Great LF book, 'Graphic Graflex Photography' "The Master Book for the Larger Camera" [Archive]

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 12:24

I heard of this book elsewhere on this forum.

Got one today. Perfect condition, $16 delivered. 438 pages

Any beginner should have one. It is packed with extremely important information and is nothing like any modern book. It is better, by far than any other LF book I have bought.

'Graphic Graflex Photography', by Morgan and Lester

"The Master Book for the Larger Camera"

Lot's of great pics, text, ads and examples. Includes darkroom process and design.

Read this instead of endlessly searching the Internet for snippets of data.

This book is really all you need! it is not out of date.

Dan Fromm

8-Jul-2013, 12:45

Which edition do you have?

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 12:52

7th edition, 1946, 3rd printing.

I wanted a post war one, but they were in worse condition and more money.

This one has interesting wartime comments.

Which edition do you have?

Dan Fromm

8-Jul-2013, 14:53

You want the last and best, the eleventh. I have the first and tenth.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 14:57

Sure, I did not even see an 11th during a search. I still read books.

What do you need?

You want the last and best, the eleventh. I have the first and tenth.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 16:29

I misread your post.

I'll look for 11th.

Most sellers are claiming the 10th is the last edition.

Thanks for the tip.

Sure, I did not even see an 11th during a search. I still read books.

What do you need?

premortho

8-Jul-2013, 17:14

Maybe I was the guy who turned you on to that book. I know I mentioned it in some post or another. I found mine to be very helpful.
I heard of this book elsewhere on this forum.

Got one today. Perfect condition, $16 delivered. 438 pages

Any beginner should have one. It is packed with extremely important information and is nothing like any modern book. It is better, by far than any other LF book I have bought.

'Graphic Graflex Photography', by Morgan and Lester

"The Master Book for the Larger Camera"

Lot's of great pics, text, ads and examples. Includes darkroom process and design.

Read this instead of endlessly searching the Internet for snippets of data.

This book is really all you need! it is not out of date.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 17:28

You are correct, premortho, twas you. Thank you!

I am finding old photo books are far better than new ones.

Sergei turned me on to William Mortensen and I bought 2 on models.

Maybe we need a reading list, but who reads? I wish I could also have them all electronically, as I tend to get buried in books and magazines. I have had to clean out the stacks many times over the years.

This book is a secret treasure, well written and illustrated.

And I like Speed Graphics, but anybody reading this, please that ignore that, as the book is applicable to any LF camera of any size.

I also located the 11th edition, but my book budget is done for the month.

Maybe I was the guy who turned you on to that book. I know I mentioned it in some post or another. I found mine to be very helpful.

John Kasaian

8-Jul-2013, 20:21

Merg Ross

8-Jul-2013, 20:36

Since you're looking, look for Photographic Principles and Practices by Neblette, and Photographic Facts and Formulas by Wall & Jordan ---I think they make nice compliments to Graphic Graflex Photography:)

Hi John,

Excellent suggestions! I have both; Neblette was my guide as a teenager, and I still refer to him fifty years later.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 20:57

John,

Thanks for the recommendations. I picked up the first book as a 4th edition, $15 delivered, big book!

The second is available from Internet Archive, I got it for free as a Kindle reader. I always like that.

Since you're looking, look for Photographic Principles and Practices by Neblette, and Photographic Facts and Formulas by Wall & Jordan ---I think they make nice compliments to Graphic Graflex Photography:)

BarryS

8-Jul-2013, 21:19

Another secret gem of a book I've found is the Photographer's Mate 3 & 2 Rate Training Manual. I picked it up as a lark and was surprised it's so full of useful information and so well-written. It's also interesting to learn about the analog photography systems used in the Navy (circa 1972) including a lot if great information on aerial photography.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 21:37

1972! Why that was only yesterday, what did we know in 1972?

I was a know it all 21 year old.

Actually sounds good, but now I need some more bulk chems and stacks of X-Ray film.

I try to keep this stuff to a budget. lol

Another secret gem of a book I've found is the Photographer's Mate 3 & 2 Rate Training Manual. I picked up as a lark and was surprised it's so full of useful information and so well-written. It's also interesting to learn about the analog photography systems used in the Navy (circa 1972) including a lot if great information on aerial photography.

