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Thread: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2019
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    5

    Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    I'm trying to get into LFF with a Crown Graphic. I have twice tried to get the effect of front tilt with a bed drop combined with a back tilt. Both times, I tried to focus the image after dropping the bed, and the back rails on which the lens rides popped out of the guides attached to the box. Although I can fix it, I'm probably damaging the camera. Can anyone offer any advice? How to do this correctly? What am I missing?

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    381

    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    if you want front tilt, why are you adding back tilt? why are you forcing the focus knobs hard enough to break things, or at all?

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2019
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    5

    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Dropping the bed gives very large front tilt, which you have to reduce with some back tilt. To be honest, I do not feel like I am forcing anything. I certainly would not do so intentionally.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
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    NJ
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Oh dear, another new user who believes the propaganda.

    If you play a little with your new camera you'll find that the "drop bed, use back tilt" trick doesn't work for all focal lengths at all focused distances. When you use the trick, you'll have to add front rise to center the lens' axis on the camera's gate. This is very limited ...

    I just took out one of my Crowns, dropped the bed and racked the rails as far forward as possible. The inner bed rails stayed in their tracks. I think your camera has broken inner tracks. This can happen when the front door is forced to close with the bed not fully retracted. If you can return the camera for a full refund, do so, and get a better one.

    If you need what a proper view camera can do, get one. I like my Graphics, but they're not proper view cameras and what they can do is limited.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jul 2019
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Yes, alas, that all sounds right. Thanks.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
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    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    For moderate front tilt on a camera that doesn't have tilt on the front standard, simply tilt the camera forward using your tripod's pan tilt head, tilt the back back plumb and center the image using front rise. You may find you don't need the drop-bed feature at all.

    Doremus

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    Iowa City, Iowa
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    I thought the bed drop was so you don't see it when using a 65mm wide lens? ??

  8. #8
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Jan 2007
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    Humboldt County, CA
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Duolab123 View Post
    I thought the bed drop was so you don't see it when using a 65mm wide lens? ??
    Did many press photographers at the time use 65s? What would have been the widest that would be routinely used? (thinking indoors murder scenes, courtrooms,)
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
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    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Duolab123 View Post
    I thought the bed drop was so you don't see it when using a 65mm wide lens? ??
    Hmm. Are you thinking 2x3?

    Doremus, Graphics have fixed backs.

  10. #10
    loujon
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Western, PA.
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    1,645

    Re: Graphic bed drop / front tilt ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Doremus Scudder View Post
    For moderate front tilt on a camera that doesn't have tilt on the front standard, simply tilt the camera forward using your tripod's pan tilt head, tilt the back back plumb and center the image using front rise. You may find you don't need the drop-bed feature at all.

    Doremus
    There are no provisions for back tilt on Graflex Graphic camera.

    Like brother Dan said if you want a view camera then buy one but trying to figure how to make a Graphic camera a field camera is not gonna happen without many hours of labor cutting up & rebuilding a Crown or Speed Graphic. Why when they do what they do greatly in fact I'm picking up another 2 1/4x 3 1/4 Pacemaker Crown Graphic with the great 103mm Ektar lens and a few holders + roll film back tomorrow & yes it has it's ground glass back.

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