Can All Crown Graphics Use A Polaroid Back?

GaryFlorida · Mar 8, 2015

My neighbor has a CG that she wants to sell to me. I have heard that they can have a polaroid back and use instant film? Is this true for all CG or only some? Is this easy to do? Also what is the longest lens available for this camera? It curently has the 135 Optar 4.5 and rangefinder. Please advise. Thanks
Gary

removed account4 · Mar 8, 2015

hi garry

it depends on the polaroid back you are trying to use.
the CG i have can easily take a 545i + 500 back, i have never tried
the smaller pack films so i can't help you there ...
longest lens might be a 15" tele optar ... but there might be others that are longer ..

BrianShaw · Mar 8, 2015

Perhaps your first action should be researching what instant film is available. No too much out there

frank · Mar 8, 2015

From what I remember, crown and speed Grafic cameras come in 3 different favours of film backs: spring back, graflex back, and the most desireable: graflok back. The graflok back is still the modern standard.

EVERYTHING you need to know about these cameras is here: http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewforum.php?f=1

GaryFlorida · Mar 8, 2015

jnanian said:
hi garry

it depends on the polaroid back you are trying to use.
the CG i have can easily take a 545i + 500 back, i have never tried
the smaller pack films so i can't help you there ...
longest lens might be a 15" tele optar ... but there might be others that are longer ..

Im wanting to know if the Crown Graphic can be used with a Polaroid back and if so, which one. Thanks. Gary

GaryFlorida · Mar 8, 2015

what is the difference between a pacemaker CG and a non pacemaker CG? How do you tell the difference?

wombat2go · Mar 8, 2015

https://www.graflex.org/

Ian Grant · Mar 8, 2015

Do you already have the camera? All the Crown Grapic (Press cameras) were Pacemakers and there;s two different type Spring back often referred to a Graflex and Graflok which can be rmeover.

The Graflok will accept any 5x4 International fit Polaroid holder, the Spring backs will only accept Polariod back 545.

Ian

John Koehrer · Mar 8, 2015

The Graflok has a sliding lock above & below the film holder.
https://www.google.com/search?q=gra...camera.com%2Fpp%2Fgraflex%2Fbacks.htm;781;700

The silver plates slide to lock the back in place.

Fotoguy20d · Mar 8, 2015

Gary,

The glass panel on a graflok is removable via the two chromed springs above and below the panel (not to be confused with the two chrome sliders that run across the width top and bottom. A graphic back will have neither - the springs above and below are screwed to the back via one screw in the center of each spring above and below the glass panel. A Crown can have either Graphic or Graflok. If it has a graflex back, someone put it on afterwards (for no good reason). A graflok equipped camera can use a Polaroid 405 back (there's also a Fuji equivalent) with Fuji FP100C film for roughly 3x4 images. A 405 back should cost you $125-$150, and the film is around $8 for 10 shots (Amazon sells it, as does B&H and others). 4x5 polaroid is, I believe, no longer made (or at least reasonably in cost).

A Crown can take up to around a 12" lens at infinity (closer will become an issue). Wollensak (and others) have a 375mm tele which can be focused on this camera (hard to find in good condition and in a shutter).

Dan

removed account4 · Mar 8, 2015

GaryFlorida said:
Im wanting to know if the Crown Graphic can be used with a Polaroid back and if so, which one. Thanks. Gary

gary, sorry for the confusion ..
there is a film pack back which needs clearance ( 405? back ) which I think you can use with fuji instant film
it probably requires a graflock back because of clearance issues.. ( spring back won't flex far enough )
the 545,545i and 500 all took single sheet instant polaroid film, and while they will all
work with a spring and graflock back crown graphic, without the need to
remove the back, at present the film is obsolete .. and be warned often times the pods dry out
if well expired, and the film is ruined if frozen.

the other back I believe ( graflex ) if it is the same back I am thinking of, is e same back
that is on graflex SLR cameras, it takes slotted film holders which are larger than modern film holders
and while many graphlex users have said they can not use the 500,545 backs, they have probably never tried it .. I have with a series d and it works fine
.. good luck

Sirius Glass · Mar 8, 2015

www.graflex.org

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 8, 2015

You may wish to keep in mind the following possible new source for a Polaroid-compatible instant 4x5 black-and-white film. It's a reengineered version of the classic Type 55 P/N peel-apart single-sheet product. Not exactly the same film, but form-compatible with both model 545 and 545i Polaroid holders.

