Crown Graphic grafloc back

The Grafloc back that came with my Crown Graphic does not have the grooves for the silver latches fit into. It locks in ok with the spring latch but when I slide the top and bottom silver latches they don't don't lock.

You showed us a focusing panel, not a back. The back should have a pair of pins that engage the hooks at the end of those latches. Show us the back.

When you sit the focusing panel onto the back like a film holder with the "hook" end of the focus panel at the edge of the film gate (back opening) and push the focus panel to the left while keeping it flush to the camera back the spring latches should catch and lock onto the holding pins. The slides are for locking film holders or other accessories to the camera back with or without the focus panel attached.

Here are the camera latches. I would have thought that these would also lock in the focusing assembly. I have a Polaroid back that has the notches for the latch and would think the focus unit would also have it. It locks in with the hooks properly but I would have thought since the camera was designed before the accessories it would utilize the same latching system. Am I missing something?

Yes. Use the hooks to attach the focusing panel.

Spring backs' focusing panels are permanently attached. Graflok backs' focusing panels detach to allow accessories, e.g., roll holders to be attached. Graflok backs' attach the way they do to allow sheet film holders to be inserted between the focusing panel and back. The focusing panel holds a sheet film holder in place, as does a spring back's focusing panel.

I understand about the different backs you can use but what I don't understand why the focusing unit does not have the grooves to lock it in addition to the hooks. Is this true with all focusing units?

campy51 said:

I understand about the different backs you can use but what I don't understand why the focusing unit does not have the grooves to lock it in addition to the hooks. Is this true with all focusing units?

Click to expand...

If the focusing panel was retained by the Graflok sliders, as some roll holders are, then sheet film holders, which are designed to go between the focusing panel and back, would not be usable.

There's a somewhat loose Graflok standard. Cameras that conform to it have removable spring-loaded focusing panels. The standard is somewhat loose, there's no guarantee that one maker's conforming focusing panel will attach to another maker's conforming back.

There is a version of the Graflok back called International back. Cambo made at least three flavors of these things for the 2x3 Cambo SC-1. I have a couple of SC-1s with two different International backs. They can't be used with sheet film holders or with insertion type roll holders like my Adapt-A-Roll 620s. To use them, I have a kind of spring back called a bail back.

Now stop whining and get on with your life.

Check the manual. Look at page 5 and 6 for instructions and pictures.

https://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/graphic_pacemaster_speed_crown.pdf

You can download this manual but don't forget to leave Mr. Butkus a donation.

If you could lock the focusing panel in place you couldn't slide a film holder in w/o either unlocking or removing the focusing panel from the back. It's working as designed.