapted for 35mm film spools, and with the option of either a 24x36 frame, or a wide-field image area (pseudo-panoramic), onto Graflok cameras....

See "Part II": http://mercurycamera.com/backs/complete-guide-to-graflok-23-backs-graflex-mamiya-rb67-horseman-and-mercury/

For film viewing and focusing, something like the Leitz FocoSlide (or this Japanese equivalent) would be useful (and a ready-made item) - but unnecessary with the M10M's live-view. Remember that Leitz/Leica was also a scientific microscope/instrument company to begin with, so they made lots of cameras-to-???? viewing and focusing adapters.

https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/en/The-Leica-Ltd.-Tokyo-Focoslide-Sliding-Focusing-Attachment/27344-33

Have fun.....