View Full Version : Gowlandflex 4X5
Tin Can
14-May-2023, 06:56
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50552102922_5f1e534146_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2k27JZq)GOW 2 (1) (https://flic.kr/p/2k27JZq) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 07:27
Tim Kelly LOVES his Gowlandflex. His favorite portrait camera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtbWO_E6kFU
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 07:41
https://petapixel.com/2020/09/30/a-look-at-the-ginormous-gowlandflex-twin-lens-reflex-camera/
This one has twin 360 Tele-Xenars. NICE
Another here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkRkq4rksR0
And here too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFkVJRoWbYk
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 07:46
Another way to Twin Lens Reflex 4x5 & 5x7.
This one also has twin 360mm Tele-Xenars. Lenses interchangeable, taking lens on top.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51934419089_682dc37c41_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2n8gtqM)Testing Shanghai 220 Wedding Flash Mamiya C22 105DS (https://flic.kr/p/2n8gtqM) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr
Tin Can
14-May-2023, 09:24
Gowlandflex are made for handheld fast action
Sponatity
speel check is out to lunch with robots
Peter De Smidt
14-May-2023, 09:51
You've got one, Randy? Neat! I used to have a Keith Camera twin lens.....I wish I had kept it.
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 10:11
Gowlandflex are made for handheld fast action
Sponatity
speel check is out to lunch with robots
Agreed! Mr. Gowland must have been an athlete to handhold it :)
BTW I just got a copy of "Gowland's Guide to Glamour Photography" for my library. Always wanted a copy for myself.
Tin Can
14-May-2023, 11:00
I have his "330 poses Vol 13"
On the cover of the poses is nearly exactly the same pose on this months "ELLE" fashion mag
I was about to post the cover of both for educational content
But it seems most prefer tree roots
and Gowland was a Cali swimmer, very fit
Agreed! Mr. Gowland must have been an athlete to handhold it :)
BTW I just got a copy of "Gowland's Guide to Glamour Photography" for my library. Always wanted a copy for myself.
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 11:44
I just found a copy of Posing Guide No VI, I ordered a copy back in the day. This time from Abe Books.
You should post those photos. Not everybody here photographs roots
Oren Grad
14-May-2023, 12:07
Re hand-held use, scroll down to the very bottom of this page, the section labeled "Photographic Beast": :)
https://web.archive.org/web/20030621121557/http://www.petergowland.com/camera/
Tin Can
14-May-2023, 12:19
I will when I get done battling a new computer and the cheapest Adobe
Spell check seems gone or way slow
I did try using the Gowlandflex
Had to make lensboards, my desigh
Then fiddle the matching lenses and the focus mirror
Then I tried a SINAR bino reflex
Then it needed new GG frame as it was bent
Then I took it apart
I just found a copy of Posing Guide No VI, I ordered a copy back in the day. This time from Abe Books.
You should post those photos. Not everybody here photographs roots
Daniel Unkefer
14-May-2023, 12:51
What lens did you decide to use? I think Tim Kelly uses the 210mm chrome Symmar pair, a not too expensive one. Or it could be a 180mm pair, both will work
His Gowlandflex portraits are amazing
Tin Can
14-May-2023, 15:36
I havent toucheh it for 8 years
I had 180's, have 210's
What lens did you decide to use? I think Tim Kelly uses the 210mm chrome Symmar pair, a not too expensive one. Or it could be a 180mm pair, both will work
His Gowlandflex portraits are amazing
Paul Ewins
14-May-2023, 17:45
Agreed! Mr. Gowland must have been an athlete to handhold it :)
I have a couple of Gowland TLRs, both different designs (probably earlier) to the one in Tin Can's photo. The bigger one with twin 360 Tele-Xenars weighs in at 4.6kg (10lb 2oz) while the other with 180 Xenars is 4kg (8lb 13oz). They actually feel a lot lighter than that because you are holding them close to your body so there isn't nearly as much strain on your arms.
Tin Can
15-May-2023, 04:58
I am not a big fan of any TLR
Tried a lot of them
I vastly prefer my 2 Yashica A as they are dead simple, both work, very cheap and I even got one back after years of 'loan'
Tin Can
15-May-2023, 05:31
Yep, it will rise again by somebody else
or I fit 2 360's
but I have the short bellows with cam
You've got one, Randy? Neat! I used to have a Keith Camera twin lens.....I wish I had kept it.
