Using a press camera

[macandal]

I have a 4x5 Crown Graphic that I want to use handheld but I'm finding it hard to do so. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it, but I feel like in focusing, framing, and then taking the picture, well, I feel like I'm too slow and I'm missing something. I know it's possible to do all kinds of photography using this camera, there are examples of it being used as a street camera, to do portraiture, sports photography, etc, so maybe I'm doing something wrong. Are there any books or videos on technique about using the Crown Graphic handheld?

Thanks.

(4x5 Crown Graphic, 135mm lens.)

[IanG]

I don't know about books, I do use a Crwown Graphic or a Super Graphic hand held and it's fast:

First - I shoot HP5 at 400EI when working hand held usually at 1/125 or 1/250 @ f22, but I'll go to 1/6o or even 1/30 @ f16 if needed.

Second - I compose on the Ground glass screen both cameras have frensnels and focus hoods, I might use slight front tilt.

Third - I check the focus and framing paying attention to the dges, lock the focus.

Fourth - close the lens and stop down, check shutter's cocked and closed

Fifth - load the DDS (film holder) and remove athe sheath turn around and push in very slightly then DDS.,.

Sixth - recompose using the Wire frame finder and expose.

Seventh - Push sheath fully home, remove DDS. open lens aperture and return to preview.

It's far quicker to do in practice than to read what I've written. I'm shoting landscapes where tripods are banned (or takes too long to get written permission) I prefer to shoot at f22. The wire frame finder works even with a 90mm as well as my 150mm or a 203/210mm, as it moves with the front standard and stays relative to the lens board it's fine with slight movements and at different distances as well. Be aware there's 3 focus distance settings on the wire finder.

You're doing sport and portraits so DOF is less important as is edge/corner sharpness so you can work at widert apertures.

Ian

[Bill_1856]

Since you are new to the Graphic, you may not realize that the first secret to using it is how you hold it.
The left strap is not used as a handle, but your hand should be slid UNDER the strap, holding it firmly but not painfully against the camera body.
Enjoy -- using a press camera is a wonderful experience.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Do not compare your hand helds to the crowds of press photogs from the old days. They used big, bright flashbulbs even in daylight, zone focusing and film packs rather than sheet film holders. And the flash unit was a good right hand handle. I use three different 4x5 press cameras with rangefinders and they are a b*tch especially if you do not have good grips.

Add to that the fact that the negatives were rarely enlarged and you can see how faults were not readily apparent.

Do you have a good left hand strap? How about something to hold onto on the right side? No need to get a classic bulb flash holder for that. The clamps that attach to the right side will do to hold a stout wooden dowel instead.

Does this help a little?

EDIT: There were a couple books showing Graflex practice. I might still have them. Will check when I get home later.

[Patrick13]

Always remember: a cameraman is made, not born.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vp2DmA3MA8

[macandal]

I don't know about books, I do use a Crwown Graphic or a Super Graphic hand held and it's fast:

First - ...Thanks Ian. I use HP5+ also. This is helpful.

[macandal]

Since you are new to the Graphic, you may not realize that the first secret to using it is how you hold it.
The left strap is not used as a handle, but your hand should be slid UNDER the strap, holding it firmly but not painfully against the camera body.
Enjoy -- using a press camera is a wonderful experience.Yes, I do know what that strap is for.

Thanks!

[macandal]

Do not compare your hand helds to the crowds of press photogs from the old days. They used big, bright flashbulbs even in daylight, zone focusing and film packs rather than sheet film holders. And the flash unit was a good right hand handle. I use three different 4x5 press cameras with rangefinders and they are a b*tch especially if you do not have good grips.

Add to that the fact that the negatives were rarely enlarged and you can see how faults were not readily apparent.

Do you have a good left hand strap? How about something to hold onto on the right side? No need to get a classic bulb flash holder for that. The clamps that attach to the right side will do to hold a stout wooden dowel instead.

Does this help a little?

EDIT: There were a couple books showing Graflex practice. I might still have them. Will check when I get home later.My left hand strap is in excellent condition and I use it for grip. I also bend my finger around the indenture ("U" shape) on the left hand side. On the right side I have the metal clamp that attaches to the bulb flash holder, which I have too but not attached to the camera right now, but I place my right hand under the bed close to the shutter release button which I activate with my right index finger.

