6x17 film back on Speed Graphic

[Robert Oliver]

Has anybody actually used a 6x17 film back on a speed graphic? does the focal plane shutter mechanism cause more vignetting with longer lenses? can you still use a 150mm at infinity?

what is the widest angle lens you can use?

Thanks in advance

Robert

[IanG]

I have a Speed Graphic and can't see how the shutter could vignette with a 6x17 back. The shutters the opposite side to the normal 5x4 rectangular opening and larger, so it will make no difference at all.

Can't help with the lens, but you'll be quite restricted which is why I bought a dedicated 6x17 Gaorsi.

Ian

[Walter Calahan]

I've used a 6x12 back on a Speed Graphic, but never a 6x17. A 6x17 usually requires a larger camera, I thought.

[Dave Wooten]

I have used it with a 90 mm lens

[IanG]

I have used it with a 90 mm lens

And that would be the limit with a 6x17 back, see below.


I've used a 6x12 back on a Speed Graphic, but never a 6x17. A 6x17 usually requires a larger camera, I thought.

Yes in theory if the 6x17 film sat in the normal film plane. But the 6x17 backs are extension backs so the film plane move back a few centimetres, and they work :) But at the expense of wider angle lenses.

I use a 75mm for 6x17 and in the vertical plane that's a fairly standard lens for 6x6, but it's wonderful in the horizontal plain, perfect for a Panoramic camera. But that lens just wouldn't work with a 5x4 camera & 6x17 back.

Ian

[Dave Wooten]

Fugi f/8 90 mm

I ll check and see if my 135 mm is too long.

[Greg Lockrey]

I've used it on my Speed Graphic, but with my 90 SA I've found that I can't focus at infinity (about 100 ft by my estimation) unless I push the lens in with my finger. This is why I had to get my Ebony. It was fine with my 150 mm. I wanted to have a hand hold capability but found it to be just a tad cumbersome.

[IanG]

I I wanted to have a hand hold capability but found it to be just a tad cumbersome.

Shooting hand-held with a Speed or Crown Graphic is problematic enough, not difficult but a balance of compromises. Adding a 6x17 back i s just making life difficult.

I take my Wista when I can, failing that the Crown Graphic, but I also always take the 6x17 Gaoersi.

Using a hand held 6x17 is very easy, I stick Delta 400 (previously Tmax400) in it and it's wonderful to use.

I couldn't even imagine trying to make the same images with a Grphic & extension back.

Ian

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've done some handheld photography with my Technika and DaYi 6x17 back. I use a Gaoersi finder, and I've set up extra infinity stops for rangefinder focus with a 150mm lens. This was a handheld shot with the 150mm Xenar, a little cropped because I focused too closely to avoid vignetting, but the rangefinder was still accurate--

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/who/23.jpg

I can also use a 90mm or 75mm, but not with rangefinder focus. To focus the 75mm, I have to fiddle with it on the inner rails of the camera, but I can still focus accurately, particularly since I need to be at f:16 or smaller anyway using the center filter, which is a necessity with this combination.

[Greg Lockrey]

I couldn't even imagine trying to make the same images with a Grphic & extension back.

Ian

I'm 265 and built like a brick sh__house. ;) :D