Page 4 of 5 FirstFirst ... 2345 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 50

Thread: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

  1. #31

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    I used one may be for 12-18 sheets with the Chamonix Saber. However, I feel that I am either making mistakes or on the verge of making them enough times as it is, and I don't want to introduce something that adds to the stress and uncertainty. I can imagine that it would be really nice on an SLR though.

  2. #32
    Drew Bedo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Houston Texas
    Posts
    3,225

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    I just had a thought:

    Grafmatics are mostly metal . . .how well do they protect film from X-Rays in transit?
    Drew Bedo
    www.quietlightphoto.com
    http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo




    There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!

  3. #33

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Equally far from everything
    Posts
    413

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Mine are all slowly starting to have problems. I have a few that must be tilted up to shuffle. I use them in my Razzle but would not recommend them for regular 4x5 cameras.

  4. #34
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2000
    Location
    Honolulu, Hawai'i
    Posts
    4,658

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Bedo View Post
    Thank You all. This thread is a solid resource of experiential information on Grafmatics and will help me.

    The Grafmatic design is rooted in the manufacturing tradition of the Depression and WW-II era. I would hope that someone with modern CAD/CAM and 3-D printing expertise will one day bring us a light weight Grafmatic inspired film magazine for this 21st Century.
    That would be the Fuji Quickchange system. It was not sold as a reloadable system--the idea being that you bought a holder and a preloaded cartridge of I think 6 or 8 sheets--but it was in fact not difficult to reload, as I understand it. It was expensive to purchase without reloading, but wasn't very profitable for Fuji, if users were buying it to reload likely with other manufacturers' film, so it only lasted a few years before it was discontinued.

  5. #35

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Connecticut, USA
    Posts
    5,308

    Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Bedo View Post
    I just had a thought:

    Grafmatics are mostly metal . . .how well do they protect film from X-Rays in transit?
    I wouldn't leave them loaded when flying on a plane, I think the strange metal would only mean multiple scans by some overzealous TSA agent if that's what you mean?

    But I mean, I've left them loaded with 400 speed film and traveled about and no damage was done, unless you meant IR light? In which I can testify with EFKE IR 820 they were completely light right.

    Or I'm no understanding what you're asking.

  6. #36

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    I have accumulated a total of 60 of these things.I had more but I have kept only the pristine ones .I simply kept the septums for replacement and threw the rest away.
    I found that if you are careful with them they will last for ever.
    With minor problems like some ocasional double exposure(my fault not the grafmatic) or pulling the slide too hard allowing some light leak, they are wonderful.

    I mark them with a red dot, a blue dot and a black dot and use them for transparency, negative color and BW.

    I have not calculated wight ratios with regular film holders but to me there is a no brainer to use them.Simple, efficient and fast.

    I can not remember a time when I left a film unexposed.I use all the septums for each particular shoot.I feel that if you have to think about
    shooting less film you are better off shooting digital.

    I am also curios about what Linhof called scratching.Was it film scratching,equipment scratching ?

    I could not live without them and I will encorage anybody shooting 4x5 to use them.

    Best

    Luis

  7. #37
    Corran's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    North GA Mountains
    Posts
    8,924

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    60?! Wow.
    Bryan | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Portfolio
    All comments and thoughtful critique welcome

  8. #38

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Connecticut, USA
    Posts
    5,308

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Quote Originally Posted by luis a de santos View Post
    I have accumulated a total of 60 of these things.I had more but I have kept only the pristine ones .I simply kept the septums for replacement and threw the rest away.
    I found that if you are careful with them they will last for ever.
    With minor problems like some ocasional double exposure(my fault not the grafmatic) or pulling the slide too hard allowing some light leak, they are wonderful.

    I mark them with a red dot, a blue dot and a black dot and use them for transparency, negative color and BW.

    I have not calculated wight ratios with regular film holders but to me there is a no brainer to use them.Simple, efficient and fast.

    I can not remember a time when I left a film unexposed.I use all the septums for each particular shoot.I feel that if you have to think about
    shooting less film you are better off shooting digital.

    I am also curios about what Linhof called scratching.Was it film scratching,equipment scratching ?

    I could not live without them and I will encorage anybody shooting 4x5 to use them.

    Best

    Luis
    You threw the bodies away!!!!! Cmon man that's ... Well, at least give them away for spare parts to someone else, don't trash them.

    And 60? Do you go through 60 of them in a day? That's insane? What's your process? What do you shoot? Etc.

  9. #39
    pasiasty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Prague, Czech Rep.
    Posts
    160

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Quote Originally Posted by StoneNYC View Post
    Don't...

    Really, I'm sure some would but besides cleaning from dust/grime, I wouldn't lube them. That's asking for trouble. My opinion anyway.
    Exactly, they are designed to work dry, such us most of diaphragms an shutters are. I use a cloth soaked with thinner or (someone will kill me now) with WD40. Especially when using the latter, wiping down until no traces of the liquid remains is crucial.
    || Cezary Żemis <cezary.zemis@pronet.pl> | www.cezaryzemis.name
    || ph.:+420 605 560 885|ph.:+48 794 337 097

  10. #40
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    1,123

    Re: Grafmatic : Pros and Cons?

    Grafmatics work well for hand held photography and that is what they were designed for. If one is going to do ground glass focusing then a Grafmatic might not be the best film transport.

    I also process all my 4"x5" film in the Jobo Expert 3010 Drum.
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

Similar Threads

  1. Pros & Cons of Toyo 810M....
    By Ari in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 17-Jul-2013, 19:39
  2. 5X8 Format, Pros and Cons, and who Shoots with it?
    By Findingmyway4ever in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 28-Dec-2010, 08:49
  3. DiXactol Pros and Cons ?
    By Richard Rees in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 19-Feb-2010, 16:11
  4. Horseman LX - pros and cons
    By Jimi in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 17-Sep-2006, 14:52
  5. Pros and Cons of a B&S Grover 5x7 camera?
    By JohnnyV in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 30-Jul-2004, 11:10

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •