New to LF and advice needed! - Tnx

[Pokerstar]

Hello all, I am just starting to dip my toe into the LF world, and venture back into the film world after playing with pixels for the past many years. My main goal is landscape (both urban and other) and want to get back to composing a photograph in my mind before snapping the shutter. I also miss the creative processes of developing and printing.

That said, I need a bit of advice for a first 4 x 5 camera. I saw a Speed Graphic Anniversary model, in VERY nice shape (recently gone over by a local guru), with a Kodak 135mm lens. (shutter cleaned and adjusted 6 mos ago). This also comes with 3 film holders. One note, the rangefinder is not working properly. It has the graphlex back, with a trap door to the ground glass.

Would this camera be worth $275 - $300? Thanks for the advice!

Oh, I forgot to mention, I live in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Looking for any and all LF photographers in the area, for meetups, photo expeditions, etc.

[Bob Kerner]

Greetings and Welcome. You'll find lots of friendly folks here willing to give lots of advice. Read and digest all of it before you make a decision. I plunged back into LF just a few months ago, got advice here (accepted some and declined some) and have to say that over the past couple of months or so landed up following the "common" advice. It's common advice because it works!

You're going to see a couple of themes: start with a field camera, a monorail or Graphic..and start inexpensively.

Most important is to start inexpensively. In all likelihood, you'll end up with more than one specimen so you don't want to break the bank by starting with a $5k camera. The used market is plentiful, so there's no reason to give away your money.

The Graphics are robust cameras. I just got one and after a little cleaning, you can't tell it's 50 years old. Some will say they don't have enough movements but if you are just starting, you may not need a boatload of movements. These are good entry point boxes---if you need more you can sell it and get your money back, or keep it as a travel camera or for under your desk at work. Make sure you get plenty of pix of the camera and look at other pix to make sure all the parts are present. $300 sounds about right but there are folks here who are way better shoppers than I.

Someone will eventually chime in and suggest a monorail. That was some of the 1st advice given to me and I ignored it in favor of a fancy wooden box. Don't discount the monorail, particularly if you can find one cheap (and it's not hard, even I did!)

So if $300 is within your budget, go for it. Don't forget you'll need film, film holders, maybe a loupe, maybe a meter and if you work digitally, a way to scan. The camera is the tip of a tall iceberg

[Pokerstar]

Thanks Robert, I appreciate the advice. I will download the manual (found via Bing) and compare it to the camera. It comes with 3 film holders. I'll probably pick it up tomorrow. I did find a darkroom available to me for developing and printing, so i have that end covered.

Thanks much!

[Frank Petronio]

Search out Bob's earlier questions, those were epic valuable threads. Click to see his profile and lurk away.

[John Kasaian]

You can pick up a Calumet 400 or Graflex monorail for around $100 if you hunt around. An old aluminium Tiltall tripod for around $70. A stack of holders for $25 and a 150mm or 210mm lens from a major player for around $150. That will take you a long long way down the path.
Speeders are great cameras and a lot of fun for handheld work, but is that what you're after?

[Pokerstar]

Thanks John, I am not 100% sure what i am after, to be honest. I want to get back to being much more purposeful when making a photograph, and I miss the artistic component that goes into developing and proofing a negative, and then printing. The Graflex with lens and 3 holders (to my thinking at least) is an inexpensive way to dip my toes back in the film world, and allow me to see if I like it.

Thanks for the advice!

[Vick Vickery]

Welcome to group therepy...a Graphic is a fine camera, either in press camera format or monorail, so your choice probably needs to be predicated on what you want to do with the camera. The press cameras work very well for portrait and landscape photography, while the monorails are at their best in studio still-life or architectural photography which often requires more movements, both front and back, than the press cameras are able to incorporate. Think about what you will be shooting most and choose accordingly. Then shoot lots and have fun!

[Pokerstar]

Thanks Vick,

I am looking more at landscapes than still lifes at first so I think the Anniversay will be a good leap back into the film world. Thanks!

[David de Gruyl]

Honestly, I think that $300 for a graphic with the rangefinder busted sounds expensive. Even with the lens.

I'd go for it if the rangefinder worked, though. I am a heavy user of rangefinders, which might be important information. I'd probably also look for a Pacemaker Crown Graphic (I have two, and I really like the cameras). That is really secondary, though.

The takeaway? If the ground glass is good, the shutter works, and the lens is clear you should seriously consider it. Especially since you are planning on using it on a tripod anyway.

Good luck, and enjoy it.