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Thread: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

  1. #11

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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave_B View Post
    Boy, were we pathetic nerds. We were so uncool that the coolest thing we could think of to imitate was an engineer.
    Ahem... sir... what do you mean by "were"... some of us still ARE!

  2. #12
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Almost forgot Grafmatic (AKA Graphmatic) holders! They are semi-automatic holders you could pre-load 6 sheets of cut film into via septums, and a push and pull on the darkslide stored the exposed sheet and loaded a fresh sheet without having to remove the holder from the camera.

    Here is one illustrated resource: http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/grafmatic/

    Cheers,
    Jack Flesher

    www.getdpi.com

  3. #13
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Nice article. But if you want to be comprehensive, perhaps some mention of large format Polaroid backs? Or big roll-film backs? Or (*shudder*) digital backs?

  4. #14

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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Hi, Brian,

    I think you might simplify things a little if you just called spring backs "spring backs" and forgot about use of the term "Graphics" for them since spring back is the term in use today (at least I think it is though perhaps that's where my ignorance comes in).
    You're absolutely right That's why in the article I do call them "spring backs" (although I mention that they are sometimes called "Graphic" backs, and they are, for the benefit of readers who want to know what's being spoken of when they read a reference to "Graphic" backs).

    There are only three spellings relevant here:

    - "Graflex" (I explain in the article various things that means).
    - "Graphic" (I was going to explain that, but I decided not to; hopefully its origin is evident from the discussion).
    - "Graflok" (I explain that in the article).

    Thanks for writing in.

    Best regards,

    Doug

  5. #15

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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Hi, Jack,

    Almost forgot Grafmatic (AKA Graphmatic) holders!
    Sure. The article is about backs, not every possible thing that would go into them. But I might expand its scope the next time around.

    Thanks for the thought.

    Best regards,

    Doug

  6. #16

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    Re: Large Format Backs - New tutorial article

    Hi, Mark,

    . . . But if you want to be comprehensive, perhaps some mention of large format Polaroid backs? Or big roll-film backs? Or (*shudder*) digital backs?
    Again, I wasn't trying to explain everything that would go into a back. But I may expand the scope of the article the next time around.

    Regarding digital backs, I am so far only aware of digital backs that play the role of a medium-format back (not any that go into a large format "film" back). And I had intended to make clear that the article was about film backs. But again, I need to see what I might do about this related field the next time around.

    Thanks for your thoughts.

    Best regards,

    Doug

  7. #17

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    Well, now you've done it!

    Hi, Jack,

    Well, now you've done it! I decided to write a section on bail backs for the article, but I didn't have any good pix (and no bail backs here to photograph), and my friend Will (who has several such) was out moving furniture. So I went to the evidently-unmentionable online auction site (not Sotheby's - can I say "Sotheby's" here?) to look for a nice picture of a camera with a bail back, and found a lovely picture of the bail back on a Calumet Standard 4x5, and the auction was about to close, and the camera looked really pretty, so I bought it!

    Now I have another machine to learn about!

    Are there bail backs that are basically of the Graflok formulation? The ones I am familiar with are all of the "spring" type.

    Best regards,

    Doug

  8. #18

    Re: Well, now you've done it!

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Kerr View Post

    ........and found a lovely picture of the bail back on a Calumet Standard 4x5, and the auction was about to close, and the camera looked really pretty, so I bought it!

    Now I have another machine to learn about!

    Are there bail backs that are basically of the Graflok formulation? The ones I am familiar with are all of the "spring" type.

    I love this place!

  9. #19
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
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    Re: Well, now you've done it!

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Kerr View Post
    Are there bail backs that are basically of the Graflok formulation? The ones I am familiar with are all of the "spring" type.
    Sheesh! I didn't expect to send you out on a spending spree

    I am no expert on backs, but most of the bails I have seen were there simply to make it easier to open up a spring back without moving the camera.

    Congrats on your new toy!
    Jack Flesher

    www.getdpi.com

  10. #20

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    Re: Well, now you've done it!

    Hi, Jack,

    Sheesh! I didn't expect to send you out on a spending spree
    Well, it's dirty work, but somebody has to do it!

    I am no expert on backs, but most of the bails I have seen were there simply to make it easier to open up a spring back without moving the camera.
    That's what I've seen too, but of course that would be equally beneficial on a Graflok (international) back. But I don't know if it has ever been implemented there.

    Congrats on your new toy!
    Thanks. I'm sure it will be lovely.

    Best regards,

    Doug

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