Thanks.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...]EDIT: There were a couple books showing Graflex practice. I might still have them. Will check when I get home later.

EDIT AGAIN: I'm home and found in storage the 1940 and 1944 editions of Graphic Graflex Photography. The Master Book for the Larger Camera.

[Jac@stafford.net]

My left hand strap is in excellent condition and I use it for grip. I also bend my finger around the indenture ("U" shape) on the left hand side. On the right side I have the metal clamp that attaches to the bulb flash holder, which I have too but not attached to the camera right now, but I place my right hand under the bed close to the shutter release button which I activate with my right index finger.

Thanks.

That works for me, too. If you wish to pursue a right-hand grip let me know and I will try to supply the parts # and dimensions.
.

[AuditorOne]

Mario, just go shoot.

I own a Crown Graphic myself and I love the silly thing now. But it was certainly awkward and a handful when I first started using it. But, after awhile, you begin to get used to it and pretty soon you are firing away.

The only recommendation I would make beyond using it a lot is to go buy a couple Grafmatic sheet holders. They will give you six photos without requiring you to pull the sheet film holder and flipping it. They also have a bit of a learning curve associated with them but, again, once you have used them a few times you will get very comfortable.

BTW - If you do have the flash attachment then go buy a few flashbulbs and try it the Weegee Way. You will understand pretty quickly why this camera was so popular with the press boys and girls. Go take photos of a kid's soccer game from the sidelines and you will quickly figure out why they liked the flash so much.

EDIT- You will also be very popular with the kids playing soccer and they will quickly start trying to show you their best and wildest moves. :D

[Jac@stafford.net]

The only recommendation I would make beyond using it a lot is to go buy a couple Grafmatic sheet holders.

Excuse please my ignorance, but are sheet film holders and the appropriate films still available? Thank you in advance.
.

[AuditorOne]

Excuse please my ignorance, but are sheet film holders and the appropriate films still available? Thank you in advance.
.

Sure. Grafmatics use standard 4x5 sheet film. Inside the grafmatic holder are six sheet metal septums that hold the film. You slide the film into the septum and then place the septums inside the Grafmatic. I am pretty sure the butkus has instructions on his website and there is also good info at Graflex.org.

This url will give you the information. https://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/grafmatic/

Enjoy

[bloodhoundbob]

Do not compare your hand helds to the crowds of press photogs from the old days. They used big, bright flashbulbs even in daylight, zone focusing and film packs rather than sheet film holders. And the flash unit was a good right hand handle. I use three different 4x5 press cameras with rangefinders and they are a b*tch especially if you do not have good grips.

Add to that the fact that the negatives were rarely enlarged and you can see how faults were not readily apparent.

Do you have a good left hand strap? How about something to hold onto on the right side? No need to get a classic bulb flash holder for that. The clamps that attach to the right side will do to hold a stout wooden dowel instead.

Does this help a little?

EDIT: There were a couple books showing Graflex practice. I might still have them. Will check when I get home later.

Ahhhh Jac, you bring up some pleasant memories. When I became the school yearbook editor, our only camera was a SG using film packs. Those dang packs were so fast and easy to use, whether I was shooting a sporting event or a dance. Using those huge press 22 bulbs was also fun, but just not quite as fast. :cool:

[BrianShaw]

If you want/need a book, the best one for your question is Lester & Morgan's Graflex Graphic Handbook... as Jac has already mentioned.

[Jac@stafford.net]

If you want/need a book, the best one for your question is Lester & Morgan's Graflex Graphic Handbook... as Jac has already mentioned.

Using the search for "Lester Morgan Graflex Graphic Handbook" on the auction site should bring up over ten for sale, most at very reasonable prices. The book has chapters for many specialties. It's pretty darn cool, and spot-on for the camera.

[EdSawyer]

Consider adding a Linhof grip in place of the leather strap handle. Makes for an excellent way to shoot it handheld. I have those grips on most of my handheld 4x5 stuff, including on 2 speed graphics and a crown graphic.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Consider adding a Linhof grip in place of the leather strap handle. Makes for an excellent way to shoot it handheld. I have those grips on most of my handheld 4x5 stuff, including on 2 speed graphics and a crown graphic.

