Graflex.org

[rsdean]

While I'm new to the Speed Graphic, I'm not
new to computers, so I know that ordinary computer etiquette suggests that I should lurk here longer before venturing to post anything. However, I beg your indulgence.

I really can't be described in any way as a photographer, but I was visiting my parents recently. My father has been an avid photogrpaher for 50+ years, and the subject of conversation drifted to camera repair. From there we went on to his Speed Graphic (which should be a late 40s 4x5 Pacemaker if I've got this right), and I was taken with a sudden desire to get him to teach me how to use it. I hope _that_ will not require any
explanation here!

To make a long post short, I will be home
again next month and have been warming Dad
up to the idea of lending me the equipment, since he hasn't used it in a good long while.

Any tips on how to ensure that the camera is in good working order? Suggestions for initial subjects? I'm thinking that I'll try some architectural studies if I get it home, and perhaps some railroad pictures. If anyone has seen a book called Trackside Maryland, I live very near Havre de Grace, which was the scene of a number of interesting and dramatic shots in the book (taken with a Speed Graphic, of course.)

Hope you'll bear with me,

Rob Dean

[alecj]

Welcome to the world of Graphics, Rob. Hope he will let you use the camera. Two immediate things to look for - bellows and shutter. He'll show you how to open the bellows. You need to fold the infinity stops down [he'll know what those are] and extend the lens standard all the way to the end of the track. You are looking for light leaks in the bellows [especially in the folds] and to see how pliable they are. Find a bright light, have him show you how to remove the back, and looking from the inside toward that light, look for light leaks. Hopefully, there won't be any. The bellows will probably be dry. Spray them with Lemon [nothing else will do [[grin]] but Lemon] Pledge.

Then have him run through the shutter speeds with you watching him. He should be able to tell if the speeds have slowed down, especially the slower speeds, because the shutter hasn't been serviced. If the shutter won't fire, I'd advise you to send it alone [you don't need to send the whole camera] to Fred Lustig [look around on this board and you'll find his Nevada address] for a cleaning. Will probably cost about $50.

Don't worry about fancy subjects at first. If this is your first use of a 4x5, just learning to load film holders, shoot pics properly operating the camera, and developing the sheet film will be enough to learn for awhile.

Hope it goes well. Don't hesitate to let us know your progress and ask more questions. Try and get the instruction book to read. That helps a lot.

One more thing. Take advantage of your Dad's experience and ask HIM a million questions. Milk him for every bit of knowledge you can get. There's nothing better than an old user to transfer knowledge of these things to a new user. You are really lucky to have him available.

Alec


[ This Message was edited by: alecj on 2002-07-05 16:58 ]

[rsdean]

Thank you! I had an email from him this morning and he's been out pricing film, so I think this should all work. My only danger now is that he'll suddenly have a desire to use the camera himself, which wouldn't be a bad thing, either. I hope that he has the
manuals around somewhere as well, but yesterday, after posting my note, I had the good fortune to walk into a used bookstore and find a copy of Graphic Graflex Photography (a 1947 printing, so just a shade earlier than the equipment) at a good price. I promptly picked that up, so I have been reading up on the topic.

There doesn't seem to be much on the shelves of the bookstores these days which seems to be all that applicable to this project.

Rob Dean

[Les]

If it's been twenty years or so since he last used it, I think the price of film and processing may diswade him using it.

With digitial coming on strong, demain for LF filme has fallen and prices have gone way up. I'll bet you'll hear, "why it wasnt' that long ago Tri-X was 50 cents a sheet!"

_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[rsdean]

After much anticipation I finally picked up the camera last weekend. I've been vacationing on my way home since then, with no net access. Before I left I found a local camera store with a Graphic user on the staff, so I came home with full and exposed film holders and hope to have them processed this week. (To see what I'm doing wrong, no doubt...) I got as much advice from Dad as I could absorb in one sitting, but it was a pity that we didn't have time to take it out for a shoot while I was there, as I ended up fumbling a few things when shooting alone. I had one sheet of film loaded improperly and lost it when I removed the film holder and it stayed bheind, and I lost another sheet by checking the focus on the glass, inserting the holder, pulling the dark slide, and _then_ reaching to wind the shutter speed. Oops. The front shutter needs to be cleaned to function at proper speed, but other than that it looks good. I'm excited at the prospect of seeing this first batch of negatives.

A question: Does anyone use a backpack type case?

