Crown graphic for wet plate?

[thevegasrealtor]

Hi all! Just wanted to ask if a crown graphic would be an okay camera for a wet plate beginner? What are the advantages or disadvantages of having a focal plane shutter? Can you sync it with a flash to decrease exposure times?

[morecfm]

Crown graphics do not have focal plane shutters. The Speed Graphics are the models with the focal plane shutters.

[williaty]

1) Crown Graphic does not have a focal plane shutter (the Speed Graphic has one).
2) Yes, you can do wet plate with strobe, but it takes a TON of power to do it. 4,000J in a high-efficiency silver reflector about 10 inches from the subject works out about right for a main light. That's a pop you feel like someone just opened the oven if you're the subject.
3) Exposures with wet plate are LONG. Seconds, at minimum. Your hat makes a perfectly fine shutter.

[Dan Fromm]

Speed Graphics have focal plane shutters, as has already been mentioned in post #2 above. These shutters do not sync with electronic flash. They do sync with class FP flash bulbs, time to peak 20 ms, duration 25 - 60 ms.

[thevegasrealtor]

Thanks for the info. So I can still use the crown since it doesn't have the shutter then I suppose. What are your thoughts on these 3:

1) burke and james view camera
2) linhof 45s kardan
3) graflex graphic view

[Jim Jones]

The Graflex Graphic view camera is a favorite of mine. I've also used a variety of B&J view cameras and found them quite functional, if not as elegant, as the Graphic. Newer Graphic View cameras came with a Graflok back, which may be an advantage for some photographers.

[williaty]

I was given a Graphic View (original) camera and it re-kindled my interest in LF photography. It's just so small and light that it makes working with it really easy and enjoyable without any of the downsides to larger monorail cameras. Trade off is that it's not fancy and it's not very adaptable to do unusual things. I definitely like mine.

[thevegasrealtor]

I was given a Graphic View (original) camera and it re-kindled my interest in LF photography. It's just so small and light that it makes working with it really easy and enjoyable without any of the downsides to larger monorail cameras. Trade off is that it's not fancy and it's not very adaptable to do unusual things. I definitely like mine.

The one I'm looking at states no rail mount. Is that something easily bought or am I gonna have hard time finding one?

[thevegasrealtor]

The Graflex Graphic view camera is a favorite of mine. I've also used a variety of B&J view cameras and found them quite functional, if not as elegant, as the Graphic. Newer Graphic View cameras came with a Graflok back, which may be an advantage for some photographers.

Do you know if the b&j 4x5 view camera has a rotating back?

[LabRat]

Any 4x5 will do (if that's the final size you want), but I can't help from cringing a little that many cameras might be commandeered to sloppy wet plate duty that might damage them at some point, and future users of film will have to deal with the messes...

I think WP users should consider building/buying their own specialized cameras for the process, and besides, the cameras can be made to match the cameras used in the WP era...

Good luck, but be careful with that thing (and the process)!!!

Steve K