by Jo Lommen.
One of my colleague web site "4x5 camera" publishers John de Vries was curious to know how big the image circle would be of a Kodak 7" Aero lens, by using his huge Wisner camera, assuming that the Aero image circle would fit on the ground glass of the 8 x 10 camera. To do that experiment, he needed a lens board to hold the heavy Aero lens and emailed the photo below with the necessary measures of the Wisner's camera standard.
Please join me on the way to realize a research which turned out to be a very good idea for further creative photographism.
Wisner light trapped lens standard.
Design, drawing and selecting a nice piece of mahogany wood.
Sawing & Milling backside to fit the standard light trap. Front site waiting for 78 mm lens hole
Lens rear fits as well as the retainer ring does.
Special tools for making the aluminum lens-board needed for extra strength and support.
The aluminum lens board gives extra strength. To avoid internal reflections the backside has to be painted flat black.
The lens-board need to be varnished in several layers to let it shine like the first violin in the orchestra.
Photos © Jo Lommen
it all ends up in a
Rediscovery of the second life of the Kodak Aero 7 " lens.
a classic "work of art".
Photo by John De Vries.
The result of John's search for the usable COGD (Circle of good definition) is 16cm square (7.8").
Photos © Jo Lommen