Ground Glass replacement for Speed Graphic

[jaimeb82]

Bought a Speed Graphic and would like to change the ground glass. It may be me but I don't enjoy the image quality this ground glass gives. It is definitely really bad towards the corners, the center is ok but not the overall image, so it is hard to get a compositional idea of photos. I tried covering with a dark blanket.

Do ground glass plates get wasted with time? If I should buy a new one, can someone recommend an online dealer, base dealer here in NYC? Thanks, I found a guy on the e....b.....y site, but we had a conflict of arguments about measures and I backed up.

link here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230330934077

 

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

I have made good experiences with the ebay-seller canyonlandgraphics. He often offers groundglass besides other replacement parts for Graflexes. Right now he dose not seem to have anything in his shop unfortunately. May be you let him a week or two and have a look then.

Ulrich

 

[Fotoguy20d]

Is it a Pacemaker or an Anniversary Graphic? A fresnel helps a lot. I usually don't use the hood (it doesn't provide enough shade for good visibility and makes it hard to get in with a loupe) and have found visibility with the standard glass and fresnel is okay under the dark cloth. You might want to try cleaning the glass if you haven't already - you'd be amazed how much a good cleaning can help.

Dan

 

[jaimeb82]

Is it a Pacemaker or an Anniversary Graphic? A fresnel helps a lot. I usually don't use the hood (it doesn't provide enough shade for good visibility and makes it hard to get in with a loupe) and have found visibility with the standard glass and fresnel is okay under the dark cloth. You might want to try cleaning the glass if you haven't already - you'd be amazed how much a good cleaning can help.

Dan

Anniversary with the Graphic back not the desirable GRAFLOK BACK. I cleaned after I got it, I think I used alcohol? or lens clener, but can't remember. The glass looks like not transparent, more like fogy dream like.

What is a fresnel?

 

[jaimeb82]

I have made good experiences with the ebay-seller canyonlandgraphics. He often offers groundglass besides other replacement parts for Graflexes. Right now he dose not seem to have anything in his shop unfortunately. May be you let him a week or two and have a look then.

Ulrich

I will check him up, so far he's got zero items for sale. Thanks.

 

[Fotoguy20d]

What is a fresnel?

You can find a pretty good explanation here and here. Basically, it helps lighten the image on the GG and make it more uniform. For Graflex cameras, you'll often see them referred to as Ektalite screens. They became standard a couple of years after the graflok so you won't find on on an Anniversary model and it would probably screw up focus if you did.

I've also had good experiences with canyonlandgraphics. You can try e-mailing him with what you're looking for.

Dan

 

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

You can also grind your own ground glass. There is good article here : http://www.dokasphotos.com/techniques/ground_glass/. The author claims you can get a much brighter image.