Good point. Unfortunately most Linhof grips do not include the camera mounting plate. (I say 'most' because an exception is the left and right hand grip for their aerial camera which mounts directly using one bolt, but it cannot slide off for storage.)

I bring this up hoping someone comes up with a clever alternative. Anyone?
.

[EdSawyer]

you can mount them directly without the mounting plate, but really only should when there is no other way. It's pretty nice to have the mounting plate, but even drilling and mounting the handle directly works fine as long as you don't need to take it off. I wish the right-hand ones were more common, but at least the left-hand ones are not too hard to find.

[macandal]

Do not compare your hand helds to the crowds of press photogs from the old days. They used big, bright flashbulbs even in daylight...,Say more about this. AuditorOne said something similar in post #11 (or at least that's what I understood by it).




BTW - If you do have the flash attachment then go buy a few flashbulbs and try it the Weegee Way. You will understand pretty quickly why this camera was so popular with the press boys and girls. Go take photos of a kid's soccer game from the sidelines and you will quickly figure out why they liked the flash so much.





...zone focusing...I can do this too.


...and film packs rather than sheet film holders.Just got myself my first (of more to come) grafmatic holder. The goal is to get me about 5 of these. So, if any of you have any for sale, let's talk.


Also, I'm wondering, and forgive my ignorance about this, is there such a thing as an "auto focusing" setting where you just leave it "there" (whatever that is) and just go about framing and shooting and not worry about focusing? Is this how they used it back in the day or did they still focused?

Thanks.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Say more about this. AuditorOne said something similar in post #11 (or at least that's what I understood by it).

(We are talking of flash bulbs in daylight.) Edison/Mazda base bulbs (same base as ordinary light bulbs) produce tens of times more light than an on-camera electronic flash. I can come back with various settings for several bulbs. The setting I was referring to was where the photographer was within 6 to 20 feet from the subject.


[...]Also, I'm wondering, and forgive my ignorance about this, is there such a thing as an "auto focusing" setting where you just leave it "there" (whatever that is) and just go about framing and shooting and not worry about focusing? Is this how they used it back in the day or did they still focused?

In a way. If you have enough light you can work with the lens stopped-down to an aperture so that a subject within a certain near-to-far range will be in acceptable focus, depending upon what is acceptable to you.

[LabRat]

(We are talking of flash bulbs in daylight.) Edison/Mazda base bulbs (same base as ordinary light bulbs) produce tens of times more light than an on-camera electronic flash. I can come back with various settings for several bulbs. The setting I was referring to was where the photographer was within 6 to 20 feet from the subject.



In a way. If you have enough light you can work with the lens stopped-down to an aperture so that a subject within a certain near-to-far range will be in acceptable focus, depending upon what is acceptable to you.

I'm trying to remember the details now, but I was taught back then that there was a default setting rule for a Press Graphic that I think was "10-16-100" that was assuming you had the "then" high speed press pan film (I think it was EI 50) and a fat #5 flashbulb in place, 10 was 10ft focus setting, 16 was f16, 100 was 1/100 sec, where the camera became a box camera with no settings, that would record a very wide range of subjects day or night... It was focused at the hyperfocal distance for things close and far but centered where most people pix were focused at, and the flash was bright enough even in daylight to make people pop out in the pix, and in the dark... (Some photogs spent their entire career at this setting...) Cub reporters that never held a camera before where sometimes sent out with enough training to basically open and load the camera, and set the settings to the rule above, and the lab took care of the rest...

It produced the typical news look in the pictures, but became too common, so that when the famous photo of Babe Ruth making his final farewell was shot available light (without daylight flash) in Yankee Stadium, it created quite a stir among photographers...

Steve K

[Jac@stafford.net]

Steve K, I believe you nailed it. Thanks for making it clear.
And poo-poo to those who dis 'hyperfocal' because it includes infinity.


It produced the typical news look in the pictures, but became too common, so that when the famous photo of Babe Ruth making his final farewell was shot available light (without daylight flash) in Yankee Stadium, it created quite a stir among photographers...

Earthshaking it was!
.