Graflex RB camera

krisb1981 · Mar 12, 2013

Hi, I have just purchased a Graflex RB camera with 3.25x4.25 film pack adapter, and I would like to know if I can use current fuji film pack for this adapter and camera?
Anyone?

Thank you

E. von Hoegh · Mar 12, 2013

Which adapter do you have? If it is a Graflex adapter for Kodak filmpacks, no.

krisb1981 · Mar 12, 2013

Graflex

krisb1981 · Mar 12, 2013

what would I need than to shoot that fuji pack film? Is it even possible to shoot any currently available film on this camera ?

E. von Hoegh · Mar 12, 2013

krisb1981 said:
what would I need than to shoot that fuji pack film? Is it even possible to shoot any currently available film on this camera ?

The chances of finding a back for that camera which will accept the Fuji instant film are nil. However, if you find the correct Graflex sheetfilm holders, there's this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/748425-REG/Efke_127341_3_25_x_4_25_PL.html

I believe Ilford also makes this size film.

fotch · Mar 12, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
The chances of finding a back for that camera which will accept the Fuji instant film are nil. However, if you find the correct Graflex sheetfilm holders, there's this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/748425-REG/Efke_127341_3_25_x_4_25_PL.html I believe Ilford also makes this size film.

The link takes you to B&H which states "No Longer Available". You can always buy 4x5 & cut it down.

Oren Grad · Mar 12, 2013

You can get 3.25x4.25 HP5 Plus or FP4 Plus during the annual Ilford special order period.

removed account4 · Mar 12, 2013

Oren Grad said:
You can get 3.25x4.25 HP5 Plus or FP4 Plus during the annual Ilford special order period.

and that special order period is ... now

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

if you don't already have them, you also need slotted film holders to work with your camera ...

if you find a roll film holder you can use 120 film ...

waynecrider · Mar 12, 2013

Having owned one of these, if you want to shoot Fuji pack film with their adapter, it would take some revision to the camera as in modifications to the back to mount the adapter and perhaps the ground glass as well for focus; If possible at all. If you had a wood shop and were very creative you might pull it off, but seriously it's not worth the effort unless your committed to using only that film (for how long an undetermined amount of time?) with that camera.
That being said, your option is to cut your own film (cheapest) or buy any stock you find, whether thru Ilford's special order, Ebay, or perhaps Freestyle.
Conversely, there has been one example to my memory where the back was modified to accept a 4x5 back. I have no idea who did it or if instructions were provided and if in reality you actually got a 4x5 image area. The adapted back would have to stand off the camera back somewhat since the internal gate is so small; Or you could just shoot it and get the smaller 3x4 image without cutting film or buying more expensive stock. I myself looked at the overall possibility of adapting a 4x5 back, sans definitely needed additional GG focus work for that top focus ability, and found that one would effectively wind up with the back protruding beyond the sides if one were to use a back off a Graphic. For the cost of such cameras, it's just not worth it. Perhaps tho just creating a 4x5 adapter to easily lock on the back of the camera and to mount a easily available 4x5 Graphic back would be the way to go?

Fotoguy20d · Mar 12, 2013

You can also, very rarely, find a 120 roll film holder that fits.

EdSawyer · Mar 12, 2013

It's not hard to put a 4x5 back on these, (plenty of threads here about it actually), and then you can use any graflok back, including the ones for Fuji FP100c. I am doing this exact project, and it's mostly done (4x5 Graflok back on 3x4 RB Super D). Image size will be about 4 x 4.25 or 4.5

-Ed

Sirius Glass · Mar 12, 2013

Welcome to APUG.

Get your order in for custom cut sheet film at Ilford before the June cutoff for this year.

A good place for Graflex information is www.graflex.org

k_jupiter · Mar 12, 2013

Let's have another "butcher a 3x4 rb" thread. Just point him to the one we just had.

Find some graflex holders (the ones with the slots in the side), check Freestyle for film, learn to process B&W, and run with it. A lifetime ahead of you.