Tin Can

8-Jul-2013, 21:50

Seems a little rare in better condition. I put a watch on it. I'm sure my 1940's books could use a 1972 update.

Another secret gem of a book I've found is the Photographer's Mate 3 & 2 Rate Training Manual. I picked up as a lark and was surprised it's so full of useful information and so well-written. It's also interesting to learn about the analog photography systems used in the Navy (circa 1972) including a lot if great information on aerial photography.

Michael Graves

9-Jul-2013, 04:44

I agree that this is a fantastic resource. Another good one is The Encyclopedia of Photography. This was a subscription-based publication from around WWII that came out once a month until it was done. Each issue is filled with fascinating articles (and as an encyclopedia, they were done alphabetically). I have the complete set, bound in library covers, five issues to a cover and I generally have at least one collection pulled out of my bookcase and next to my bed for evening reading. The gravures are of outstanding quality, considering the age.

Jim Jones

9-Jul-2013, 07:01

Graphic Graflex Photography through the 7th edition covers the Anniversary model Speed Graphic. The 8th through 10th editions also cover the side rangefinder Pacemaker series. The 11h edition covers the top rangefinder Pacemaker series and early Super Graphic, but is only 256 pages long. The 4th edition has the advantage of articles by Bernice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Barbara Morgan, and Rudolph Kingslake among others. One by one, articles by these iconic experts were dropped from subsequent editions.

A worn copy of Rudolph Kingslake's Lenses in Photography, purchased new in 1952, is still at hand near my computer. It is basic and much outdated, but practical. A tattered 1942 copy of the more thorough Neblette's Photography: Its Principled and Practice later supplemented Kingslake.

Bob Salomon

9-Jul-2013, 07:06

There are other as well. Look up Large Format Photography from Grossbild (English version probably)

BerndR

13-Apr-2015, 21:59

You want the last and best, the eleventh.Trying to locate the 11th edition but to no avail - unless the 11th edition is not called "Graphic Graflex photography; the master book for the larger camera" anymore but "Graphic Graflex photography for prize winning pictures" (of which there do not seem to exist earlier editions).

Or has anyone by chance taken it upon himself to create an OCRed eBook version of this jewel (11th edition, of course)?

Tin Can

13-Apr-2015, 22:15

Jim Jones

14-Apr-2015, 07:10

Trying to locate the 11th edition but to no avail - unless the 11th edition is not called "Graphic Graflex photography; the master book for the larger camera" anymore but "Graphic Graflex photography for prize winning pictures" (of which there do not seem to exist earlier editions).

Or has anyone by chance taken it upon himself to create an OCRed eBook version of this jewel (11th edition, of course)?

The 11th edition (1958) is indeed subtitled, "For Prize Winning Pictures." The author is Willard D. Morgan plus 16 contributors who were almost all unfamiliar to me. The updated information is nice, but the early editions cover the older equipment and technique more thoroughly.

Louis Pacilla

14-Apr-2015, 07:16

Trying to locate the 11th edition but to no avail - unless the 11th edition is not called "Graphic Graflex photography; the master book for the larger camera" anymore but "Graphic Graflex photography for prize winning pictures" (of which there do not seem to exist earlier editions).

Or has anyone by chance taken it upon himself to create an OCRed eBook version of this jewel (11th edition, of course)?

I have the 11th edition and the title may be "Graphic Graflex Photography" however, on inside title page it also has " For Prize Winning Photography". under the title. I don't have the paper cover w/ me to check it but the cover may have " For Prize Winning Photography" printed on it as well.

Jim beat me to it! Hey Jim same answer so that's pretty good confirmation.:)

Doug Howk

14-Apr-2015, 07:26

I've only got the 10th - thanks for the reminder.
Btw, Willard Morgan was also the general editor of "The Encyclopedia of Photography - the Complete Photographer", a 20 volume series that includes articles by Abbot, Adams, Weston among many others (published thru 1971).

Jim Jones

14-Apr-2015, 13:26

Louis -- the spine of the 11th edition merely has Graphic Graflex Photography and, in smaller print, Morgan & Morgan. Nothing on the face of the cover.

John Kasaian

15-Apr-2015, 06:59

As a "bottom feeder" in the ocean of camera lenses, a book I really enjoy is Kingslake's A History of the Photographic Lens as it gives useful information on older designs.

