Re: Beginnerquestions Speedgraphic 3x4

Posted by volker on November 03, 2000 at 22:22:16:

: Well said, Bob. Filling in a few minor blanks:
: 4. Nope. The medium sized Pacemakers had their own sized lensboards.
: 8. There were roll-film backs made for the 3x4. They are scarce and lack the film-flattening rollers, I think. This site has some info on this question.

: Regards,

: Gerald

:
: : : 1, How works my selftimer? I see nothing what can be
: : : moved or switched. (Supermatic X shutter)
: : Are you sure it has a selftimer? I've seen a
: : lot of 127 mm. Ektars in Supermatic X shutters,
: : but I don't recall seeing one with a self-
: : timer.
: : : 2, I have a switch that says front, back and Trip. What
: : : means Trip?
: : It means "trip (or "release") the shutter." It
: : puts the focal plane shutter through one
: : cycle. "Front" and "back" are selections
: : for either the front or back shutter,
: : obviously.
: : : 3, Is there anyone who can send me a Instruction manual
: : : for the Pacemaker Graphic cameras ( Speed and Crown)?
: : There are several folks on the Internet
: : selling reprints. They're pretty good. Do
: : a search on "camera manuals."
: : : 4, Have the pacemakers 4x5 and the 3x4 same size of the
: : : lensboard?
: : That one I don't know; never used a 3x4.
: : : 5, What size is the illumination circle of my
: : : 127mm/4.7 Ektar and which aperture is the sharpest? (I
: : : am crazy for sharpness and to poor to buy Hasselblad.
: : : That's why I am trying large format)
: : The 127 mm will have enough coverage for
: : the limited movements available on your
: : 3x4. The lens was often fitted on the
: : 4x5 model.

: : One observation: Comparing a solid-body camera
: : like a Hassy with a folding camera (OK, a
: : STURDY folding camera) like a Graphic is
: : not quite apples-to-apples. The Hassy will
: : always have a more rock-solid mounting.
: : Still, you will get excellent results with
: : a Graphic if you take the patience to set
: : it up properly.
: : : 6, How and with what can I clean my ground glass? ( It
: : : has some fingerprint grease on)
: : If you have the Graflok back, just push the
: : two chromed springs and slide the whole
: : thing to the right. The holder for the
: : ground glass comes right off. So far as
: : I know, there's nothing particularly fragile
: : about the glass itself; I've used ordinary
: : houshold window cleaner when mine gets
: : grubby. (But if you have a glass with ruled
: : lines on it, I would think twice about
: : this!)
: : : 7, What is the longest lens I can use on my Pacemaker
: : : Speedgrphic 3x4?
: : Probably about 8-10 inches focal length (200-250 mm).
: : You'll run out of bellows beyond that (and
: : you might not be able to focus REAL close
: : up with a lens at that extension.
: : : Which long lenses are economic in price and good? (I
: : : know the barrel possibility)
: : Hmmm. Too many options for me to comment!
: : : 8, Is there any possibility to adapt a 4x5 rollfilm
: : : holder to my 3x4 Graflok back? But I still like to do
: : : ground glass composition. So it must work like a sheet
: : : film holder. Which one and which is the cheapest that
: : : wood be working good? Is it hard to do?
: : If you have a Graflok back, there MAY be
: : a Graphic roll film back for the 3x4. I'd
: : check some old product literature. Making
: : one from scratch would be a challenge. I
: : did a klutz job of it once when I was a kid,
: : cutting the back off an old Ansco camera the
: : gluing it against the back of a sheet film
: : holder I sacrified for the project. I cut
: : a hole through the holder and burned some
: : slots in the edges for the Graflok clamps
: : to engage. I measured how much farther back the
: : film plane had moved and put in an additional
: : pair of infinity stops to move the lens back
: : accordingly. With the Kalart rangefinder
: : model Graphics, this worked OK. Not
: : wonderful, just OK. No ground glass focus,
: : of course.
: : : 10, Why has the bellows lens board unit so a big play
: : : in the metal rails? With the infinity stops its easy to
: : : fix the unit parallel to the film plane but without
: : : them it is hard to measure parallelism. Is there any
: : : possibility to fix this problem?
: : If it's really, really sloppy, the screw underneath
: : the locking lever may be loose. Run the front
: : standard far enough forward for it to slip off
: : the front of the rails, and look underneath.
: : : 11, Is there a big problem with sheet film holders and
: : : dust particles because I have to cut down my film
: : : sheets (3x4)? Which is the best way to do this?
: : A can of "Dust-off" compressed air?

Thanks for your immediate answers . But now I know
that my English is not so good.
No.1. Yes there is no selftimer. The small "tank"
on the side of the shutter is the graflite synchronization

No2. Can I do something wrong switching the focal
plane shutter or do I have to take some care?

No.3 manuals: I will search on the internet. I found a mail address:
standartphoto@mail.com. Do you know this address?

No.4 The size of my 3x4 lensboard is 8.4mm x 8.1 mm. What size has
the 4x5 Speedgrafic in mm ?

No.5 I know that the Ektar 127mm was used on 4x5 Graflex but without movements. This lens was made for the 3x4. So I am happy to have the
possibility of movements. Sorry, enough is not a good answer for me. I know thats enough. I want to know the exact size of the illumination circle. Maybe somebody else can help me. (I found the exact Information for the WF 80mm Ektar on this helpboard.)
I still like to know which aperture is the sharpest. I know that my Speed is the old beetle and the Hasselblad is the Mercedes. But I will have a 3 x 4 inch negative
and the hassy owner only 21/2 x 21/4 inch. So maybe we will come a bit near.

No.6 I was asking for the solution/cleaner. I have a plane ground glass. So there are no lines to loose. Can I clean the fresnel lens with the same solutions. I think the fresnel lens is of plastic?

No8. I was asking for an economic lens with relatively good sharpness. I do not like to spend more Than $150 , so it will be a barrel mount lens. I own the poor man LF camera. Give me some idea which one is suitable, like the Ektar 203mm/7.7 or the optars. Just some names .

No.9 Chris L. offered his help for adapting 4x5 rollfilmholders in his mail "one 3x4 getting used today "dated October 9, 2000 on the helpboard and gave his e-mail address but I cant get it send.

No.10 The rail problem is different. If I pass the infinity stops (long bellows extension for close ups I cant bring the front standard exactly parallel to the filmplane, because there is to much play between sled of the front standard and rail on the 2 sides. The locking lever locks relatively good . It is not the problem with the screw
There is a small possibility to swing the front standard to both sides. Is this normal on all Graflex?

No.11. Do I have to use some gloves when I cut the film to 3x4? What precautions do I have to take?

Nobody answered my question about the best wide angel lens: 80 mm/6.3 WF Ektar, 90mm/6.3 WA Optar or 90 mm/6.3 WA Raptar. These are the most economic lenses on the marked .I can not afford a new economic Caltar for $800
.

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