Graflex.org

[redwing]

HI gang,
You seem like gentle folk, so I'll confess that I'm a spanking tyro in the large format world...haven't yet fired a shot. I recently purchased a Speed Graphic (an "Anniversary" according to the gruff dude behind the counter, but how should I know?) because of the mistaken impression that the dropable bed meant I could keep tall buildings from going unparallel in wide angle shots. Imagine my chagrin, then, when I discovered that the Bed-Drop feature merely gets the bed out of the field of view and does not offer any tilt capability. In reading the text on this website, however, I keep getting un-/re-confused. While I can see the vertical and horizontal "shift" mechanisms, I see no way to tilt, unless I attmpt to lower the bed with the front standard out on it - something that I am loth to attempt. And yet, these words from this very website...

Bed Drop (Anniversary and later)
The bed may be dropped by the following procedure:
Return the front standard and focus rack to the rear of the camera, as if you were preparing to close the camera.
Simultaneously depress the thumb press area of both bed braces.
Lower the front bed.
Note that the front standard has now been lowered and tilted forward.

The last line is what throws me. How can the front standard be lowered and tilted when we've moved it backward into the rear of the camera in the first step? Can anyone clear this up for me, and thanks in advance for your patience. (Consider me an as-yet-unformed, bumpkin sibling. I adore all things of quality and durability and value the process over the result any day. I'm exploring large format as a way of teaching myself to slow down and begin really seeing.)

[Dan Fromm]

[redwing]

Dan,
Thanks gobs! I'll try this. What you've said is sorta what I was thinking I might try, but I hadn't seen ANY photos of the front standard sitting out on the bed when it was lowered to a tilt, so I feared for breakage. I'll be careful to put the focus rack all the way back, and I'll let you know how it goes.

I have another dopey question. Since I'll be loading 4x5 sheets in the dark, is there a difference in the feel between the emulsion side and the non-emulsion side that I can feel? Are boxes of Ilford 4x5 sheet film typically loaded sunny side up or in any other particular way?
Thanks again for the help.

Matt

[alecj]

[45PSS]

I'll jump in here; IT's been covered a 100 times but the search feature may not give a clear definate post, just a lot of references from which one could piece it out.
Sooooooooooooooooo,
In total darkness, you cannot see your hand six inches in front of your face after 5 minutes, remove the darkslide and open the trap door. With the darkslide end facing you and the door on the top, take a piece of film, feel along the short sides of the film and locate the code notches, turn film so that notches are on your right and away from you, insert the non notched end into the holder while keeping the notches on your right. Make sure that you have the film in the film track and not the darkslide track. If the darkslide will not slide in and seat easily then the film is not installed properly in its tracks.

Descide which side of the darkslide you are going to use as your unexposed. There is no set standard. I use dark/black unexposed, white/light side exposed while others do the opposite. Select one and stick with it. Set the darkslide before going into the dark room or bag. Clean the holder and darkslide of dust before going into the dark. I do not fully remove the darklside when loading film, I slide it 2/3 out, if I miss a film track the film jams going in and I do not have to fiddle with getting the slide in the slot, the dimples/bumps on the white/light side makes it easy to determine which side of the darkslide is which in the dark.

Pratice! Load in the dark then check yourself in the light with some scrap film, 2 sheets will do.

Happy shooting,
Charles

_________________
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a quality photograph is worth a million.

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-02-24 19:29 ]

[glennfromwy]

Uh, I may be missing something here, but the Anniversary Speed Graphic does not have a tilting front standard. The bed will drop but there's no way to make the standard vertical. Or am I going nuts? The Pacemaker series came out with the tilting standard. The Anniversary only drops to get the bed out of the view of wide angle lenses that will focus while in the box on the rear rail section. I have equipped several of my Annys with Pacemaker standards for that reason. Vertical convegence is not cured with front movements anyway. It is solely a matter of keeping the film parallel to the subject. You can see this on the ground glass as you tilt the camera. A small bubble level is a useful aid. As to film, when the code notches are on the upper left corner of the sheet, the emulsion is facing you. Good luck and have fun!

_________________
Glenn

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

[redwing]

Everyone,
Thanks for the replies. As Dan said, I was able to make the standard tilt forward with the bed without breaking my tracks, but as Glenn points out, there is no way to return it to a vertical position while it's out there. I haven't yet had opportunity to study the glass and see how these movements affect the shot--I'll learn more when I get my eyeball in there. Also, Alec - I see the point you're making. I'm not yet certain how important all this rise and wide-angle stuff will be... there are a number of old buildings here in Seattle that I love, few of them higher than 6 stories, and before they all get knocked down I want to document them. By the by, Alec, I couldn't raise your URL when I clicked the link you sent. Error 404. I'll try again later. Charles, thanks for the detailed instructions (notches, who knew!), they will save me film, time, and frustration.

-Matt

[primus96]

Stick with it.
The first negatives you develope or the first print you have made will have you hooked.

[45PSS]

[troublemaker]

I do not think anyone mentioned a couple notes on loading sheet film...
USe some old sheet film or sacrifice a couple sheets to practice in the light with eyes closed for peaking and familiarity with process... Will maybe help later when lights out. Also, highly recomended to dust off holders and slides etc... before loading for real. I pack mine in large zip locks before going into stuff sacks or dry bags that I haul them around in. Seems to work OK, but a littel extra fuss. Beware of light leaks. Keep back of camera and holders shaded at all times if posible and out of direct sunlight. IF shooting off a tripod it is most easy to keep holders covered even when exposing the film and dark slide is out.
Don't forget to pull your slide, and don't forget to put it back when you are done with exposure. Oh yeah, make sure to have the slides so positioned as to show unexposed sheets when you load them. Pain in the ass to have them showing exposed or worse, mixed up. Start with good consistent habits, and you will finish with them. It may seem fine to have some stuff mixed up now, but down the line, if you do not shoot all the film, or unload it, one will not remember what was what, if there is film in there or ??? Not a bad idea to leave a note on the holder or bag.
Stephen

[glennfromwy]

Charles, you're right. Don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. I know better than that. Another senior moment, I guess. My apologies.

_________________
Glenn

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