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binomistar-g
16-Nov-2012, 18:09
First of all, hi all, as this is my first post.

Well, I bought a for-parts camera in evilbay, and I want to restore it to working order again, as I would like to take it out in my bike rides for LF handheld shooting. The camera has a number of issues:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/593/img20121116091924.jpg/

First of all, the bellows is disattatched, but I don't think it will be too hard so solve, as there are even some holes drilled to the plate. If I can't hold it with screws, I will try contact glue. I plan on getting some enlarger lens to attatch it more or less permanently to the front with some kind of plate. I will make tries with black foamboard.


Then I have this:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/6/img20121116091827.jpg/

When I bought it, I didn't really pay attention to what it really was. I have read that this is some kind of graflex old back that worked more or less like Polaroid filmpack holders. I thought I would be able hold regular 4x5 holders on the back of the camera, but the locking mechanism does not take them. Any ideas? Are there any film backs that I could use?

Finally, and what worries me most, there's an issue with the mirror. When i pull the lever that I understand that should flip the mirror up, it just flips very softly less than half way. I try to push it up with my fingers but it won't go further. Any ideas with this? I would try to disassemble the mechanism, but I would love to hear to people who knows what should I do first.

Thanks for all!

Dan Fromm
16-Nov-2012, 19:01
Kodak pack film, as used to be used in Film Pack Adapters like the one whose image you posted, has nothing in common with Polaroid pack film except the words pack and film. EKCo pack film is long out of production, FPAs are basically useless. Its possible to kluge one into a focusing panel, but why bother? Sorry.

Go to www.graflex.org to seek help and advice about making your Graflex work properly. Also visit www.southbristolviews.com, which may (great stress may) have a service manual posted.

binomistar-g
17-Nov-2012, 01:33
Kodak pack film, as used to be used in Film Pack Adapters like the one whose image you posted, has nothing in common with Polaroid pack film except the words pack and film

I mean in the sense that you pull a paper tab in order to get to the next frame, or so I've been told.

Thanks for the resources!

jp
17-Nov-2012, 11:24
You can get, if you look enough, some (very few) of the wooden film holders have slots in the side and work for these cameras.

Roger Thoms
17-Nov-2012, 12:32
You can also find Grafmatic sheet film holders with the slots. #1128 if I recall correctly. They come up here in the classified occasionally.

Roger

EdSawyer
19-Nov-2012, 15:45
Is that a 4x5 Graflex? Can't tell for sure. If so, you could convert it to a graflok back, and use any 4x5 holder on it, including polaroid pack film holders, etc.

binomistar-g
20-Nov-2012, 01:34
Is that a 4x5 Graflex? Can't tell for sure. If so, you could convert it to a graflok back, and use any 4x5 holder on it, including polaroid pack film holders, etc.

Yes, it is 4x5. Problem with converting things is that I'm not too proficient at doing things with hands, you know...

I still can't find the right sheet holders, so I'm thinking about using packfilm converters as one-side sheet film holders, washing the space between the springs and the focal plane with foamboard...


For now, I'm still deciding which lenses to use. I'm not in this for top quality, so anything will be useful. I've been trying a Meopta Belar 75mm enlarger lens for a wide-angle and I think it will do. Now I'm trying to find something in the 135-180 and 210+ ranges. I don't really wanna spend a lot of money in this. Any ideas?

Sevo
20-Nov-2012, 03:19
I still can't find the right sheet holders, so I'm thinking about using packfilm converters as one-side sheet film holders, washing the space between the springs and the focal plane with foamboard...


Why? There is a steady stream of Graflex sheet film holders and Grafmatics on ebay - by the time you have adjusted your DIY holders to be in focus, you'll have spent as much time and money on them as you'd have needed for the real thing.



For now, I'm still deciding which lenses to use. I'm not in this for top quality, so anything will be useful. I've been trying a Meopta Belar 75mm enlarger lens for a wide-angle and I think it will do.

No, it will not, unless you are intending to shoot macro at magnifying proportions only. Indeed no wide-angle will do at all - there never have been any massively retrofocal large format wideangles, and you'd need such a thing to clear the mirror. Large format (9x12cm or 4x5") reflexes usually have a mirror clearance in the 100-160mm range, so you cannot attach any lenses whose rear element needs to be closer to the film, or they'll block the mirror at infinity - as the lenses reach a bit backward from their nodal point, you are restricted to a shortest focal length rather longer than normal, on my European reflexes usually 150 or 180mm for 9x12cm (a few landscape only ones may go as wide as 135mm, i.e. the view camera "normal" for that size), Graflex used 190mm (7 1/2") for the rotating back 4x5".

binomistar-g
20-Nov-2012, 05:06
Why? There is a steady stream of Graflex sheet film holders and Grafmatics on ebay - by the time you have adjusted your DIY holders to be in focus, you'll have spent as much time and money on them as you'd have needed for the real thing.

Yesterday I still had not found any. Now I've located a pack of 6. I think I will leave it like this and just go for this auction.




No, it will not, unless you are intending to shoot macro at magnifying proportions only. Indeed no wide-angle will do at all - there never have been any massively retrofocal large format wideangles, and you'd need such a thing to clear the mirror. Large format (9x12cm or 4x5") reflexes usually have a mirror clearance in the 100-160mm range, so you cannot attach any lenses whose rear element needs to be closer to the film, or they'll block the mirror at infinity - as the lenses reach a bit backward from their nodal point, you are restricted to a shortest focal length rather longer than normal, on my European reflexes usually 150 or 180mm for 9x12cm (a few landscape only ones may go as wide as 135mm, i.e. the view camera "normal" for that size), Graflex used 190mm (7 1/2") for the rotating back 4x5".

You're right. I tried the Belar in the studio... where I mostly do macro work. I didn't think about infinity... So, is there any particular lens that would be suitable as a 'normal'?

Sevo
20-Nov-2012, 05:55
So, is there any particular lens that would be suitable as a 'normal'?

The original lens would be a Kodak Anastigmat 7 1/2" Assuming the camera to be 4x5", that is - if it should be a 3x4", the factory lens would be a 5 1/2" Anastigmat.