The Novoflex PIGRIFF: Pistol Grip Follow Focus - a modular concept intended for long lens versatility and to maximise manual focus speed and efficacy, made its first appearance in the 1950's. All the versions have a hand grip with the focus operated by a trigger.
All the variants separate into two main segments:
- M mount end and stock/grip;
- IO iris and optics section, this further unscrews into the iris section and the optics section.
They are all objective-only optical system (so not a true telephoto).
There is more than one generation with design and connection variations:
- PIGRIFF original aka PIGRIFF-A (pic 6) has thread mountings. 240mm, 300mm, 40cm, 64cm, and later a triplet T-noflexar 400mm, optics were made for it. Based on an example of the PIGRIFF-A + T-noflexar optic, the M-IO connection is a M48x1mm* thread at the PIGRIFF; the larger optics + iris unit connect to a conical piece with a M70x 0.75mm* thread; and the joint between the iris and optical units is an M78 x 0.75mm* thread. The connection tube ("PITUB-J" ) from the pigriff to the camera mount could later be replaced by a bellows to achieve close focus.
*based on ad hoc measurements with a cheap vernier calliper.More info on the mount here.
The mount is a two piece construction (see here ), attached to the PITUB by a silver collar (4 x small bolts) that allows it to click rotate from landscape to portrait. The two pieces can unscrew apart (M42x0.5mm thread) once three small bolts have been removed.
Review on pentaconsix.com - link below - says: " the minimum focus can be reduced (i.e., you can get closer to the subject) by replacing the short tube that connects the pistol grip to the camera with the special bellows which were offered by Novoflex ... The bellows have the manufacturer’s code “TISBIG-U” and Dieter Gabler states in his “Vollendete Spiegelreflex-Fotografie mit Novoflex” (1973 edition) that the pistol grip (code name “TISPIGRIFF”) has to be returned to Novoflex for this to be fitted (p.77). In fact, it appears that all you need to do is to loosen six screws (technically, tiny bolts) to remove the camera mount, then tighten the same screws onto the front of the bellows unit. As an alternative, one could purchase the grip itself with the bellows already mounted onto it. This had the manufacturer's code name “TISPIGRIFF-U”." - PIGRIFF-B appeared c. 1965, thread mountings of the M-IO optics+iris unit to mount end replaced by a breech bayonet. This connection has approx 47mm diameter male fitting on the optical-iris unit. Most often the camera mount will be fitted with a bellows. Usually there is a tripod collar with a bush next to (mount side) the aperture ring (pics 3, 5). Lenses were 280mm f/5.6, 40cm "Noflexar" f/5.6; 400mm "T-noflexar" f5.6 triplet; 64cm f/9. Pic of "B" system here.
One problem with the "A"'s and "B"'s is that Novoflex do not manufacture mounts for them any more. Mounts can be purchased for the "C"'s and "D"'s. On the Novoflex web site adapters page it says:
"Lenses of the B-Series can only be used in combination with the reversed bellows BAL-U or the special tube TUBUS-BA"
which I think means connecting to the the PIGRIFF not the optics - the optics from the examples I have seen all connect with the 78mm thread mentioned above.
I have seen a "B" with a t-mount ring fitted. - PIGRIFF-C and D (1980's) : big redesign with a two handle stock/pigriff, and the camera mount is now a detachable bayonet fitting - novoflex-A bayonet mount, new mounts for nikon, pentax, canon etc can still be bought. The bayonet M-IO female ~73mm optical-iris section to PIGRIFF is the same as for the "B"'s. Optical units connect to the iris units with the same M78mm thread as previously so are still interchangeable. The second front hand grip has a shutter release button (rotate it with a coin to get it to pop out - a cable from the camera needs to be plugged into the 2.5mm jack socket on the rear handle to use this), there is a 3/8" tripod bush between the grips, and close focus is achieved by a built in extending tube on a rail. The PIGRIFF D has a pinion to operate this, and has omitted the locking ring for the close focus extension. Optics included 600mm f8 and triplet 400mm. Pic of "C" system here.
Pics 1,2 show a PIGRIFF C, with the 3 element 400mm f5.6 T-Noflexar optic. Pic 2 shows the lens disassembled into its main components. Note that all the optics and the iris are in the end unit, though the iris and the optics can unscrew and separate. The section with the PIGRIFF is just a barrel, there is no rear optical group as is usual with true telephoto designs. There is also a filter holder that isn't pointed to on the pic, just in front of the mount locking ring.
