Readyload and quickload insanity

[Jerry Fusselman]

Bill,

Thanks, I did #1 in the penultimate paragraph posted just before yours.

As for #2, which part you are referring to? The website you cite was almost included in my prior answer. One sentence in particular there under Graflok seems relevant: "The Graflok has a removable focus panel, a Fresnel screen, and and features locks to hold various filmbacks." A removable focus panel---not a pull-it-back-and-insert-your-film-holder focus panel.

I should perhaps emphasize that I am talking only about Graflok backs in the strictest sense. And I mean the 4x5 variety, not the 6x9 baby Graflok. And when I say back, I am not referring to a film holder. I still have not seen an example of a true Graflok back with a pull-it-back-and-insert-your-film-holder ground glass.

Maybe someone can explain what is causing our confusion or miscommunication better to us?

[Jerry Fusselman]

Thanks, I will repeat from my recent post:

I have three kinds of cameras with unspringable Graflok backs: First, I have some Vistashifts and Graflex XL cameras that take oddball Graflex XL--to--4x5 Graflok adapters; second, I now have a Gaoersi 4x5 shiftable point-and-shoot camera; third, I have 4x5 Graflok backs rigidly attached to reducing backs for my 5x7 and 8x10 cameras.

[Juergen Sattler]

Jerry,

the confusion stems from the fact that any camera that has a Graflok back accepts any film holders there are and ONLY for the rollfilm holders would you have to take the focsuing panel off. You seem to indicate that your camera(s) require you to take the Graflok back off in order to insert the readyload holder. I have never heard of such a weird thing and obviously none of the other members who responded to your post. I can't help you with the readyload question - I don't use them.

[Jerry Fusselman]

Juergen, thanks for helping, where I did say that the Graflok back must come off in order to insert the Readyload holder? I never intended to suggest such a weird thing. I don't think everyone in this thread had that impression.

I have lots of cameras, strange though they may be, lots of cameras with Graflok backs where I must take off the focusing panel to shoot Quickloads and Readyloads. I realize you say any camera, but maybe you can name just one for me, for I would like to see how it works.

[Oren Grad]

Go to this page -

www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/graflex/backs.htm

- and scroll down until you see the picture labeled "A Graflok with a film holder inserted". This shows a Graflok back with a standard 4x5 cut film holder inserted. Compare it to the picture immediately above it, labeled "The Graflok back", which shows the back without the cut film holder inserted. Note that the ground glass frame with hood is not removed, but is simply pushed back by the inserted holder while still being retained by the spring-loaded arms, which have pivoted slightly to allow the ground glass frame to move outward. This is the way Graflok backs are designed to work. Any back that does not work in this way does not meet the Graflok standard.

[Paul Kierstead]

Perhaps a picture of the back is in order, if you should happen to have some lonely digicam lyint around. If you have no mens of hosting the picture, I am sure someone will for you (including me).

However, if it looks like the one at
http://www.electricedge.com/greymatter/images5/22-6.jpg
(taken from http://www.electricedge.com/greymatter/archives/archive-02132005-02192005.htm)

You will note those two "tabs" on the right (right of the arrows a bit). You should be able to pull the back up enough using these tabs in order to slide a holder underneath. Does you holder not look similiar to this?

[Jerry Fusselman]

Oren, thanks so much, those pictures are crystal clear! Exactly what I wanted to see. But my Graflok backs do not allow that---too bad.

Well, thanks everyone, all of my questions on this topic have been answered, except that I still hope that Kodak reinstates the Graflok slots on their Readyload holders.

[Jerry Fusselman]

So much help in just one evening! Such a fine resource!

Paul, you refer to the two black tabs on the extreme right. I always wondered why they were there. So that's what they are for!

I must now confess to two errors I made in this thread.

First, I now believe that all of the cases with Velvia and Provia with part of my image obliterated were notches, not holes. The holes are just in my 4x5 negatives. I still despise (or at least I don't understand) Fuji's decision to put holes in my negatives, but at least they did not do so in my 4x5 chromes. The notches are not nearly as bad, because they are not always a problem and because they are indeed on the extreme ends of the film. So my experience matches Paul's, except that about half of my 4x5 chromes have some notch problems on the edges. (Maybe Paul uses better technique.) For this reason, and also because of some private email, I believe that Sal's summary of the situation is probably perfectly accurate in all respects.

My second error is that all of my Graflok-back equipped cameras, including my Gaoersi camera, do indeed allow using 4x5 film holders and Graflok-slotless Readyloads. So when I wrote just now that "my Graflok backs do not allow that," I was completely wrong, sorry. Anyway it is not the back that allows it, it is the pivoting of the spring-loaded arms of the ground-glass panel, as Oren explained. I guess I have forfeited any chance of winning any mechanical-genius-of-the-year award.

I understand from private email that the original double-sheet Readyloads were always slotless, but some of the earlier single-sheet Readyloads do indeed have Graflok slots, like the one mentioned by Mike near the top. But the current model lacks the Graflok slots.

But, now I have a new question: Which way is superior for a Quickload? Is the Quickload holder better placed in front of the ground glass or in place of the ground glass? I image the variables to consider are these three:

<ol> <li>Film plane accuracy; <li>Maintaining the camera's position and focus; <li>Speed of reloading. </ol>

Can anyone suggest which placement of the Quickload is better?

[Larry Gebhardt]

Jerry, glad you got that figured out.

There should be no difference between placing it under the ground glass or removing the ground glass and securing with the grafloc tabs. If you place it under the ground glass you do need to make sure you don't pull the holder away from the camera as you pull the sleave out, other wise you can have light leaks. But the placement is the same in both cases (assuming the tabs are not bent).

[giancatarina]

Graflock back and international back is not the same,
while an international back support graflock stuff (super rollex...) AND insert (4x5 holders such as fidelity, toyo, lisco...)
the plain graflock back only support graflock !

Considering the price of film and processing in 4x5, if i was you, i will just change my camera for a second hand one... or i will use graffmatic !