Graflex.org

[semihemi]

I just slid a modern 5x7 holder into the spring back of the Press and it is rather too small. Is this back designed to take the grooved holders (larger than a newer holder, I understand) despite the fact that it has a spring back with no accomodation for the grooves of a Graflex holder?

Thank in advance,

JC

[glennfromwy]

Post the measurements of your modern holder (length from the light tap ridge to the end, and width) and I will measure some really old ones to see if there is a difference.

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[bertsaunders]

Semi...the slotted holders were made for the GraFLEX backs...(I dont have one for my Press 5x7), but width >should< be correct for the spring back on the 5x7 press also??
The old wooden holders are easy to modify, and can be made to fit if necessary! You may have to cut a new slot out at the input end for the retaining ridge!
For >>Glen...the back measures 6 3/8" hi x 8 1/4" to retaining ridge<<
As far as I know, the spring back was the only back made for this camera, the way it is made, does not lend itself to interchangeability??
For >>Les, mine has the spring back with ground glass and pop-up hood, sounds like you could use a spring back for yours, email me on that......Bert
>>Just recieved a 5x7 2 sheet holder, (made by Eastman), wooden (no slots) fits the Press 5x7 perfectly, with no problems!<<
..........Bert

\[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2004-07-03 23:54 ]

[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2004-07-03 23:55 ]

[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2004-07-04 00:00 ]

[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2004-07-04 00:04 ]

[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2004-07-09 13:42 ]

[semihemi]

Hi Bert and Glenn -
I measured my newer plastic Fidelity from the trap ridge to the end. It is 194mm or 7-11/16 inches. Width is 149mm or 5-7/8 inches. Amazingly, these are the same numbers as a really ancient wooden film holder that I have! In any case, the Press seems to want a holder about a half inch wider (that is, around 6-3/8 acrross the short dimension). Length of the standard holders seems fine.

Bert, I am assuming your message was truncated? Upon reading your post I infer that more than one back is/was available for the Press. Upon closer examination I have just realized that the spring back is easily removeable by way of the tiny latch at the bottom rear. Very interesting! With the back off I can see that the Press has no built-in ridges for trapping light. It looks smooth like a typical RB Series B, say. Does anyone have a slotted 5x7 Graflex film holder that they could measure to see if it looks like it would slide snugly into a Press spring back? Bert, if the slotted holders fit, is there any reason not to go ahead and use them with the spring back?

Thanks, JC.

[Les]

The Press Graflex is one of the few Graflex cameras that has a spring back, but still uses Graflex or Grooved holders.

The spring back is removable to accept a "plate magazine" or bag mag as it's called to day. You'll be hard pressed to find one because the Press Graflex uses a specially modified bag mag that attaches with hooks rather than they typical Graflex slider.

My Press Graflex has the bag mag, but no ground glass. I always infered that if I could find the ground glass i could shim up the sides of regular 5x7 film holders and mill a groove down the light trap side to make them fit. (Graphic/normal holders have one or two ridges, Graflex holders have one groove as a light trap.)

Les

[glennfromwy]

Ah, another mystery solved! The other day I saw two 5X7 bag mags on ebay. They looked the same as the normal Graflex kind but were made by another company that I would not associate with bag mags. I thought it very strange. Wish I could remember the name.

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[Thomas Evans]

Folmer and Schwing? I have a Press Graflex with a very old and odd looking bag mag (for plates) made by the F&S Division of EKC (1905 - 1918?), and another more 'normal' looking one (for film), Pat. 1920, made by the F&S Department of ECK (1918 - 1926?). The earlier one is basically a leather-covered wooden box with silver-plated brass strategically placed at points of stress, while the latter is nearly encased in metal. The Press Graflex bag mags have two small pins on the bottom, and two leaf springs on the top, that all hook into slots to hold the back on.

[bertsaunders]

added info to my post above....Bert

[glennfromwy]

The bag mags I saw were made by Fairchild or somebody in that line of cameras. Not F&S or any other derivative of Graflex. They looked identical to Graflex, however. They went for a considerable sum, if memory serves. Probably another war time contract and a one off item that may never appear again.

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've seen those Graflex/Fairchild bag mags, and they don't look like they will fit the 5x7" Press Graflex. I think they were made for a Fairchild aerial camera.

