Calumet 400 and Grafmatic

[s. gregory]

I have an old Calumet 400 with a spring back, and recently loaded a Grafmatic fi lm holder with film only to discover that it doesn't seem to fit the Calumet. Th e Grafmatic is fairly thick and is stretching the springs of the camera back to what looks like their limits. While the film holder goes in 3/4 of the way there is a ridge on the Grafmatic that prevents it from going in any further. I'm war y of exerting any more force to try and squeeze it in. Am I doing something wron g, or is the Grafmatic just too thick for the Calumet back? (The Grafmatic fits fine into the graflock back of a Speed Graphic I tried it on, of course.) Any he lp would be appreciated.

[Eric Lohse]

Hi Stephen, I don't know if it will work on the Calumet, but with an old Merdian Press camera i owned af ew years ago, I solved the Grafmatic back problem by remoing the screws holding the back springs ( in the center) and putting 2 very thin washers underneath the spring center and replacing the screws. It's worth the experiment the washers were quite cheap. Good luck. Eric Lohse

[Eric Lohse]

Hi Stephen, I don't know if it will work on the Calumet, but with an old Merdian Press camera I owned a few years ago, I solved the Grafmatic back problem by removing the screws holding the back springs ( in the center) and putting 2 very thin washers underneath the spring center and replacing the screws. It's worth the experiment the washers were quite cheap. Good luck. Eric Lohse

[Doug Paramore]

Stephen: You really need the Graflok back for the Grafmatic. It will ruin the springs on the Calumet. You may be able to adapt a Graflok to the Calumet. I did on one I used to have. Not a big project.

Regards, Doug.

[Charlie Stracl]

I had a C400 when Polaroid introduced the film pack back. This was in the mid 70's. Calumet sold a set of replacement springs for the camera to allow additional travel to cover the extra thick back. I used a Grafmatic with the camera, after replacing the springs, so that's probably all you need.

They might still sell the springs as replacement parts, so I suggest you give them a call.