Rob Dean

[Henry]

I've been using a Tamrack #757 backpack-type case for my Century Graphic and gear. My entire kit---camera, dark cloth, four lenses, two meters, two rollfilm holders, series VI filters (many), pocket level, small mirror (useful for seeing lens settings when you can't get to front of camera), cable release, flash, small flashlight, film, etc.---fits in the Tamrack. In short, everything but the tripod. The latest version of the #757 is even more versatile than mine. It is pricey, but usually discounted. I don't actually use it as a backpack very often, preferring to carry it by the top handle, but on occasion the shoulder straps come out of their zipper pocket when my hands are full, and then it really proves its worth. Highly recommended!

[rsdean]

I looked at the Tamrac web site and the 757 looks pretty good. Do you carry the Graphic in one of the lower center compartments?

My first proof sheets came back from the lab on Friday, so I was able to show them to Dad when I saw him to hand off my children yesterday. The two main lessons I learned were that you have to check the film carefully when loading to ensure that it's engaged by the little clips on each side of the holder--as I had several negatives which
did not show the proper shape to the holder shadows. I would suppose that having loose
film might contribute to sharpness problems.
I also found that I have a hard time holding the camera steady enough to get a good picture at 1/50 shutter speed. The exposures which were taken at 1/125 were significantly better.

Short term, it seems that the acquisitions will be a tripod, followed by the backpack carrier, and my next box of film will be something faster than Plus-X to facilitate hand shooting...

Rob Dean

(Still trying to get the reflexes lined up in the right order to ensure no mechanical difficulties with the process.)

[Les]

If you are hand holding and using the rangefinder to focus, then the acronym SAFE might help it stands for
Shutter
Aperture
Focus
Expose

the other thing you might look at is to see if the rangefinder is agreeing with the ground glass. on a table/tree stump or tripod focus with the rangefinder on a subject and the look at the ground glass. Some of the soft images might be coming from an inaccurate rangefinder.

I've had the same problem with 1/50th of a second. I"ve wondered many times how the press photogs of old were able to run down the courthouse steps ahead of the aquitted mobster, turn and shoot, and get a great shot1

[45PSS]

Ready to shoot?? Take a breath, let half of it out, hold and squeeze the shutter.

_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

[Henry]

Rob,
I carry the Century in the main compartment (the one right below the curved top compartment, where I keep my rolled-up dark cloth), which can be configured in a variety of ways by moving the panel inserts around with their velcro fasteners. The Century plus two rollfilm backs and the GE DW-68 meter all fit in that space. But with your larger 4x5 (thicker, too, if it's a Speed) it'll be a bit more crowded in there.

When actually shooting, I wear a small bag on a shoulder strap. This has pockets for a rollfilm back and the ground glass/folding focusing hood, which are constantly being attached and removed from the camera body. With the focusing loupe on a cord around my neck, the light meter neck strap, and my eyeglasses on a chain, I feel like a walking Christmas tree!

[steve@toprinting.com]

Rob,

Here's my suggestions for photographic subject matter, especially with dad's camera:

DAD

Second suggestion:

Your children (if any).

Items like this need to be kept in families, passed foward, treasured and learned from. It keeps you connected.



_________________
FOLLOW THE K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID)

[rsdean]

Thanks for all the replies.

Les, OK, SAFE--I like mnemonics so I'll work on that one. I took the camera out today and tried some more handheld work, so we'll see what happens on that. I had the time on Friday to sit down with the camera, a tripod, a magnifier, and the Graphic Graflex Photography book to make sure that I knew what all the levers did. In the course of it I checked the rangefinder against the glass and it looks pretty good, except that the dual image has a slight left/right shift. If you line it up on a strong horizontal line it's good. It came with a little accessory magnifier for the rangefinder, which I should really unscrew to see the alternative view.
Perhaps some of those press photographers were using faster film--Dad was telling me some tale about DuPont ASA200 film which was taken off the market (back when) as the interleaving papers fogged the film. I don't know when it might have first been available.

As for the case, if I buy one I'll get it in a store so I can try the compartment sizing feature first, I think. At least I don't have a lot of 35mm equipment to drag along too (although Dad also turned over a spare 35mm camera and two extra lenses when I saw him yesterday).

I *should* get more family pictures. My parents are 550 miles away, though, which makes it tough. At least my children are near at hand--though I think that a 1/400 shutter speed would be a help there. (-:

Next task is to enroll in a darkroom class coming up at the local community college--it's supposed to be 35mm, but I haven't ever done any of it, so most of the information should transfer.

Rob Dean