6x9 120 Roll Film Back for Graflex Rotating Back?

Pioneer · Oct 17, 2021

I have a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Series B Graflex with a rotating Graflex Back. I do enjoy using it but so far I have only been able to use sheet film holders. This is fine when I am shooting black and white film, which is most of the time, but there is no color sheet film available in this size. This little problem could easily be resolved with a roll film back which would allow me to shoot Fuji or Kodak 120 roll film.

The catalogs seem to indicate that these film backs were an option on the rotating Graflex back for this size Graflex, but I have been unable to find one. Are these unobtanium or have I just not searched in the right places or with the right words?

cjbecker · Oct 17, 2021

I’ve been looking for a few months now, pretty hard to come by. If i find 2 i will let ya know. Your doing better then i am tho. I still dont have any slotted sheet film holders either.

Dan Fromm · Oct 17, 2021

Dan, when I needed roll holders for my 2x3 RB Ser.B, I bought two from sellers on eBay.

Look for roll holders whose cases are marked "23" Graflex. These usually have knob wind inserts, but since inserts fit all of Graflex Inc's cases some have newer lever wind carriages.

Also look for roll holders whose cases are marked "23" Graphic. Early ones will fit Graflok and Graflex backs. You can recognize these gems by the deep groove and ridge at the insertion end of the front plate. Cases that fit only Graflok backs have two ridges.

If you can't see the camera side of a "23" Graphic roll holder, don't buy it.

I just looked at eBay, found no 2x3 roll holder that will fit a Graflex back. They're out there so keep looking.

Good luck,

Dan

Pioneer · Oct 17, 2021

I have two Grafmatics and two Graflex 12 sheet cut film magazines (Bag Mags). I actually prefer the cut film magazines to the Grafmatics.

Oh well, I'll just keep looking. Something will turn up eventually.

nosmok · Oct 27, 2021

Years ago, when I got my first RB 2x3 Graflex, I bought the wrong rollholder for it. I worked with some good machinists, so I had one of them cut a slot where I needed it. Disaster struck when I discovered I had him cut just a hair too deep, and was into the dark-slide channel, but disaster averted when I put a piece of 3M 850 tape over the area (thin, light tight, stays where you put it) and formed it to the slot. Used it like that for years, no light leaks, no flatness issues. Careful measurement of the thickness of the plate would save you from my kluge. I have found that Graflex stuff, as opposed to Graflok stuff, is getting thinner on the ground as time goes by.

Pioneer · Oct 27, 2021

nosmok said:
Years ago, when I got my first RB 2x3 Graflex, I bought the wrong rollholder for it. I worked with some good machinists, so I had one of them cut a slot where I needed it. Disaster struck when I discovered I had him cut just a hair too deep, and was into the dark-slide channel, but disaster averted when I put a piece of 3M 850 tape over the area (thin, light tight, stays where you put it) and formed it to the slot. Used it like that for years, no light leaks, no flatness issues. Careful measurement of the thickness of the plate would save you from my kluge. I have found that Graflex stuff, as opposed to Graflok stuff, is getting thinner on the ground as time goes by.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind if nothing else turns up.

Donald Qualls · Oct 27, 2021

Seems to me one or our users did pretty much the same thing fairly recently with a suitable blade on a table saw. Might require a narrow kerf type, please measure several times and cut only once...

removed account4 · Oct 27, 2021

good luck finding one Dan, they are rare, but once in a bloo moon show up. you might have to buy a spare graflex sir to get the roll back, usually they are attached like a$$ and shirt...

Mr Flibble · Oct 28, 2021

It took me a good while to find one for my RB Series B. Have a good look at them if you find them on Ebay. Some have been cut up to make them fit the Graflok backs.
Oh, and the knob-wind variant doesn't actually fit on the older Auto-Graflex Junior series. The bulge at the back is in the way of the advance knob. Lever-wind versions might work

My Graflex 23 came out of Vietnam of all places. The Graflex 22 and 23 rollfilm holders for the 4x5"-size RBs are somewhat easier to find.

shutterfinger · Oct 28, 2021

Dennis-B · Oct 31, 2021

I ran into the same thing with my Century Graphic and the Graflex back that came with it. I couldn't figure out, at first, why the back kept sliding. After a couple of searches, I found the problem, but my solution was to buy a couple more backs with both grooves, and use the existing back with a "G" adapter for my Mamiya Universal. Works like a charm, and the back won't slide off the adapter.

Pioneer · Nov 2, 2021

Thanks. I had pretty much come to the conclusion that they were either made of unobtanium or were as rare as hens teeth since I have been looking around off an on without success. It seems that the 6x6 versions are a bit more common. I may end up picking one of those up but I really like the 6x9 negative.

