Graflex Grafmatic sheet film holder

[David Home]

Hi all.
I will shortly receive a used Wista DX which will include some regular film holders.
This item has come up on ebay and with the idea of lighting my field kit as much as possible, should I consider it?
I am not interested in it for the speed of rapid shooting but only to lighten the kit.
It will fit in a standard back I assume?
Is the film held flat enough and in no danger of being scratched by the mechanism?
I use one film type for the vast majority of my shooting, so loading six sheets ahead of time in not an issue.
Thanks for any comments. Regards, David

[Len Middleton]

David,
Certainly much smaller and lighter than 3 regular holders.
They will slide under your ground glass, but you might want to help them by pulling the back out a little or use a bail if you have one on the back. If you have an international back and can remove the ground glass, they do have the grooves on the side for the slides to lock into.
I have not had focusing / flatness problems with mine. The sheets are protects on the back and edges by the spetum that holds the film.
Do a search on this site, as there is a lot of information on them and other subjects.
Oh, and welcome to the forum,
Len

[Vick Vickery]

I've been using Grafmatics for about 30 years now and still like them. As was mentioned, they are smaller and lighter than 3 standard holders and will fit under the groundglass backs of MOST of the cameras I've tried them on. Unfortunately, I don't remember which ones wouldn't work, but I know one was a wooden tailboard camera with a spring back that I just added a spacer under the springs to give it more room for the back to rise and that did the trick...it still worked fine with standard holders.

Welcome to group therepy! :)

[Glenn Thoreson]

It is as thick as 1 1/2 regular holders. It shoulld work fine. When you get one, be sure none of the septums are bent or warped, as that can make it jam. They hold the film as flat as you can get it without resorting to a vacuum holder. When you load it, be sure to put the open end of the septums in first. Toward the slide. Be sure to check it for a missing light trap seal. It's up under the slide end of the tray. You can feel it with your finger or if you have a tiny mirror or a rubber neck, you can see it. It's a regular cloth covered flat spring arrangement that seals the exposed side of the slide. They are glued in and they go missing sometimes. The things work really great. Be careful with the easily damaged septums, though. You'll like it. :D

[Bill_1856]

The weight of a loaded Grafmatic is one pound. The above posters know of where they speak.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I made a mistake in my previous post. The septums go into the tray open end first. The dark slide rides over the closed end of the septum. :D

[Bosaiya]

Grafmatics are the only way to fly. There is more expense at the outset but the weight and convenience will leave you wondering how you ever got by without them.

[gary mulder]

My grafmatics weigh ± 470 gram. Three regular holders weigh ± 550 gram. A small advantage, that is lost the moment you have to take a partly shot grafmatic with you, for instancs the next day.

[Bosaiya]

There's not much to stop you from unloading the exposed film and simply reloading those septum. But you can make it as difficult as you want, that's for sure.

[dsphotog]

G-matics are great, but not totally foolproof..... I've been distracted & pulled the holder out before advancing. DOHHH!

[Frank Petronio]

If it is the older Wista DX with the wooden spring back, it will work but it will be pushing the springs to their limit and the back may not seal light tight in "pointing up" situations where gravity will pull the back down... With lighter cameras like that I'd stick to regular holders. The weight of three holders is about the same as one Grafmatic anyway....

[Bosaiya]

G-matics are great, but not totally foolproof..... I've been distracted & pulled the holder out before advancing. DOHHH!

I've shot a frame with a double-sided holder, pulled the holder, set it down, then realized I put the darkslide in backwards and couldn't tell which side had been exposed and which hadn't. Nothing is foolproof, there is always an ingenious fool ready to throw a monkey into the wrench. The best we can hope to do is develop good habits and cultivate a sense of humor.

[David Home]

Hello all.
Thank you all for your comments and the warm welcome.
I will think about the Grafmatic and get it (if the price stays reasonable) to try it out.
As I get the Wista up and running I am sure I will have questions from time to time.
Like this one for example:
The camera kit I bought comes with a Polaroid 545 back. Is this a door stop now?
Regards, David

[David Home]

Please disregard my Polaroid question. I have learned that this site has answered most questions before and I just have to go looking for the answer.
Regards, David

[Len Middleton]

David,
Probably not enough of a taper on the narrow end. You might need to take a grinder to it to get it to fit under the door, depending upon the gap below the door.
I do understand they might also be useable with the Kodak and Fuji Readyloads / Quickloads.
Regards,
Len

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Some Grafmatics have recently been bid up to rather insane amounts on eBay. The only reasonable explanation seems to be that Acros and Portra are no longer available as Quickloads and Readyloads. I was rather enamored with Quickloads myself until recently. I find that their convenience can be offset by the wind blowing the dark slide "flag". Too, the need for dust-free film is lessened in a hybrid workflow.

So I've recently just acquired my first Grafmatic. They really are a satisfying bit of old-school technology, that hark back to the greatness of the Industrial Age.

But from my beginner's perspective, I can tell you that dealing with three regular double-dark holders will be a lot easier to master at first. Particularly if you're loading film in a changing bag. (I suggest a large one with stays, the Photoflex Changing Room is what I just bought specifically for the task).

[Bosaiya]

I've been buying a lot of bag magazines (12 shot) lately. I normally get them for $25-45 depending. There are a couple of sellers who routinely list them at $175 and up. I've watched the same items for months now, and of course they never sell. I emailed them and asked if they would sell them at the "going rate" and provided links to the auctions I had one, and they have always replied that they would lose money if they sold them for such a low amount. I guess that's as opposed to the money they are losing by re-listing them month after month after month. I suppose if someone is desperate enough to buy one at that high of a price it's all worth it.