5x7 press graflex info

[jamie young]

I just got a 5x7 press graflex on ebay, but haven't gotten it yet. Don't know much about these cameras. Holder info would be helpful.
Can one put 5x7 bag mags on it? Were there different holder types, or could you use any 5x7 holder? it looks in the photos like a regular spring back.I thought I would start looking into it now, before I get the camera.
Thanks! Jamie Young

 

[bart Nadeau]

While I've never actually handled one of these, my understanding from the descrtiption in catalogs is that they use Graflex holders. The spring back is just for speed in changing holders and is removable in order to use the Graflex bag mag or roll film holder.
Are you famaliar with www.graflex.org? an excellent resource.
bart

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have one and really like it. It's great to have an SLR that produces a neg that can make a decent sized contact print.

The 5x7" Press Graflex takes Graflex-type 5x7" holders in the spring back, but does not have slides to use the slots on the sides without the spring back. Regular 5x7" holders are too narrow and have the wrong style of light trap and will not work properly.

It takes bag mags, but not Graflex-type or Graphic-type bag mags. Bag mags for the press Graflex have two locator pins on the bottom edge and two spring clips on the top, and they snap in place. I have a plate mag with film sheaths and a later film mag. The film mag is lighter and more compact, but you'll have to take what you can find.

Graflex-type filmholders and Press Graflex bag mags have a slot on the holder or bag mag that forms the light trap with a flange on the camera back. This is the opposite of a normal filmholder, which has a rib on the holder and a slot on the camera back.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I just got my 5x7" Press Graflex back from the Camera Doctor NYC with a new mainspring, CLA, and shutter curtain repair. About 14 years ago, this was my favorite camera for chasing my son around the playground, because the rack and pinion focus was fast, and the negative was big enough for a decent contact print.

A few years ago the shutter spring snapped and it ended up sitting in the closet for a couple of years while I figured out where to send it. Camera Doctor NYC is run by the guys who used to be at Lens and Repro in New York, and they didn't seem to be trying to upsell me to upgrade the groundglass, replace the whole shutter curtain, and make other modifications, so I went with them.They sent me a photo of the broken shutter spring which had actually shattered in multiple places.

It sat in their shop for around a year and a half, and I finally got it back this week, and it seems to be working properly. Looking forward to testing it with film, getting back into practice with it, and using it again.

 

[Kino]

That's a super sweet camera; best of all Worlds if you want to shoot large format action.

 

[choiliefan]

David, which lens is fitted to your Press Graflex?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

David, which lens is fitted to your Press Graflex?

It came with a B&L 5x8 f:4.5 Tessar 1c, which is about 8.75". The flange happens to match a 12" f:6.8 Gold Dot Dagor that I have, so sometimes I use that on the Press Graflex. I also have a 21cm f:3.5 Xenar with an aftermarket B&L coating that doesn't focus to infinity on this camera, but is good at portrait distances. The Xenar is kind of flarey wide open, but if one needs f:3.5, it's an option.