Tin Can
15-May-2023, 05:33
Peter,
There was a differnt 5X7 TLR that looked very interesting
but I missed
warpath
17-May-2023, 12:18
Re hand-held use, scroll down to the very bottom of this page, the section labeled "Photographic Beast": :)
https://web.archive.org/web/20030621121557/http://www.petergowland.com/camera/
Imagining an 11x14 now haha
Re hand-held use, scroll down to the very bottom of this page, the section labeled "Photographic Beast": :)
https://web.archive.org/web/20030621121557/http://www.petergowland.com/camera/
That second illustration in the link looks more than a bit like a Mamiya Cxxx.
Dustyman
20-May-2023, 14:32
239002
Coupla Gowlandflexes and a Cambo TWR54
Dustyman
20-May-2023, 14:37
With an adapted Linhof grip and a better focus hood made with a Hasselblad bellows shade and some close-up filters.
239003
Paul Ewins
20-May-2023, 23:32
My two TLRs: on the left is (I think) the earliest type without parallax correction while on the right it has manual correction via a scale and a set screw.
239004
My two TLRs: on the left is (I think) the earliest type without parallax correction while on the right it has manual correction via a scale and a set screw.
239004
Does your TLR on the left have the sliding finder on the viewing ground glass? I have one that looks very similar though has that approach to the viewing GG.
Paul Ewins
22-May-2023, 16:44
Yes, although I'm not sure whether it is working correctly. The camera came without lenses but had Copal 2 size mounts installed. I've cobbled together a pair of 180 Xenars for display, but the viewing lens has the mounting threads at a different position to the taking lens. A pair of 240 Symmars is another option but finding one in barrel is proving difficult. Annoyingly the 240 Componon has a smaller mount, so using that (or even swapping Symmar cells into the barrel) is out.
Peter De Smidt
22-May-2023, 16:56
Can you put a ground glass at the film plane to check focus?
Daniel Unkefer
22-May-2023, 17:10
Paul,
Here's a Symmar-S in barrel
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204345204995?hash=item2f93ec6103:g:ZZcAAOSwo3Nka4bq&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Cm3kvLMYVKZVor0R9T0%2FLMIx8DQycbor%2BGdvZ6wA06dYfDYpExdHFbDEaJDZkCcZuWnXa3IuF7CvyEClP0ty5X1UBRV5g5Em4VsAsMouNX9hkLvmv7EiOgHVbaX0%2B4d2pHn1nuit7JXAvAH5KU%2F%2FxPHh0IK9q8l%2BoJhSxRqGUkcBSt7O7U%2FZ%2FIld65aq7fSxJjX8hA%2FEXitBOiOq3dBEnilOh86UEeae8lGKPTdTX%2F%2Bx8LS%2FzaOFBCoYsXDsawZCtnP%2BxMTOxw%2FGzb%2BMw%2F1PKCp3vV%2BVlIFfrD10P0P4SiH%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-Dm996IYg
I see they ship worldwide.
Tin Can
23-May-2023, 04:33
Mine uses standard Graflex 4X5 GG assembly and has an adjustable front surface mirror
That assembly is visble in the pic I posted to start this thread
Can you put a ground glass at the film plane to check focus?
Paul Ewins
23-May-2023, 17:45
By the time the Symmar-S was released the Copal 2 was already defunct, so the 240 moved up to a number 3 shutter. I really only know the Schneider lenses, but I assume maybe the 180 Tessar was in a Copal 2 at some stage? Failing all that I guess I can just buy something in a broken shutter and swap cells as required.
Christo.Stankulov
7-Dec-2023, 03:04
I want to buy one!
I want to buy one!
Me to. But I have already too much photo projects (2 tricolor cameras to restore) and too much cameras that never get used.
But I keep love looking at that wonderful fancy stuff...
if serious move to PM
I want to buy one!
bobmerlin
14-Dec-2023, 20:01
I've had my Gowlandflex for 20 years or so. I've rarely used it as it's bulky and my being 5'6" doesn't help. It's got a Symar 210mm/6.3 taking and a 210mm/4.5 Schneider viewing lens.
It sits in a closet with my other cameras as film is just not easy when you live in the middle of nowhere!
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