Converting a speed graphic into an SLR

[maltfalc]

has anyone ever tried it? i'm thinking of building a clip-on mirror box and viewfinder to go between the FP shutter and the bellows.

 

[BrianShaw]

Try it and report on problems encountered and solved.

 

[nosmok]

As someone who's hacked at a few SG's, something that makes them bulkier and that needs to be taken on and off may be a problem source, not a solution. At the risk of being obvious, have you tried a Graflex reflex camera, which is what you describe minus the 'removable' part? Or an erecting-prism magnifying viewer for the rear GG?

 

[wiltw]

One immediate issue are the dimensions of the Speed Graphic body...

1. If frame height is 92mm (size of opening in 4x5 film holder)...
2. If the 45 degree mirror position is 1.414 * 92 to reflect the entire frame height without vertical image cutoff...
3. Is the depth of the box for the mirror opening more than 130mm, to accomodate the reflex mirror in the Up position?

 

[maltfalc]

As someone who's hacked at a few SG's, something that makes them bulkier and that needs to be taken on and off may be a problem source, not a solution. At the risk of being obvious, have you tried a Graflex reflex camera, which is what you describe minus the 'removable' part? Or an erecting-prism magnifying viewer for the rear GG?

i'm not worried about bulk. it's a roughly 5"x6"x6" lightweight box that'll be tucked halfway into the body. can't be significantly worse than a 4x5 graflex slr. undoing 4 little clips when i want to pack up or switch from slr to press camera seems like less of a hassle than hauling around 2 cameras. i really don't want to spend several hundred dollars on a second camera when i can build a better version myself for dirt cheap. i want to be able to frame, focus and fire the shutter as quickly as you can with an slr. a reflex viewer for the rear gg won't give me that.

 

[maltfalc]

One immediate issue are the dimensions of the Speed Graphic body...

1. If frame height is 92mm (size of opening in 4x5 film holder)...
2. If the 45 degree mirror position is 1.414 * 92 to reflect the entire frame height without vertical image cutoff...
3. s the depth of the box for the mirror opening more than 130mm, to accomodate the reflex mirror in the Up position

more or less. the light path is tapered, so i can shave a bit off the front edge of of the mirror, and i can probably get away with shortening the mirror box a bit if the front edge of the mirror sticks out into the bellows when raised, and i can shrink the mirror and mirror box if i reduce the gg to 90% or 80% coverage. even with everything full sized it shouldn't be any worse than a graflex slr. definitely won't be using any wide angle lenses though.