How can you not love a Graphic?

[John Irvine]

Ever since my father studied photography on the GI bill after WWII, I've been in awe of the Graphic. First was his 4X5 Speed Graphic, followed by a 4X5 Crown Graphic belonging to the High School newspaper, and finally to a mint condition 2.25X3.25 with everything, including the original box and receipt portion of the Warranty card in a cellophane sleeve.

 

[bdial]

I just bought a 2 1/4 3 1/4 Speed, not mint but in very nice shape in a hard case with original instruction books for the camera and flash. Also in the case was the press badge which is my current avatar.
It's the second baby graphic I've owned, I also have my father's 4x5 speed, and another I bought several years ago for parts. Now all I need is more time to get out and use them.

 

[John Irvine]

Do you know any sources of 2.25X3.25 film? Freestyle has Efke ASA 25/50/100 but I'd like something at 400. I had a few sheets of 20 year old Tri-X that I managed to foul up with one mistake or another. Now I need some more wotk with.

 

[brian d]

Freestyle also has their Arista (Foma) in 100 & 200 speed, the Foma site has this to say about the 200;
<FOMAPAN200 Creative is a black-and-white negative film designed for taking photographic pictures. The film meets high requirements for fine-granularity, high resolution, good contour sharpness and a wide range of halftones. The film has a nominal speed of ISO 200/27 C; thanks to the wide exposure latitude, however, very good results can be achieved even with overexposures up to 1EV (corresponding toISO100/21 C) or underexposures up to 2EV (corresponding to ISO800/30 C), both without any change in processing.>
I use the 100 in a 2.25x3.25 crown,seriesB,and baby Bush Pressman and get good results,but now you've got me thinking maybe I'll get some of the 200 and try speeding it up to 400 and see how it works out. It does seem like it would require a adjustment in development time though. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[John Irvine]

Guess I'll have to order a Box of the 200 and do some testing.

 

[brian d]

Just found that the massive dev chart does list times for foma 200 rated at 400 and 1 or 2 at 800

 

[bdial]

I think that Ilford includes 2 1/4 3 1/4 in their yearly (so far) special order, earlier this year the View Camera Store showed some on their website. Otherwise, as brian d said, it's Foma or Arista from Freestyle or some of the european suppliers. One of the items in my queue is to get in the darkroom and cut up some of my 4x5.

 

[keltic_cherokee]

I have just purchased a Miniature Speed Graphic with 6 lenses 2 backs and several film holders, Cant wait till it gets here got the whole thing case and all for 350.00.

 

[brian d]

6 lenses? wow. what all lengths are you getting?

 

[mhcfires]

Those Baby Graphics are great cameras. I had one in the mid '70s, like a fool I sold it for a pittance. We will be interested in seeing some results from this little gem.

 

[Tempt f8]

I'm another new (old) Mini Speed Graphic owner. I had to carefully buy my kit piece by piece, but everything is together now and it works great. Unlike the old 4x5 Crown that I used 40 years ago, I'll probably be sticking to 120 roll film using '23' 6x9 film backs at this point. IMO, this little 2x3 camera, built in 1945, can be as practical to use as it is historically important to collect. Just a fascinating bit of bygone American engineering and workmanship that's still ready for a days work! Yeah, I love mine...

 

[desertratt]

I just bought most of a Crown Graphic plus the springback that was missing. I now just have to find the right lens and lens board. The box is in amazing condition. From what I read in another spot on APUG mine was made in 1950. Amazing. I have a Kalart rangefinder on the right side and a small viewfinder on top. Since it came with no lens I do not know what length of lens it covers. Perhaps a 127mm?
I'm an old bird and I got into newspaper photography just as the 4x5 was being replaced by many camera guys by a Rolleiflex. I did use a Graphic from time to time in the early 1960s and love the big boxes dearly. The guys who used those things on a daily basis were awesome photographers indeed.

 

[mopar_guy]

A 127mm lens should just cover 4x5. My 3-1/4x4-1/4 Pacemaker Speed Graphic is set up with a 135mm Optar in a Graphex shutter and my 3-1/4x4-1/4 Anniversary Speed Graphic has a 127mm Kodak Ektar in a Graphex shutter.
Dave