Help needed with my new press camera

[Bob Barber]

Hi,

Just got my first large format camera today, a Burke and James 4x5, and I have a couple questions.

What kind of film holders do I need to buy for it?

Does anybody know if the back rotates, and/or how to do it?

I'm sure I'll have lots more questions as I actually try to use the thing.

Thanks,

Bob

[Jim Ewins]

Bob, my B&J is a mono-rail so couldn't say however my back detaches and can be rotated 90 deg at a time. Suggest you post some pictures, and visit the Graflex.org(?) website. I'd guess that regular 4x5 holders would work. Jim

[Bob Barber]

I guess my question was naiive. So there is no difference between all of the different brands of 4x5 holders?

I'm also looking at the Calumet 120 roll film holder that slides in front of the ground glass, but according to some of the other posts on this forum it's a dog. Does anybody have anything good to say about it?

I'll post some pictures of my camera shortly.

[Jim Noel]

If yours is a B&J Press camera, there is no need to rotate the back, jut rotate the camera. Of course this complicates the use of movements.

[Bob Barber]

Here is what it looks like. Thank you for helping.

[curtis roberts]

If I remember right on upper back corner is a littal bar press that in the back will rotatat .ther is one on ebay that shows the back rotated

[Bob Barber]

I found the little bar and pushed it down, but I can't pull the back away from the body even with the little bar depressed. I don't want to force it.

I see the metal piece attached to the bar moving inside of the camera, and it looks like it should be freeing up the back, but it isn't.

Maybe it hasn't been done in a while and it is just frozen.

[Brian Ellis]

[QUOTE=Bob Barber;320460] . . . .I'm also looking at the Calumet 120 roll film holder that slides in front of the ground glass, but according to some of the other posts on this forum it's a dog. Does anybody have anything good to say about it? . . . ./QUOTE]

It's a dog? I know some people have complained about film flatness but didn't realize it was considered to be a dog. I had no problems with mine, it worked fine. My only complaint was that loading it was kind of complicated, which would be o.k. if it was used all the time but I used it only sporadically and so had to check the instructions each time. I don't know anything about your camera but if it doesn't have a Graflok/International back you don't have a lot of choice in roll film holders, I think the Calumet is pretty much it when it comes to holders that slide under a spring back.

[Kuzano]

If I remember right on upper back corner is a littal bar press that in the back will rotatat .ther is one on ebay that shows the back rotated

The back rotates.. it does not pull away from the camera. If you pust that little tab in to the slot the plate you see on the back of the camera simply rotates. You push the tab in and push downward or sideways on the back plate... not away from the camera. The whole back turns a full 360 degrees with catches at 90 degree intervals. I have about 2 and 1/2 of those cameras in pieces.

Rotate... rotate. turn the back.

[Dave Moeller]

[QUOTE=Bob Barber;320476]I found the little bar and pushed it down, but I can't pull the back away from the body even with the little bar depressed. I don't want to force it.[QUOTE]

Try pressing the bar and just spinning the back. That's the way the one B&J that I saw worked.

Best of luck.

[curtis roberts]

You might have to use both hands. My B&J was hard to rotate at first

[Kuzano]

Also, with the type of spring back this camera has, I think you are limited on roll film holders to the ones that have the film at the end of the holder, like the calumet. There are a couple of better ones than the calumet, but they are late model and will be fairly expensive. Can't think of the names right no.

I'd shoot this camera at 4X5 and just use the double sided standard film holders.

[Bob Barber]

[QUOTE=Bob Barber;320460] . . . .I'm also looking at the Calumet 120 roll film holder that slides in front of the ground glass, but according to some of the other posts on this forum it's a dog. Does anybody have anything good to say about it? . . . ./QUOTE]

It's a dog? I know some people have complained about film flatness but didn't realize it was considered to be a dog. I had no problems with mine, it worked fine. My only complaint was that loading it was kind of complicated, which would be o.k. if it was used all the time but I used it only sporadically and so had to check the instructions each time. I don't know anything about your camera but if it doesn't have a Graflok/International back you don't have a lot of choice in roll film holders, I think the Calumet is pretty much it when it comes to holders that slide under a spring back.

Well, maybe dog was a strong word, but it seemed like some people had some pretty strong complaints about it, including film flatness, poor construction, etc. I'm tempted to try it anyway. Thanks for letting me know that it worked for you.

[Bob Barber]

The back rotates.. it does not pull away from the camera. If you pust that little tab in to the slot the plate you see on the back of the camera simply rotates. You push the tab in and push downward or sideways on the back plate... not away from the camera. The whole back turns a full 360 degrees with catches at 90 degree intervals. I have about 2 and 1/2 of those cameras in pieces.

Rotate... rotate. turn the back.