Louis Pacilla

15-Apr-2015, 08:35

Louis -- the spine of the 11th edition merely has Graphic Graflex Photography and, in smaller print, Morgan & Morgan. Nothing on the face of the cover.

Hey brother Jim that's exactly what the spine of my 11th edition has on it. Graphic Graflex Photography and the smaller Morgan & Morgan.

brother John I agree. Kingslakes "A History of the photographic lens" is a great little book. It's not a complete history of the photographic lens but still covers the basics and goes over some of the more famous lens designs of the time.

John Kasaian

15-Apr-2015, 16:23

Hey brother Jim that's exactly what the spine of my 11th edition has on it. Graphic Graflex Photography and the smaller Morgan & Morgan.

brother John I agree. Kingslakes "A History of the photographic lens" is a great little book. It's not a complete history of the photographic lens but still covers the basics and goes over some of the more famous lens designs of the time.
FWIW, my copy of Kingslake came from the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 4510 Memphis Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44144
It amazes me sometimes how many ex-library books found their way into my collection all privately purchased, of course!

BerndR

15-Apr-2015, 19:40

Thanks for all your answers. I've ordered the 10th edition now - I hope I don't miss out on too many things in the 11th. Interestingly enough, the 1971 book supposedly is a reprint of the 9th edition (http://www.worldcat.org/title/graphic-graflex-photography/oclc/1814735).

Tin Can

15-Apr-2015, 21:22

I would like every edition as each would have different era advertising, but that's going too far, even for me...

Jac@stafford.net

3-Aug-2015, 18:10

Randy Moe, you are a saint! I found an edition of "graphic graflex photography" and am immersed in it now. Great tech, and important for its historical value of point-of-view. I owe you, buddy.

Tin Can

3-Aug-2015, 18:41

Randy Moe, you are a saint! I found an edition of "graphic graflex photography" and am immersed in it now. Great tech, and important for its historical value of point-of-view. I owe you, buddy.

I refer to my 4th edition all the time.

If i'm a saint, we are all going straight into the flash powder fire.

Jim Jones

3-Aug-2015, 19:15

For Graphic Graflex Photography buyers, the 4th through 7th editions cover up through the Anniversary model. The 8th through 10th editions includes the side rangefinder Pacemaker series. The 11th edition of 1958 includes the top rangefinder Pacemaker series and the early Super Graphic. It is skimpier than earlier editions. Even if you buy it to cover your late Graphic camera, I recommend getting an earlier edition for the history and for articles by experts like Rudolf Kingslake, Ansel Adams, Laura Gilpin, Bernice Abbot, Barbara Morgan, and others.

Jac@stafford.net

4-Aug-2015, 06:55

My copy, the eighth edition, bears the signature and location of a previous owner, Jack Matsumoto, staff photographer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Remember when papers had real staff photographers?

Jim Noel

4-Aug-2015, 08:44

I fully agree that the earlier books are far more informative than recent ones. "Graphic-Graflex Photography", and the U.S.Navy Photography Mate Manual provide most of the information ever needed. The Navy manual includes some work around suggestions for those times when materials are lacking.

My third important old book is actually a series. "The Complete Photographer" was published as a series "thrice monthly". It was available only by subscription because paper for publishing during WWII was limited to sold copies in order to prevent waste of unsold magazines.
Articles were written by the important photographers of the time. I just happened to pull out issue #33 which lists on the cover:"Infra-red Photography with Flash, Insect Photography, Institutional and Industrial Films, Intensification, Interior lighting for Motion Pictures, Interiors-Home and Professional, and Investigating Documents with Photography."
Additionally each issue includes several Photogravures. I have treasured my set since I got them as a teenager, It is not unusual for me to pull out an issue and re-read an article, some of which were spread over 2-3 issues.
I need to stop now and re-read the article on Interiors.

Jim

Tin Can

4-Aug-2015, 09:45

1993 version of U.S.Navy Photography Mate Manual is here in PDF (http://navybmr.com/studymaterial%204/NAVEDTRA%2014209.pdf)

Thought it would be all film, but on page 25 they discuss 'floppy discs' without much detail how they used them. This on page 31, 'Kodak DCS 200 Digital camera is 1.54 million pixels'.

They also have pinhole section where they suggest that 4 pinholes with prisms focusing on one area would give a much brighter image. Secret spy camera?

Lots more for me to read, but I do want to find a WWII version.