Well forget that. Freestyle stopped carrying it.

tim in san jose

shutterfinger · Mar 13, 2013

I have made an adapter to accept Graphic RFH for 3x4 RB Graflex cameras from baltic birch plywood. It adds about 10 millimeters to the film to flange distance which requires shimming the view hood ground glass upward to its limit. Lens shorter than 135mm may not show infinity in focus until f8 or smaller with the focus fully retracted.
Butcher, no; modified or adapted, yes. Completely reversible.

removed account4 · Mar 13, 2013

if you run into a jam finding roll or sheet film to fill your film holders
you can always shoot paper negatives ... depending on the time of day
and the type of paper, iso can be as high as iso 25 ...

BentleyR · Mar 13, 2013

There are roll film holders out there that will fit the 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 Graflex back properly. I got two 6X9 Suydam holders that seem to work well. They are very primitive in design but work just fine. Just a warning - buying accessories for the Graflex back can be a gamble. Many sellers don't know the difference between the Graflex and much more common Graphic camera backs

krisb1981 · Mar 13, 2013

@Bentley, I am eyeing one of the backs for rollfilm it says Graflex 3.25x4.25 on the mount flange. How does the 6x9 relates to what you see on the ground glass. Are there lines I need to use to compensate?

k_jupiter · Mar 13, 2013

krisb1981 said:
@Bentley, I am eyeing one of the backs for rollfilm it says Graflex 3.25x4.25 on the mount flange. How does the 6x9 relates to what you see on the ground glass. Are there lines I need to use to compensate?

Get a piece of mylar, place it in the opening of your roll film holder and mark it with a sharpie. Using the back installed but the roll film holder not on it, figure out how to place the mylar on top of the viewing glass (in the reflex hood) to match the rectangle drawn on the mylar with what you see through the hole in your roll film holder. Tape the mylar onto the viewing glass inside the hood.

tim in san jose

E. von Hoegh · Mar 13, 2013

Or, you can just mark the glass with the sharpie by removing it and finding the center, then marking out a 6cm x 9cm rectangle around the center.

BentleyR · Mar 13, 2013

I've only had the roll film holder for a couple of weeks so I haven't done either of the good suggestions regarding marking the ground glass. I should - my otherwise perfect composition is compromised by trying to judge where the 6X9 area is.

Good luck with the procurement of a film holder. As a number of folks have said, you can get 3X4 cut film and holders for the camera. I've shot a few hundred that way.

-Allan

pablogustav · Mar 13, 2013

graflex 6 x 9 back

Hey Jupiter, thanks so much for the info. I have a Graflex 23 6 x 9 holder for my 31/4 x 4/14 super graflex and have always wondered how to figure out how to put the corresponding frame lines on my groundglass. I will try out your suggestion and it is much appreciated.

shutterfinger · Mar 14, 2013

RFH's are not the exact stated dimensions in the length. The height stays constant at 56mm (5.6cm) image opening and rounds up to 6 cm for convenience, while the image length can vary and it too is rounded up for convenience.
Nominal sizes are here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/120_film
See the last post in this thread: http://www.graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?t=5795&highlight=film+gate

My Graphic 23 has a 56mm x 74mm film gate and is an early production one, says Graphic 23 on the shell. I have not measured other makes of holders.
---
On my Super Speed I removed the focus panel and marked the frame lines for a Graphic 22 (6cm x 6cm) and Graphic 23 (6cm x 9 cm) with a #2 pencil on the ground side of the glass.

On a Graflex SLR a piece of card stock or poster board can be cut to fit the gg opening then the RFH film gate size removed from the center for a mask that can be installed and removed easily.
The view hood will have a clip center of the front edge that will release the base of the view hood for gg cleaning on most Graflex SLR's.

krisb1981 · Mar 14, 2013

Ok so I have the camera here and it came with one film holder. It says 3.25x4.25 is this the same as 3x4 size? I am bidding on another two film holders, and will try to cut some 9x12 cm sheet film to hit the holders.

k_jupiter · Mar 14, 2013

krisb1981 said:
Ok so I have the camera here and it came with one film holder. It says 3.25x4.25 is this the same as 3x4 size? I am bidding on another two film holders, and will try to cut some 9x12 cm sheet film to hit the holders.

Yes, they are the same. Make sure it has grooves down the sides of the holder.

tim

krisb1981 · Mar 14, 2013

Ya the dreded grooves. This is why it is so hard to find them. Now, what if I bought groovyless holders and grooved them myself. Are other dimensions the same?

Graflex RB camera

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