Pic 3 is of two one grip PIGRIFF B's with, respectively, 40cm optic + bellows, 64cm focal length optics; and a PIGRIFF A with a 40cm optic (bottom).
Pic 4 shows the close focus extension on the PIGRIFF-C, and the front grip rotated to the vertical position. The inset pics show the internals of the cable shutter release mechanism, an original cable, and K5 connected with a cable. For mechanical shutter release orient the coin slot in the cable shutter button CS vertically so that it pops out. To activate the electronic switch ET, CS needs to be pushed in and oriented horizontally. ET is a 2 cable momentary switch, the connecting jack looks mono not stereo in the pic (however a cable for pentax pictured in the PF thread linked to clearly has a 3 section stereo jack). The K5 in pic 4 is connected to the PIGRIFF with a generic "Camera Remote Control Switch Shutter Release Cable Cord RS-C1" from China with 3-section 2.5mm jacks on each end. This was described as for pentax, in practice cables (and also wired shutter releases) for Canon are identical, more common and half the price. This works fine for shutter release, however the display tends to blank, which I attribute to the Novoflex having a mono jack socket rather than a stereo one.
There is also a detachable shoulder stock to use with the PIGRIFF.
This pic shows a pigriff with a bellows and a "pistock", this attaches via the 3/8" bush in the base of the PIGRIFF grip and the cylindrical rod extending out of the front end of the focus trigger. This one has an optional second hand grip with a yellow push button for shutter cable release.The system pic for the PIGRIFF C linked to above in #3 illustrates a similar stock for the "C/D", however a "pistock C" with just one attachment point to the base of the first grip is is illustrated
here. It is possible to attach an original "pistock" upsidedown, or the second attachment point could be sawn off.
| Optics (400mm): | 2 elements in 2 groups; 3 elements in 3 groups (T-noflexar) |
| Aperture (400mm): | f5.6 - f32 manual only. |
| Iris: | 24 blades! |
| Filter: | varies with optics. Filter sizes on a 42xxx serial T-noflexar 400mm for PIGRIFF-A (screw connect), and a 43xx serial for a "B" (bayonet connect) were 75mm, but on a 46xxx serial bayonet connect for PIGRIFF-C/D was 77mm. |
| Focus: | trigger follow focus ~22mm travel (pigriff A/B); ~29mm travel (pigriff C/D). Close focus extension ~80mm (pigriff C/D). Focus locking. |
| CFD: | PIGRIFF-A + 400mm f5.6 T-noflexar: ~ 9m; PIGRIFF B + 400mm T-noflexar + bellows: 3.2m; PIGRIFF-C + 400mm T-noflexar:~ 7.5m/2.5m with close focus fully extended. |
| Mount: | Threaded mount PIGRIFF A/B. Swappable Novoflex -A bayonet on the PIGRIFF C/D, detachable mounts are available for most DSLR's inc. Pentax PK. |
| Tripod mount: | 3/8" bush attachment point in base of pistol grip. B pigriffs often have a collar next to the aperture ring. C/D pigriffs have a second bush between the grips. |
| Length (400mm): | min ~45cm lens end to mount flange; max ~58cm inc hood. |
| Weight: | ~ 1.8kg (pigriff A + 400mm T-noflexar); ~ 2.4kg (pigriff C + 400mm T-noflexar). |
240mm f4.5: 3 elements in 3 groups; 58mm filter; f4.5 - f22; 18 blade iris. Optics and iris are one unit.
280mm f5.5:
Leica. There is also PIGRIFF compatibility with Leica Telyt optics eg 560mm f6.8 (see
this thread on leica forums), 350mm f4.8.
Fernobjektiv. Novoflex also marketed the first generation optics with a collapsible nesting tube and rack and pinion focus set up - see this
photo.net thread.
Detailed historical account of Novoflex developement
here (google translate).
Original novoflex brochure (pdf) from 1969.
Thomas Gades'
Novoflex webpage (google translate from German).
PF forums thread
here.
Novoflex 400mm vs Canon 400mm f4.5 - stevemark, mflenses.com
Test pics T-noflexar 400mm against canon FD 400mm f2.8 showing field curvature in
this mflenses thread.
pentaconsix.com reviews a medium format
Noflexar 500mm f5.6, with PIGRIFF.
Gary Reese lens test (film, Olympus cameras).
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