3.25 x 4.25 Graflex

[blueribbontea]

I take it that you don't actually own a Graflex.
The Graflex focal plane shutter cloth is on a roller (like a window shade) with several slits cut into it. They are of different sizes. How fast they move across the film plane is determined by the tension in the main spring which causes the roller to unroll. At a high tension the roller moves fast. How long the film is exposed to light then obviously depends on the width of the slit. A little bitty slit moving across the film plane driven by a high spring tension gives relatively short exposure time. A wide slit moving slowly gives a longer exposure. What combination is determined by how tight the spring is wound, and how far the roller is wound (think of a window shade pulled to the bottom of the window, or raised to the top.) The actual exposure times are determined by the different models of the camera. The shutter is "closed" by the amount of solid cloth between the slits.
It's a beautiful, simple arrangement, and was used on the original Leicas before the truly self-capping shutter of the production model A, but it required that the lenscap must be in place to prevent fogging the film when the shutter was rewound. This is also necessary on the Speed Graphic (or a dark-slide is inserted into the film holder) -- the Graflex beautifully eliminates the problem by closing off the light path by the mirror (you can't rewind the shutter until the mirror has been dropped).

Bill: I don't understand your comment that your graflex is not self capping? What you described is exactly correct, so how is that not self-capping? I own a RB4X5 Graflex and have taken out the shutter, repaired it and reassembled, with three years of steady service since. Your comment in #38 says that your Graflex shutter is NOT... That's what is confusing. My comment was referring to the ease of using the Bag Mag on the Graflex, so that I don't have to replace the darkslide as the shutter is capped and the mirror must be down to rewind for the next shot. With the mirror down and the shutter cloth as an opaque screen the film in the bag mag is perfectly screened from light.

the other Bill

[Bill_1856]

Bill: I don't understand your comment that your graflex is not self capping? What you described is exactly correct, so how is that not self-capping? I own a RB4X5 Graflex and have taken out the shutter, repaired it and reassembled, with three years of steady service since. Your comment in #38 says that your Graflex shutter is NOT... That's what is confusing. My comment was referring to the ease of using the Bag Mag on the Graflex, so that I don't have to replace the darkslide as the shutter is capped and the mirror must be down to rewind for the next shot. With the mirror down and the shutter cloth as an opaque screen the film in the bag mag is perfectly screened from light.

the other Bill

Self-capping is, by definition, like the Leica/Contax/etc shutters, which close the slot except when the exposure is being made, so they can be rewound without exposing the film.
A Graflex requires that the mirror be flipped down to the viewing position in order to rewind the shutter -- thus it requires a separate action, and is not SELF-capping. For example, if the mirror has been tripped independently before releasing the shutter in order to avoid vibrations, if you forget to put it back down after taking the shot, then the roller can't be rewound without exposing the film. There are restrictions built into the camera to avoid this, but it CAN be done.
I won't belabor the point further -- it's still a wonderful camera.

[OrbitalGraflex]

Once I got used to loading and unloading a "bag mag" I was very happy with it. Especially when using only a lesser number of films than 12 sheets. Much better for what I like to do than film holders or a Grafmatic. Very quiet unlike the Grafmatic push and pull tray. I have used them in 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Series B, several models of 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, and 4 x 5. I have a 5 x 7 "bag mag" for a fully functioning and well maintained 5 x 7 Series B but have not been able to take it out yet due to a leg injury earlier this year. Got tired of cutting down 4 x 5 B&W film for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 cameras and was very happy to find Shanghai 100. So far so good with that in a couple of test batches.

[Tin Can]

Once I got used to loading and unloading a "bag mag" I was very happy with it. Especially when using only a lesser number of films than 12 sheets. Much better for what I like to do than film holders or a Grafmatic.

My exact experience

I prefer 3x 4 under silent protest

And today reveal my mint sheet film Busch PressMaster

Very quiet unlike the Grafmatic push and pull tray. I have used them in 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Series B, several models of 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, and 4 x 5. I have a 5 x 7 "bag mag" for a fully functioning and well maintained 5 x 7 Series B but have not been able to take it out yet due to a leg injury earlier this year. Got tired of cutting down 4 x 5 B&W film for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 cameras and was very happy to find Shanghai 100. So far so good with that in a couple of test batches.

[Tin Can]

I am sorry I pasted my words inside your last message

Poor vision and I figure I could make is worse

So I let it stand

[OrbitalGraflex]

Nothing to be concerned about. I really like the variety of the 3.25 x 4.25 SLR Graflexes made during their production years. I guess my favorite is a very late production RB Auto Graflex with a B&L Protar convertible lens. Most of the bellows by now are shot but I lucked out on mine in 3.25 x 4.25 and another in 4x5 after finding a NOS bellows. A very compact, easy to handle one in 3x4, is my stationary back Series B with an optical finder if I wanted to take a quick vertical format shot. The ones I usually lug around on day trips and driving vacations are the 2.25 x 3.25 RB Series B. Both pre-war and post-war versions.

[Tin Can]

Thank you

I have many FLAPPERS

You must know what I mean!

[OrbitalGraflex]

[OrbitalGraflex]

This was taken in November 2016 at Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California late in the day using fresh Ilford FP4 and taken with a 1940 RB Graflex Series B SLR in 3.25 x 4.25 and 6 3/8" f 4.5 Kodak Anastigmat. Exposure unrecorded but was between f4.5 and 5.6. The dog was moving so I focused on my wife's sapphire and platinum ring. The dog's head in parts was in focus and the softness behind it I found quite attractive. Due to the hairstyle the picture could have been passed off as one taken in the 1940's. It worked for me.