New55 Film

Ken

Sirius Glass · Mar 8, 2015

GaryFlorida said:
My neighbor has a CG that she wants to sell to me. I have heard that they can have a polaroid back and use instant film? Is this true for all CG or only some? Is this easy to do? Also what is the longest lens available for this camera? It curently has the 135 Optar 4.5 and rangefinder. Please advise. Thanks
Gary

Since it is a 135mm lens, can we assume it is 4"x5"? If so yes depending on the back and the availability of a Polaroid back for that type of back.

shutterfinger · Mar 8, 2015

what is the difference between a pacemaker CG and a non pacemaker CG?

From 1912 through 1946 there was only the Speed Graphic in the Graphic line of cameras. In 1947 the Pacemaker line of Graphic cameras was introduced which for the first time included the Crown Graphic and 3 format sizes.
There are no non Pacemaker Crown Graphics.
In 4x5 format there were 2 backs available in 1947 and 1948 the Graflex and the Graphic, in 1949 the Graflok was introduced and became the standard back on all models by 1951 although any of the 3 backs could be had from the factory.
Graflex- same back as on Graflex SLR's, takes Graflex film and plate holders only. Can be modified to accept other holders.
Graphic- ground glass focusing panel attached to the back with a leaf spring top and bottom of the ground glass panel, accepts any film holding accessory that will 1.) slide under the focus panel or 2.) fit into the film holder opening with the ground glass panel removed but requires an alternate method to hold the accessory to the back and an alternate method of focusing.
Graflok-also called international back- has the ground glass focus panel attached by two spring loaded arms that easily detach from the back and has sliding bars that retain the accessory to the back when the ground glass panel is removed.

The best pictorial description on the web: http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/graflex/backs.htm

Any instant film holder made for 4x5 format cameras can be used on any graflok/international back camera without modification and can be attached to a Graphic/Spring back by removing the ground glass panel and devising a retaining device.

http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/pacemaker-crown-graphic.html
The 4x5 Grown Graphic has 12 1/2 inch bellows draw. Any lens that will focus as close as you want within that distance and fit on the lens board can be used.

GaryFlorida · Mar 8, 2015

thank you all for your passion and expertise!
Gary

darkroommike · Mar 12, 2015

What you want is a 4x5 Crown Graphic with a Graflok back, the model with a spring back would use the Polaroid holders for single sheets e.g. Type 55, but the single sheet material is gone (at least for now). Cameras with Graflok backs can use all Polaroid holders.

GaryFlorida · Mar 13, 2015

darkroommike said:
What you want is a 4x5 Crown Graphic with a Graflok back, the model with a spring back would use the Polaroid holders for single sheets e.g. Type 55, but the single sheet material is gone (at least for now). Cameras with Graflok backs can use all Polaroid holders.

nice

GaryFlorida · Mar 21, 2015

I havent researched much on this camera yet and I am still considering buying it. Can someone tell me please, does the ground glass have to come back out each time you put a film slide in? It feels like a dumb question but Im just trying to visualize the process with the CG.

BrianShaw · Mar 21, 2015

No. The film holder slides into the space in front of the GG panel

GaryFlorida · Mar 22, 2015

jnanian said:
gary, sorry for the confusion ..
there is a film pack back which needs clearance ( 405? back ) which I think you can use with fuji instant film
it probably requires a graflock back because of clearance issues.. ( spring back won't flex far enough )
the 545,545i and 500 all took single sheet instant polaroid film, and while they will all
work with a spring and graflock back crown graphic, without the need to
remove the back, at present the film is obsolete .. and be warned often times the pods dry out
if well expired, and the film is ruined if frozen.

the other back I believe ( graflex ) if it is the same back I am thinking of, is e same back
that is on graflex SLR cameras, it takes slotted film holders which are larger than modern film holders
and while many graphlex users have said they can not use the 500,545 backs, they have probably never tried it .. I have with a series d and it works fine
.. good luck

Is 1:1 macro photography ever done with the CG? and if 8x10 is the max enlargement for 35mm , would 32 x 40 be the max for 4x5?
Thanks
Gary

removed account4 · Mar 22, 2015

hi gary

it seems that maximum bellows extension for a crown graphic is 12"
i don't really do macro work and have never done it with a crown ( or speed ) graphic ( i use other stuff and sometimes with self made close up attachments )
i imagine if you use the right lens, you can do even bigger than 1:1 .. ( dan fromm does a lot of macro work, maybe he will chime in since he is
way more of an expert than i could ever imagine to be )

as for maximum enlargements ...
there really isnt' a steadfast rule for maximum enlargements by format. i have never heard that 8x10 was the largest for 35mm,
most of my 35mm enlargements have been 11x14 or 16x20. i imagine with 4x5, 32x40 would not be a problem .. but i think it all
depends on what you want. some people don't mind visible grain &c, some people don't care for it ... some people like to look
at photographs at close distance, some people like to stand further away and look from a distance ...

have fun !
john

Can All Crown Graphics Use A Polaroid Back?

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