Getting started with a Graflex..

[Magua]

I haven't done anything with photography in a long time. Besides the old Graflex, I just have a point-and-shoot digital. I was thinking I could test the shutter speed with some electronics test gear I have: Laser pointer, photo diode and oscilloscope. It should be fun to try.

I wonder about the quality of 4x5 film. It would seem to me that large format should offer much better image quality, compared to 35mm. Just because the film is so much bigger. Does this make sense?

great camera !

i have a series d (4x5 ) with a hand full of bag mags
( that don't leak ) and armloads of film holders.
before you expose your film, you might want to
remove the bagmag and see how active your shutter is.

if you have a friend who has a calumet shutter speed tester
or a repair shop that you can bring it to, it will be great help
giving you an idea what your speeds are.
that way you will know that the 1/4 inch slot at setting 1 is really 1/15th S and not 1 second

have fun !
john

[Bill_1856]

I wonder about the quality of 4x5 film. It would seem to me that large format should offer much better image quality, compared to 35mm. Just because the film is so much bigger. Does this make sense?

Only if the lens quality is good enough. Most of the lenses for Graflex cameras are several generations behind the latest multi-coated, aspherical zoom lenses on digital cameras.

[Jim Jones]

[QUOTE=Magua;906199]. . . I was thinking I could test the shutter speed with some electronics test gear I have: Laser pointer, photo diode and oscilloscope. It should be fun to try. . . .QUOTE]

You're set up to do a better job of testing shutter speeds than most of us. A laser pointer isn't necessary: any incandescent light source suffices. A low voltage high current lamp is best. The output of low current incandescent lamps varies slightly at a line voltage rate, although this won't affect basic accuracy. The photo diode should have a small aperature relative to the size of the narrowest slit in the shutter for best accuracy.

The lenses on old Graphics aren't the latest state-of-the-art, but many were and still are capable of fine photos. Consider this: a new lens for small format might have better resolution, but sheet film is much larger. This gives a net increase in detail over the whole image, even with lenses half a century old. Multicoating is necessary on today's complex zooms, but the Dagor and even the Rapid Rectilinear with only four air to glass interfaces did fairly well with no coating at all.

[Jay DeFehr]

Quality is subjective. Resolution, corrections, flare resistance are objective measurements. The qualities of old lenses produce images on large format film with qualities distinct from images made with modern lenses on smaller formats. It's up the the viewer to judge image quality.

[Jim Noel]

Film Packs were not one long strip of film. The film was roll film cut into 5" lengths. There were 16 exposures per pack. Each piece of film had a paper tab attached on which information could be written. As an exposure was made the next tab was pulled bringing the fresh film around the bottom and into position for exposure.
In the darkroom the pack could be opened, the exposed film removed for processing and the pack re-closed so the remainder of the film could be used.

Many people tore the paper tabs off when they pulled them. I preferred to leave them attached as it made it easier to take out the correct pieces of film for processing. I still have a few of these frozen. There is no better way to travel light with 4x5. Too bad they went out of favor.

[Jim Noel]

I forgot about processing the film. The exposed sheets may still be in the FPA in addition to that likely to be in the bag mag.

To develop it, get some D-76 and sodium benzotriazole. add about 100 ml of benzotriazole to each liter of diluted developer and give it a go.

If there is unused film, it will still record, but be slower than when new. It is likely also fogged and the benzotriazole wil be needed.

[Jay DeFehr]

Film Packs were not one long strip of film. The film was roll film cut into 5" lengths. There were 16 exposures per pack. Each piece of film had a paper tab attached on which information could be written. As an exposure was made the next tab was pulled bringing the fresh film around the bottom and into position for exposure.
In the darkroom the pack could be opened, the exposed film removed for processing and the pack re-closed so the remainder of the film could be used.

Many people tore the paper tabs off when they pulled them. I preferred to leave them attached as it made it easier to take out the correct pieces of film for processing. I still have a few of these frozen. There is no better way to travel light with 4x5. Too bad they went out of favor.

Thank you for this excellent description! As odd as it may seem, I've never read a description of how these FPAs worked, and I admit, despite your excellent description, it's still a little fuzzy in my head. I think I'll do a google search and see if I can find some illustrations. Thanks again!

[Hugo Zhang]

I must be lucky! I've never seen one that leaks. I have four and they all work perfectly.

Jay,

Do you have issues with dusts on the negatives with bag mag? I have a few bag bellows with my Super D and no matter how carefully, air blow each septum before loading the film and air blow inside the box, I try to load and unload the films, I seem to get tiny dusts on at least 3-4 negatives from each bag. I talked to Kim Weston the other day and he had the same problem and said they came from the inside of the leather bag and the only solution was to change the leather pouch into something that does not have small particles falling off.

I love those bag bellows though.

Hugo

[Louis Pacilla]

Hugo

Do you mean "Bag Mag" and NOT Bag bellows? Ah, I thought so.

[Hugo Zhang]

Louis,

I meant bag mag. Sorry about that.

Hugo