I may end up just cutting some 4x5 color film down to fit the sheet film backs and start my project that way. Will the cut down 4x5 film fit the 2x3 sheet film backs or is the film too thick?

BTW, thanks for those measurements Shutterfinger. They will definitely be helpful.

I do have a couple Graphic 23s for my 4x5 and I use them but I have become quite fond of the little Baby Graflex and would love to be able to use it instead.

Donald Qualls · Nov 3, 2021

Pioneer said:
Will the cut down 4x5 film fit the 2x3 sheet film backs or is the film too thick?

As far as I'm aware, sheet films are all on the same base thickness -- everything from the 1 3/8 x 2 1/8 (127 equivalent) used in the Ernemann Klapp up to whatever ULF.

mshchem · Nov 3, 2021

Pioneer said:
Thanks. I had pretty much come to the conclusion that they were either made of unobtanium or were as rare as hens teeth since I have been looking around off an on without success. It seems that the 6x6 versions are a bit more common. I may end up picking one of those up but I really like the 6x9 negative.

I may end up just cutting some 4x5 color film down to fit the sheet film backs and start my project that way. Will the cut down 4x5 film fit the 2x3 sheet film backs or is the film too thick?

BTW, thanks for those measurements Shutterfinger. They will definitely be helpful.

I do have a couple Graphic 23s for my 4x5 and I use them but I have become quite fond of the little Baby Graflex and would love to be able to use it instead.

That's the holder that came with my RB I bought an ordinary Graphic 23 back, used that insert and used a tiny saw and files to widen the opening on the "22" original back. Worked great!
My dream of a camera is a 5x7 RB

MattKing · Nov 3, 2021

mshchem said:
My dream of a camera is a 5x7 RB

And I always thought that Mamiya would have conquered the world if they had sold a 6x4.5 RB that also took a 6x6 holder.

Donald Qualls · Nov 3, 2021

MattKing said:
if they had sold a 6x4.5 RB that also took a 6x6 holder.

But instead, they built a 645 that didn't have a revolving back and couldn't make a bigger frame.

Or maybe they did, but built it to take a 6x7 back -- I've got a 6x4.5 back for my RB67 (weighs the same as a 6x7 back, though).

shutterfinger · Nov 3, 2021

Pioneer said:
Thanks. I had pretty much come to the conclusion that they were either made of unobtanium or were as rare as hens teeth since I have been looking around off an on without success. It seems that the 6x6 versions are a bit more common. I may end up picking one of those up but I really like the 6x9 negative.

That one came with the 1948 RB Series B i bought from the original owner, a Miller racing team photographer.
Graphic 23/RH8 for 2x3 Graphic are fairly common as are RH10 (6x7), Grind down the inner ridge then cut the grove. 4x5 RFH cannot be cut down to 2x3 format.

mshchem · Nov 3, 2021

Oh 4x5 roll film. Drooling!

choiliefan · Nov 4, 2021

There is one lot of three 6X9 slotted holders on ebay today with a starting bid of $40 plus shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313&_nkw=graflex+slotted&_sacat=0

nosmok · Nov 4, 2021

mshchem said:
Oh 4x5 roll film. Drooling!

I have an old aerial camera back that takes 5" roll film (or maybe it was 5-1/4"-- both were aerial film sizes, and I can imagine the cursing that would accompany a mis-match), and a couple rolls of long-expired aerial film to fit. Haven't done anything with it, but have seen overpriced and oversized rigs with the same components on evilBay occasionally-- always mentioned as 'unable to test' !

Pioneer · Nov 4, 2021

choiliefan said:
There is one lot of three 6X9 slotted holders on ebay today with a starting bid of $40 plus shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313&_nkw=graflex+slotted&_sacat=0

Thanks. Wasn't exactly what I was looking for but film backs of any type for these cameras is useful so I put in a bid. We will see how it plays out.

shutterfinger · Nov 4, 2021

I just double checked. Both Graphic and Graflex roll film holders for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 are the same base dimensions.

Pioneer · Nov 4, 2021

shutterfinger said:
I just double checked. Both Graphic and Graflex roll film holders for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 are the same base dimensions.

With the exception of the slots along the side.

shutterfinger · Nov 4, 2021

Pioneer said:
With the exception of the slots along the side.

You cut those when you cut the bottom grove.

grat · Nov 4, 2021

I didn't think there were slots on the sides of the roll-film adapters-- the lock(s) just slide over the baseplate.

At least that's how my 3x4 120 holder works.

6x9 120 Roll Film Back for Graflex Rotating Back?

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