Graflex.org

[vincent]

Two questions, please:

1) logically to me, if the roll film option is used with the Graflex, that negates the advantage of adjustable movements, yes?, so why choose a Graflex?

2) but more importantly for me, is the Pacemaker Crown Graphic 2X3 available with ground glass focusing? I prefer the lighter 23 format camera over the 45, and though I currently use a 645 Pentax, I'd like some movements when photographing old homes.

thanks in advance...

[Les]

The movements (and there aren't many with a 23 Graphic) are still readily available with either a roll film holder or sheet film holder.

For old house the the most important movement will be front rise, and a 23 Graphic will have a decent amount. Just remember not to expect rise from extreme wide angle lenses, as they reside in the body when focused at infinity.

As for Crown Graphic 2x3 ground glass focus availability, the answer is a qualified yes. If you want to shoot roll film, it's best to get a Crown with a Graflok back as the ground glass is removable, so you can Ground glass compose, then remove the GG and add a roll film back. the "qualified" part of the 'yes' is that a good number of people sell the camera with a roll back but have misplaced the GG. So be alert to what you are buying. Also Early Crown Graphic cameras came with a Graphic back, which doesn't come off and makes roll film use more difficult, but not impossible.

The Century Graphic is a plastic bodied (sorry Mahoganite bodied) version of the 23 Crown and it has the Graflok back built into it. So as long as you get one with a ground glass, it will be good to go.
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[Dan Fromm]

Further on Les' points, with short lenses (that focus to infinity on the inner bed rails) the wire focusing frame in the front standard can limit rise. I've removed my Century's wire frame for this reason.

You can shoot roll film with any 2x3, 3x4, or 4x5 press or view camera that has a spring (Graflex calls it a Graphic back) with the right sized Adapt-A-Roll 620 roll holder. These beasts are for 2x3, will feed from a 120 spool, must take up on a 620. And to improve film flatness they take the film up inside out. I use AAR 620s with my 2x3 Graphics, all of which have Graflok backs. I prefer AARs to Graflex' own roll holders.

For 4x5 cameras with spring backs, there's a Cambo/Calumet roll holder that comes in two flavors, nominal 6x7 and nominal 6x9.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan

[Billy Canuck]

With a rollfilm holder attached to a 2x3 Graphic and a normal lens it's also possible to use front rise without removing the holder and focusing on the groundglass. I use the rangefinder for focusing and the sports finder (with camera on tripod) for framing. The finder frame of course will rise with the lens board. As long as you look straight ahead through the peephole you'll be OK. This has worked very well for me.

[vincent]

...many thanks for these replies...I had to read everything three times to fully absorb all the information...that's the way it is with something new...keeps those old brain neurons firing!

[troublemaker]

What Les and Dan said.
And I've used a stripped down Century and now a Crown 23 for backpacking and various other photography for a few years a now and find that while I use only smallish movements, it's nice to have them when I want them, and it's nice to have the full 6x9 frame available on most occasions. I've only ever used 120 roll backs with these cameras.
A note on roll backs, and there are lots of posts about them here if you do some searches and read a bunch, the early knob winders lack pin rollers which help with film flatness some. The later RH series lever wind have pin rollers for film flatness and larger main rollers. The old knob wind Graphic 22 that makes 6x6 sqaures works pretty good so I've never bothered to get a RH 12 back, but I use RH 10 backs for a lot of B&W stuff for the 10 shot 6x7 framing. For backpacking I found a couple nice hybrid knob winders that have the pin rollers and are a little lighter than the RH 8 backs since they still have the smaller main rollers. Good for me I haven't seen too many of those around.
As Dan points out, using movements can be a little challenging with wide angle lenses. My 65mm lenses sit just outside the body on the Crown Graphic. I use a light Linhof 65 Angulon 6.8 lens for backpacking which offers only the slightest movement stopped down, but is a sharp little lens. I also make use of a later model 65 Super Angulon f~8 lens which sits a little farther forward on the rails and offers tons of movement if I need it. I too removed the wire sports finder frame on the backpacker. I also turned the front standard around so I can use a little forward tilt for near far imgages where I can't stop down for DOF. The only probelm I ran into recently was when I mount the camera on its side mount for verticles which I shoot a lot of and try to use side shift for rise. The bed lock arms only allow a little shift. The Graphics allow a lot more movement with standard to longer than normal lenses provided the lens covers. However, they are still fun to use and many things can be overcome with a little experience.
I think Henry shoots a lot of buildings with his so he'll probably chime in at some point...and I think he shoots a 65, 101 and 203mm with a Century.

[Henry]

Like Dan Fromm, I removed the wire frame finder from my Century so I could get more front rise with the 65, but I've since reinstalled the finder so I can do more hand-held work. Working as I do, it's much easier to make perspective corrections in Photoshop than it is to juggle around with front rise on the 65. However, with the 101-135-203 I prefer camera front rise, although in vertical format, as troublemaker notes, rise (shift) is very limited, so it's back to the 'shop for those.

I use only roll film on my Century, RH10s exclusively. I own an RH20 and an RH8 but have never used them.

[vincent]

(original poster)...well, gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that I've purchased a Pacemaker Crown 23 with the 101 Optar, ground glass, and a couple of Fotorite portrait lenses (?). It hasn't arrived yet, so I am unsure of any other back details, though I'm hoping to do as suggested above--focus with the glass, then switch to a roll film back. The sheet film developing process appears to be more fuss than I want to deal with right now, and I am currently developing 120 via Paterson tanks anyway.

I am thinking that the 101 Optar might be all I need, since this camera will be used for exteriors--old Maine houses, barns, and outbuildings. But I wouldn't be surprised if a 65 (Optar?) is called for every once in a while. First stop, however, is SKGrimes to have the lens and shutter CLA'd.

...again, many thanks for all this terrific information...
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[134k]

for movement of my 2x3 front standard on my speed graphic, i reversed the front standard to give me forward tilt, and grinded away (carefully) the inside rails to give me swing as well. i now have front tilt, shift and swing on 2x3 graflex....it can be done and is easy to do.