MERCURY USER GUIDE Version 0.7 12-23-2018 Table of Contents Table of Contents..............................................................................................................................2 Chapter 1: Mercury Overview...........................................................................................................5 1.1 Guide to using this Guide...........................................................................................................5 1.2 Introduction................................................................................................................................5 1.2.1 The Mercury Concept.........................................................................................................5 1.2.2 System Diagram..................................................................................................................6 1.2.3 Basic Mercury Terminology...............................................................................................8 1.2.4 Front and Rear Spacing Example.......................................................................................8 1.3 Basic Mercury Modules..............................................................................................................9 1.3.1 Basic Module Descriptions.................................................................................................9 1.3.2 Example Configurations...................................................................................................11 1.4 Precautions and Care................................................................................................................22 Chapter 2: Assembling and Configuring Mercury.........................................................................24 2.1 Front Panel................................................................................................................................24 2.1.1 Alternate Front Panels.......................................................................................................25 2.1.2 Mercury QR Plate.............................................................................................................26 2.2 Back Adapters...........................................................................................................................27 2.2.1 Mounting and Dismounting..............................................................................................27 2.2.2 Graflok 23 Back Adapter..................................................................................................27 2.2.3 Graflok 45 Back Adapter..................................................................................................28 2.2.4 5x7 Merclok Back Adapter...............................................................................................29 2.2.5 Hasselblad V Back Adapter..............................................................................................29 2.2.6 Mamiya and Pentax 645 Back Adapters...........................................................................30 2.2.7 Jieying Multi-Mount Digital Back Adapter......................................................................31 2.2.8 Polaroid CB-70 Back Adapter..........................................................................................31 2.3 Integrated Bodies......................................................................................................................32 2.3.1 XL-S Integrated Body.......................................................................................................32 2.3.2 MUP Integrated Body.......................................................................................................32 2.3.3 600SE Integrated Body.....................................................................................................34 2.3.4 Universal Instax Wide Camera.........................................................................................34 2.3.5 Small Format Mercury Integrated Bodies.........................................................................36 2.4 The Lens Stack.........................................................................................................................36 2.4.1 Standard Focus Unit..........................................................................................................36 2.4.2 XL Focus Unit...................................................................................................................38 2.4.3 XLS Focus Unit................................................................................................................39 2.4.4 Ultrawide Board................................................................................................................40 2.4.5 System Lens Adapter Kit..................................................................................................41 2.4.6 Shutter Plate......................................................................................................................41 2.4.7 Front Washers and Bolts...................................................................................................42 2.4.8 Shift Spacer.......................................................................................................................42 2.5 Viewfinder................................................................................................................................43 2.5.1 Viewfinder Masks.............................................................................................................44 2.5.2 Mercury Viewfinders........................................................................................................44 2.6 Mercury Sportfinders................................................................................................................46 2.7 Third Party Optical Viewfinders...............................................................................................47 2.8 Ground Glass............................................................................................................................49 2.9 Range Finder.............................................................................................................................50 2.10 Other Cold Shoe Accessories..................................................................................................50 2.11 System Lenses.........................................................................................................................51 2.11.1 Introduction: View Lenses vs. System Lenses................................................................51 2.11.2 Using Medium Format System Lenses with your Mercury............................................54 2.11.3 Using 135 System Lenses with your Mercury................................................................62 2.11.4 Using Hybrid System Lenses with your Mercury...........................................................67 2.12 How to Remount a View Lens from a Lensboard to Mercury................................................72 2.12.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................72 2.12.2 Unmounting Your View Lens From a Lensboard...........................................................73 2.12.3 Mounting Your View Lens on a Mercury Shutter Plate..................................................75 2.12.4 Adjusting the Rotational Position of your Shutter..........................................................76 2.12.5 Using your Mercury Shutter Plates on Other View Cameras.........................................77 Chapter 3: Shooting With Your Mercury........................................................................................79 3.1 Loading Film............................................................................................................................79 3.1.2 Sheet Film.........................................................................................................................82 3.1.3 Pack Film..........................................................................................................................84 3.1.4 Cartridge Film...................................................................................................................84 3.2 Setting Exposure.......................................................................................................................84 3.2.1 Selecting Shutter Speed and Aperture...............................................................................85 3.2.2 Using a Light Meter..........................................................................................................85 3.3.3 Sunny 16...........................................................................................................................86 3.3.4 Neutral Density.................................................................................................................86 3.4 Focusing....................................................................................................................................86 3.4.1 Ground Glass....................................................................................................................87 3.4.2 Range Finder.....................................................................................................................87 3.4.3 Zone Focus........................................................................................................................88