[Les]

the Fairchild Bag Mags I believe are the same dimensions as an F&S Bag mag and should fit any 5x7 Graflex back EXCEPT a Press Graflex.

I have one of each and ThomasEvans is correct. The Press Graflex doesn't use the Sliders common on Graflex Backs but a hook and pin system. It's unique to the Press Graflex.

[David A. Goldfarb]

So, I managed to get my hands on a 5x7 Press Graflex bag mag that was in fairly poor to middling condition and required some rebuilding, and it seems okay. I've shined a light around the bag, and fortunately it doesn't seem to leak, though externally it shows some cracks, but I'll take it out this weekend for some outdoor shooting in the sun to give it a real test with film. If I need to make a new bag, I'll probably cannibalize an old nylon changing bag as a replacement.

They are not too difficult to service. I had to make a new darkslide, which I could do by cutting down a new Fidelity slide from B&H. One recommendation that I would make is not to try to insert a slide that is wider than the original slide, or it might damage the light trap. Having done just that that, I reglued the felt on the light trap, lubricated the channel for the plate-advance slide with wax, so it slides more smoothly, and I replaced a corner on the back cover that had broken off.

So for those who are using these--

Does anyone know if they made them with septums for film, or just plates? Mine has 12 plate septums with film sheaths.

Also, which way do you insert your film sheaths. As I received mine, the sheaths were inserted "backward"--i.e., so that the film is inserted in the opposite direction from how a plate or the sheath itself is inserted in the plate septum. My instinct would be to insert the sheaths the other way around, but I'm guessing they are reversed so that film doesn't accidentally slide out. I'm finding I can load them this way just by pulling the sheath out an inch or so, popping the sheet into the side grooves, sliding the film the rest of the way in, and then sliding the sheath back into the septum. [Discovery on the first run with film: check carefully when loading that the sheaths are properly seated all the way into the septum, or they are liable to jam as they are slid into the bag.]

Another interesting tidbit for collectors or those intrepid or desperate enough to cut down 10" Cirkut film (available at http://www.jandcphotography.com)--I think this is a rollfilm back for the 5x7" Press Graflex. It looks like it has the pins in the right place--

http://www.cameracollectors.com/ShopSite/product726.html

[ This Message was edited by: David A. Goldfarb on 2004-09-12 13:22 ]

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've just acquired a second bag mag for my Press Graflex, and I can now confirm that there are two types that fit with the pin and clip fasteners, as Thomas Evans describes above, and add a bit to the info on them.

The first one that I describe in the previous post is the plate mag with film sheaths in each of the plate septums. It is covered in dark brown pebbled morocco leather like the camera, and the cover for the red window swings away to view the frame numbers, which are embossed on the plate septums.

The one I just acquired has a patent date of 1920 and is described on the box as a "New Type Cut Film Magazine." This one is thinner, more compact and lighter than the plate mag, has the same type of bag and operates in the same way, and has a metal cover and generally a smooth grey paint finish. The film septums are flat and thin, like Grafmatic septums, and have the number painted on them so they are more readable through the red window than the numbers on the plate septums, and the frame counter door is on a spring hinge, which is much better than the earlier type.

[ This Message was edited by: David A. Goldfarb on 2004-10-14 15:45 ]

[semihemi]

Egads, I feel so inadequate. Today I just received my first 5x7 slotted film holder after a year of searching, and you are already on your second bag-mag! Where are you scaring this stuff up? On the 'Bay or some other secret location??? And where can I find some more slotted 5x7 holders so I can finally shoot the Press Graflex in my closet?

Best,

JC

[David A. Goldfarb]

My first two converted Graflex plateholders and the plate mag I found at Lens and Repro. They said they used to have a lot more 5x7 Graflex holders in stock, but haven't had so many in recent years, and that many were bought up by a portrait photographer who uses them.

The most recent one I found on eBay, and there was another one a few days later, but I didn't bid on it, because I wanted to be sure this one fit.

There are some at Glennview, but kind of pricy. A while ago I saw he had a custom 22-shot 5x7" bag mag (I wouldn't be surprised if it were actually an adapted plate mag filled with film septums and maybe slightly modified) for around $400.