Auteur: Dan Fromm
Date: 13-01-2009 21:55
Georges, forgive me for replying in English. I have two "Chinamen." They resemble inverted top hats.
One, from Fred Lustig, in stainless steel. Upper section, 89.9 mm x 24.7 mm; lower section, 71.4 x 24.7. The center section is 6.5 mm thick, the two outer sections are 4.4 mm thick. The only dimension that is important is the length of the lower section; it is a snug fit in a 2x3 Pacemaker Speed Graphic's bed rails. The upper section has to be wider than the rails and narrow enough to fit between the struts that support the bed.
Fred made this device to allow use of bed stops on the outer rails with my 4"/2.0 Taylor Hobson Anastigmat (ex-Vinten F95). This lens is mounted entirely in front of the board and focuses to infinity with the front standard on the inner rails. There's room for only one bed stop on the inner rails (impossible to mount one on the rangefinder side) and with only one stop unintended swing is a risk. Fred's Chinaman fits between the front of the front standard and a pair of bed stops on the outer rails. I pull the front standard to it when setting the camera up for the 4"/2.
The other is from SKGrimes, in anodised aluminum. It differs from Fred's in only one important measurement, the length of the lower section, 71.15 mm. It fits snugly between my Century's and 2x3 Crown's rails, which are a little closer together than the Speed's rails.
I use these things as movable bed stops, i.e., to prevent unintended swing when setting the camera up with a lens. The Speed's RF is set up, not well, to work with the 4"/2 pulled up against its Chinaman, needs a little adjustment. Since I always shoot from tripod, I haven't done this.
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The cutout in the middle is needed so the Chinaman will clear the little tab at the bottom of the front standard that prevents unintended shift.
Yes, I use more focal lengths than most users of little 2x3 Graphics.
Best regards,
Dan
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