Polaroid back for Speed Graphic without Graflok Back

[akfreak]

I have a speed graphic and want to shoot Fuji FP-100C or B film. I cant seem to find one, Is there a NPC back for my camera?

[ghe67]

I don't know about the Speed Graphic but on my Busch-Pressman D with spring back the only Pola back that works on it was the 545 series for the sheet films.
The 405 and 505 backs for pack films are too thick for the spring back but obviously good for a Graflok style back.
Giorgio

[johnielvis]

what you do is expand the springs in back to fit the polaroid back....you do this by removing the screws (two of them) that hold the springs in place...replace with LONGER screws...a spring and a washer (coil spring--placed on the longer screw like a click pen).....then--with the longer screws you have enough travel for the bigger back to make it in there...the springs provide extra compression..

alternate---long screws with wing nuts....you open up the wing nuts to accept the pola back and torque them down for regular holders and snugness....all you gotta buy really is 2 screws...

OR...I think them screws are long enough where you can just unscrew them enough themselves and fit in a back....many many ways to make it fit

[benrains]

Another less kludgey option would be to get your hands on a 4x5 Graflex Graflok style back. It's very easy to replace the back. Just remove a couple of screws, remove the spring style back, and screw on the Graflok back.

[Greg Lockrey]

It used to slide in mine.... ??????

[akfreak]

So it is easy to upgrade mine to a graflok back.

[Kuzano]

The back with the graflok ... 3 parts for the whole system
1) the back that screws onto the back of the camera, which has the graflok slides/tabs
2) the ground glass portion which has the chrome latches that latch to part one and also has the ground glass.
3) the folding viewing hood that clips into the back and opens to form a metal shade for viewing.

They come up on eBay, but usually just the first two parts. The first two parts in good condition with a good GG will usually bring from $100 to $150.

When you find all three pieces... a real stroke of luck ... expect to pay more.

OTOH, you might even more easily find a beater/user camera with all the rear parts for about the same price as a complete back and have some parts to sell to recapture your purchase for just the back.

Keep in mind however that a beater/user/parts camera will very likely have lost it's back on the way to becoming a beater/user/parts camera. Many have stripped the Grafloks off to convert spring back cameras, just as you may do. It's a screw on operation, and I think the screw holes are in the same location.

If money is no object, and I do not say this as a dis-service to Fred, you might just want to contact Fred Lustig in Reno Nevada... he has a listed phone and see if he has the complete Graflok back. I've used Fred on some of my Graflex stuff and I regard him very highly. Many on this forum have used Fred for Graflex stuff. As the story goes, Fred is the guy who bought a bunch (or the remainder) of NOS Graflex inventory when Graflex quit making 4X5 Press cameras. I think he used to work for them???? Somebody may correct me on that.

[Ramiro Elena]

Yep, I've been looking for a cheap Graflock for some time and they usually go for as much as I payed for my Speed Graphic.

[Thebes]

Has anyone put a Cambo graflok back on a speed graphic? Just wondering if it would work since I have one sitting here and need a graflok backed speed for a project.

Also, does a PA-45 obscure the rangefinder on the side finder cameras? I can't find a picture of one on in a kalart speed, but it looks like its close because the PA45 flares.

[Kuzano]

Has anyone put a Cambo graflok back on a speed graphic? Just wondering if it would work since I have one sitting here and need a graflok backed speed for a project.

Also, does a PA-45 obscure the rangefinder on the side finder cameras? I can't find a picture of one on in a kalart speed, but it looks like its close because the PA45 flares.

Any Graflok style back will work, as long as:

1) you can make a light tight fit on the back of the camera, and
2) you are using GG viewing, ie. NOT using a rangefinder for handholding or other, and
3) you maintain parallelism to the front standard when all movements are zero'd out.

Measurement from the front standard to the ground glass should not be changed if you are using a rangefinder. If you are using Ground Glass viewing, a change in distance will not matter. You are focusing the lens on the Ground Glass, wherever it ends up.

IF you are actually using the rangefinder, the ground glass MUST remain in register, ie. it must be in the same position as the original Ground Glass with regard to distance from the front standard, or the rangefinder must be recalibrated to the new location.