Lomograflol on Shen Hao 4x5 IIA

[amellice]

Hello all, anyone has experience with getting the lomograflok instant back on the Shen Hao 4x5 IIA? The spring on the shen hao back doesn’t open enough to take in the lomograflok back.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Lomograflok isn't intended to be used with a spring back; it's supposed to replace the focusing panel in a Graflok type back.

There may be some "bail backs" that can open far enough to accept it, but I wouldn't think that's common -- just the focusing adapter (thickness to match the setback inside the Lomgraflok) is 19 mm thick, and the film chamber, battery case, etc. are mostly behind that inside the Lomograflok housing.

I used to use Graflok accessories on my Speed Graphic (Anniversary, with pretty tight spring back) by unscrewing the springs from the frame and replacing them and the focusing panel with small homemade brass tabs that gripped the Graflok ledge on the (in this case) Polaroid back. This might be possible with your Shen Hao (I don't know that model). Otherwise, you may need to shop for a Graflok conversion.

 

[grat]

Pretty sure that camera has a removable ground glass with graflok compatible sliders.

I can't find any picture of a Shen-Hao IIA 4x5 that doesn't appear to have graflok compatibility.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Pretty sure that camera has a removable ground glass with graflok compatible sliders.

If this is true, OP may need to look up how to remove the focusing panel.

 

[grat]

From videos, it appears to have two steel leaf springs-- lift the ends, slide the ground glass assembly out.

 

[abruzzi]

From videos, it appears to have two steel leaf springs-- lift the ends, slide the ground glass assembly out.

yup, just looked at mine--lift up on the end of both springs and slide the ground glass out. I haven't shot this camera in years (I keep meaning to sell it) so I haven't tried installing the lomograflok, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Donald Qualls]

This YouTube video gives a pretty comprehensive going over of this camera model, removal of the ground glass at 9:30.

 

[grat]

That's a lot of movements for one camera.

 

[abruzzi]

its worth adding that apparently some cameras don't have enough deflection on the spring loaded back to insert the spacer to reposition the GG, but I just checked on mine and it fits fine, and does the actual back once the GG is removed. Fitting the actual back is a little fiddly. On mine, the upper lock would slide in place, and i found that the back was a hair too close and a very slight rise allowed the lock to slide in.

 

[amellice]

Thank you all for your comments, I followed the instructions on the video and managed to remove it. The springs on mine looks different a bit though, I believe they changed the design a bit.