OK, got it. Thanks. Yes, it does rotate. :o

[Bob Barber]

Also, with the type of spring back this camera has, I think you are limited on roll film holders to the ones that have the film at the end of the holder, like the calumet. There are a couple of better ones than the calumet, but they are late model and will be fairly expensive. Can't think of the names right no.

I'd shoot this camera at 4X5 and just use the double sided standard film holders.

I'd rather do this too, but since I don't have a permanent darkroom, I'm hoping to avoid having to pick up a 4x5 enlarger. Maybe I'll just shoot at 4x5 and do contact prints.

[lenser]

Hi, Bob. I've used two of the Calumet roll backs over the years starting int he late sixties. The biggest problem I've found is that occasionally I will get very slight overlaps on the frames...no more than about a sixteenth of an inch. Therefore, I am a bit generous in composition so I'll have a bit of cropping room if I get frames that do overlap. Otherwise, as Brian says, it's a little tricky to load properly, but practice does help. I've never had any sharpness problems with mine, so my pressure plates seem to be accurate.

Good luck with your new camera!

[Bob Barber]

Hi, Bob. I've used two of the Calumet roll backs over the years starting int he late sixties. The biggest problem I've found is that occasionally I will get very slight overlaps on the frames...no more than about a sixteenth of an inch. Therefore, I am a bit generous in composition so I'll have a bit of cropping room if I get frames that do overlap. Otherwise, as Brian says, it's a little tricky to load properly, but practice does help. I've never had any sharpness problems with mine, so my pressure plates seem to be accurate.

Good luck with your new camera!

Thank you. I'm pretty excited about it!

[Kuzano]

I think a Fuji Quickload, or the latest model of Kodak Readyload (with the problems resolved... the new one with the Red button to release the envelopes), will work in that camera. The Quickload/Readyload film comes in a packet which you put the envelope in the holder, then pull the envelope almost all the way out, shoot and then slide the envelope back in. Then you release the clip on the end of the envelope from the holder and pull the whole packet. This eases film handling and allows you to send the packet in whole for processing. On the Kodak unit, the latest model resolved the problems of the early Readyload, and added a pressure plate for film flatness. It also added the slots in the side for Graflok backs (which won't concern you with your spring back).

When you have the film processed, you can have it scanned and move to digital at that point. There are a myriad of options for moving beyond the negative/transparency point, but I can't imagine that those issues become easier with roll film over 4X5, just different. If you pursue 120 with a large camera, you may want to investigate a Graflex camera with a graflok back so that you have more selection on the roll film holders, including the Graflex holders where the unit is centered in the back instead of slid in from the side.

Have fun...

[Chauncey Walden]

Another slip-in roll film holder that will work is the Adaptall 620. Unfortunately, a Grafmatic 4x5 holder will not work in the Watson Press due to clearance issues on the far end of the slot.

[Nick_3536]

Outside of the limits the spring back imposes on rollfilm holders the B&J press is a nice package. Have fun.

[JOSEPH ANDERSON]

Hi, Bob If you go used with film holders. Be careful, they are not all the same. For
example 4X5 fidelity, Riteway and Graphic holders will fit the B&J. But, 4X5
Graflex holders will NOT FIT. They were designed for the Craflex D and supre D RB SLR
cameras,and I think the older speeds with the Graflex backs. Kodak also made some of these holders . All the ones that I've seen and use are marked 4X5 Graflex and have
grooves in the horzontal (long edges) and are about a 1/4" wider than the above holders that will fit. I hope this helps on the holder issue. I see from the pix your
fangefinder has been ermoved and that's fine.Most people use these for field cameras
and don't use the RF anyway. That's how I use mine,but never ermoved the RF.
I think I just like the look of the RF on the camera.I also have two speeds and a
Crown Graphic. But I prefer the B&J. the rotating back and the front two way tilt
gives it advantiges in the field over the Speed and Crown Graphics. If in the future
you want a press/field camera with Graflok back the Super Graphic or Super speed
Graphic,(the cameras are identical the Super speed came with a 1/1000 sec.lens)
They have the rotating back. A built in rangefinder.Two way tilt, plus a modest front
swing. Also like your B&J a self contained all metal body. I think your B&J will serve
you well. Use it for a while and I think you will agree. Have fun.
Joe A

[Pete Watkins]

Another warning is that M.P.P. sheet film and plate holders have a different register distance compared with other holders. The good news is that M.P.P. were a U.K. company and I doubt if much of their stuff crossed the pond but a fair bit turns up on ebay U.K.
Pete.

[JOSEPH ANDERSON]

Thanks for that tip Pete, I didn't know that. I almost bought an M.P.P at a show a while

back. I just didn't have enough time check the camera out and let it pass. lucky me.
Next show I will bring a holder with me. Thanks again for the tip.
Joe A