Graflex RB 5X7 home portrait or RB 4X5 curtain aperture?

campy51

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Which of these is the more desirable cameras? I use to have a Crown Graphic 4X5 and have developed my own b&w film with the Mod 54. I still have it but, I thought 5X7 might be fun but I don't have a darkroom so I don't know how practical it would be. Any suggestions?
 

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these are the2 cameras from your friend's grandfather ?
does the home portrait have a film magazine or film holders ?
look at graflex.org to see what the bag magazines and film holders look like
the magazines are big, and have a leather top to them,
inside there should be 8 or 12 metal septums that hold the film
the film holders have slots on the sides. the tele is a nice camera,
it has a huge bellows draw compared to a regular old series d, so you could
use longer lenses on it, probably some of the same FL you would use on the 5x7 model
i mention these things because if you have the chance to rummage through the camera stuff
you might find them ... if you have to buy them off of ebay or the classifides section of a website like
this, or largeformat photo.info, good luck they are never sold ( almost never ) without the camera.

david goldfarb, one of the moderators here has and uses a home portrait, maybe if he sees this thread
he can chime in on how nice it is to use. the regular 4x5 series D is a dream to use, perfectly weighted.
the good folks at graflex knew what they were doing !
 
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shutterfinger

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I processed 8 x 10 film in a Jobo 2500 series drum without the reels. The taller ribs inside the tank were spaced so that the film would lock between them and the smaller ribs prevented the film from touching the sides so no streaks or antihalation coating residue. Rotary manual processing is great. Will 5 x 7 fit a Patterson tank? I don't know. Can you find a Beseler tank, Bltz tubes, or similar for 5x7 film? You will probably have to hunt.

Now take a look at the film suppliers web sites at what is available in 5x7 film. I think you will find it limited. 5x7 Graflex film holders will be hard to source. Don't be fooled by regular film holders made by Graflex. Graflex SLR film holders are wider and have a grove down the sides and close to the darkslide end of the holder.
 

mdarnton

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The Home Portrait is a cool camera, but you will have a very hard time finding one, and it's huge. A 4x5 Series D is actually a hand camera of sorts, and it's much easier to find both the camera and the bits for it, and film, as well. Developing won't be a problem, but printing will be. Contact 5x7s are almost viable; 4x5 contacts are a bit small for most people. If you really want to get into this, you should wander over to http://www.largeformatphotography.info/ and cruise around there, including the forum. Another site you need to read everything on is http://graflex.org

Many of us who are using large cameras are shooting xray film. It's dirt cheap-- about 40 cents per 8x10-- and you can cut it down and develop it under a red safe light. I shoot all sizes, 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 on xray film, then scan for printing. If you really want to do the darkroom route, huge enlargers are often given away if you happen to hang with the right crowd--there's no demand at all for them these days. Once you get into the LF world, you'll find we're all over the place, but you don't see us. There might be someone living right next to you, but you'll never find out because you haven't completed your profile to tell us where you live. :-(

"Curtain aperture" is not a model--it's written on the shutter speed chart to indicate a shutter parameter, but ignorant Ebay sellers fix on that line because it's the only thing written on the camera. It's like calling a car "E" because that's what it says on the fuel gauge.
 
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campy51

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Here is the 5X7 camera and it comes with I think 3 or 4 holders.
 

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campy51

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bdial

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Since you're in the N.E., the folks at PHSNE (Photographic Historical Society of New England) can probably assist you in coming up with Values. Contact information is on the society's website at www.phsne.org.
Also, if you have time, the monthly meeting is tomorrow in Newton Highland, MA, details are on the website.
 

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I would place a call to the school of th museum of fine arts ( smfa ) and mass college of art and risd
there are students and faculty that might be interested in the gear. leslie college and the New England
college of art as well as Ne school of photography. you might get people interested instead of Craig's list
bottom feeders .

good luck it's a haul ...
 
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campy51

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I just checked out the 5x7 holders and to my disappointment I think they are plate holders. Can these be converted to take film?
 
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campy51

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The camera uses the holders with the groove down both sides. The one you link doesn't have the grooves.
 

shutterfinger

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campy51

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I don't know. I will try to swing by my office tomorrow and take pictures and post them.
 
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campy51

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Here are some pictures of the 5x7 roll film holder. Is this a rare item?
 

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campy51

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Here are some pictures of the 5x7 holders. Are these for plates and not film?
 

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shutterfinger

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Post #20- 112 roll film holder. The Wiki link in post #18 shows 112 roll film was discontinued in 1924. It can be modified to take 120 film or its a nice collectors item.
Post #21- images 2270 and 2271 are plate holder(s) with film sheaths, image 2272 is a plate holder without a film sheath.
 
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campy51

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So I can put film in 2270 and 2271? Are there any special instructions I need to know?
 
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