MonkeyDoes
18-Feb-2011, 08:07
Hi guys ... new to the large format scene .. like many been a 35mm shooter in the past doing the dSLR thing but this last Christmas inherited a Crown Graphic from my 88year old dad.
Dad's memory ain't what it used to be so he has been a little vague about this thing and I think he got it years ago and played with it just a bit ... ok I have had it checked out locally here and it is in pretty good condition. It has the standard 135mm Optar 4.7 lens and it appears the Kalart rangefinder is calibrated correctly.
Now to the goodies it also has a Schneider 90mm Angulon 6.8 lens mounted on a seperate lens board and a Graphic 23 '120mm' rollback. Dad said he got these years back with the intent of playing around but never used them.
So been to Graflex.org and reading up on a number of things but here are two things I need a little common language explanation and guidance on ... 1) the back glass appears to be not glass but a semi-opaque plexi or lucite/plastic type material. No frensel. The image comes through with the shutter open but the image is somewhat subdued and difficult to precisely focus ... is this normal? 2) I pretty much understand that if I am to use the 90mm I will likely have to focus by looking through the back unless I want to recalibrate the Kalart ... not sure how to accomplish this or even if that's advisable.
I've read recommendations that you can use a strip of tape and make your distance guide for the additional lens.
So a couple of questions come to mind for the experts.
Any ideas of where I could get additional tabs for shift locks to set for the 90?
also what would some of you recommend with respect to the back glass? I've searched the forum here and seen discussions about mearsurements of the glass and distance etc and to be honest I am still trying to understand how to do this and what it meanse exactly.
I fully admit my learning curve right now is completely vertical I have a pack of Ilford BW and several Fidelityelites and the rollback but what I would like to avoid is un-neccessary trial and error in favor of composition/exposure trial and error :-D)))
thanks in advance for whatever you end up adding to my current circle of confusion
Kevin
Dad's memory ain't what it used to be so he has been a little vague about this thing and I think he got it years ago and played with it just a bit ... ok I have had it checked out locally here and it is in pretty good condition. It has the standard 135mm Optar 4.7 lens and it appears the Kalart rangefinder is calibrated correctly.
Now to the goodies it also has a Schneider 90mm Angulon 6.8 lens mounted on a seperate lens board and a Graphic 23 '120mm' rollback. Dad said he got these years back with the intent of playing around but never used them.
So been to Graflex.org and reading up on a number of things but here are two things I need a little common language explanation and guidance on ... 1) the back glass appears to be not glass but a semi-opaque plexi or lucite/plastic type material. No frensel. The image comes through with the shutter open but the image is somewhat subdued and difficult to precisely focus ... is this normal? 2) I pretty much understand that if I am to use the 90mm I will likely have to focus by looking through the back unless I want to recalibrate the Kalart ... not sure how to accomplish this or even if that's advisable.
I've read recommendations that you can use a strip of tape and make your distance guide for the additional lens.
So a couple of questions come to mind for the experts.
Any ideas of where I could get additional tabs for shift locks to set for the 90?
also what would some of you recommend with respect to the back glass? I've searched the forum here and seen discussions about mearsurements of the glass and distance etc and to be honest I am still trying to understand how to do this and what it meanse exactly.
I fully admit my learning curve right now is completely vertical I have a pack of Ilford BW and several Fidelityelites and the rollback but what I would like to avoid is un-neccessary trial and error in favor of composition/exposure trial and error :-D)))
thanks in advance for whatever you end up adding to my current circle of confusion
Kevin