Just received my Speed Graphic. I have two questions. 1. Can I use readyloads with the spring back, and doI need the holder with it?
2. The ground glass was broken when shipped. Where can I get a replacement and what kind do I get. Also where exactly does it fit. There does not seem to be any clips for it. Does it go in front of the shutter or behind?
The graphic spring back on Speed Graphics will hold just about all "spring back" accessories including the Kodak Readyload holder (which you will need if you want to shoot Readyloads), Polaroid 545 holders, and a couple of roll film holders. For replacement ground glass, try www.satinsnowglass.com which makes quality glass to whatever size you will need (ask for the corners to be bobbed 1/4" or grind them down yourself). They even provide an instruction sheet and templates for marking various gridlines on the glass.
The ground glass itself fits under two side bars that secure the side flaps of the flip-up sunshade on the back of the spring back. The "ground" side always points to the lens. There are several small screws which hold the side bars in. Be careful as you remove them because the sunshade spring will snap the shade upwards as you remove the last of the screws. For almost everything you always wanted to know about the Speed Graphic, visit www.graflex.org Cheers,
Maybe there are different Graphic spring backs. Mine will not accept a Polaroid 545 holder which I can only use on my cameras with a Graphloc back.
It might be possiable to force one in, but as I have other cameras I didn't want to risk breaking the springs.
The first thing you have to do is go to graflex.org and identify exactly which Speed you have. Then figure out if your original GG also had the Ektalite screen installed! If it did, and that was broken also, then you can't simply replace the GG with a new one!
Go to graflex.org, identify the camera and back, and ask the question there...
I am confused on whether the back is a "Spring Back" or a Graflok Back. I cannot tell by looking at the pictures at Grafex.org. Can anyone help me.
A 'spring back' is very simple. The groundglass panel pulls back via two leaf springs, to insert the sheet film holder. The later 'Graflok' or 'International ' back has two sliding levers, top and bottom, that remove the entire groundglass back, leaf springs and all.This is to allow using things like roll-film backs that are too deep to fit where the standard film holder goes, and leaves you looking for a place to set the GG back while photographing.
There are no sliding levers on this back, so it looks like the spring back. If so, I can use Readyloads with that back, right? Also, I ordered a new GG from SatinSnow. The GG that broke was just one piece. Do I need anything else?
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