New shots of my Crown

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

A little bit ago I got my first large format camera ( see : (there was a url link here which no longer exists) )

But I did not get 'proper' shots of it like I do most my other cameras, since it was too large and I did not want to break out the roll paper. So took some shots today while at work on the studio in the back. And Yes I know the viewfinder loop got folded backwards on the back-view shot, please don't knock me :rolleyes: As you can see I decided to go ahead and remove the rangefinder+cam, and the sports finder I think its called. I also installed a fresnel lens on the back (I had it in front of the ground glass, but doing some focusing test, I found having it on the back of the groundglass with ridges facing forward gave the most accurate focus).

Dave Wooten · Oct 3, 2006

Nice shots, nice camera, Karl from your post title I thought maybe you were a king or something

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

Dave Wooten said:
Nice shots, nice camera, Karl from your post title I thought maybe you were a king or something

I might be to someone....

Dave Parker · Oct 3, 2006

Karl,

Is the Fresnel on the outside of your ground glass? I am curious because the orginal equipment fresnel went in first them the ground glass overtop the fresnel on the graphic cameras?

Just curious.

Dave

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

Dave Parker said:
Karl,

Is the Fresnel on the outside of your ground glass? I am curious because the orginal equipment fresnel went in first them the ground glass overtop the fresnel on the graphic cameras?

Just curious.

Dave

Thats correct, as you may read on graflex.org , the fresnel goes on the lens side of the ground glass, with the ridges facing back. But thats only for graphic cameras that were designed to take a fresnel, as the distance offset of the ground glass would cause the focusing not to match that of the film plane. I tested mine with it in front, then with the fresnel in back ( with the ridges facing forward) , and based on my shooting test, the fresnel on back is accurate, where as on the front is not for my crown graphic. Results may be different on speed graphics, or any other cameras known to come with them, and I Guess if you got a fresnel later on when yours didnt come with one, you might have to shoot some test on a tripod at wide open one some sationary objects to see which one gives the accurate focus. I read somewhere there were some speed graphics that were designed to take the fresnels, but were not shipped with fresnels, as such their focus was always off by a little unless you used shims to space the groundglass back 1mm, or added in a fresnel then the focus was tack sharp.

In short, my focus was accurate if I put the fresnel on back.

Oh here's how I'm packing my graflex.

On the outside of the bag, I usually have my Flash Bracket, which has a PC-Sync to Hot-shoe adapter on it, and fits my crown graphic like a glove ( the bracket goes all the way around it with the hot shoe right in the middle on top of the graflex ), when I Got my EOS-1 on it I just hook up the PC sync usually since I Shoot manually, when I hook my graphic upto it, I use the Bi-Post to PC Sync to hook it to the hot shoe.

Dave Parker · Oct 3, 2006

Karl,

Believe me, I know how they go, without reading Graflex.org, I make ground glass for a living and equip a ton of cameras, I was just curious, but I am very familier with just about any ground glass focusing situation you an think of.

Dave Parker
Satin Snow Ground Glass

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

Dave Parker said:
Karl,

Believe me, I know how they go, without reading Graflex.org, I make ground glass for a living and equip a ton of cameras, I was just curious, but I am very familier with just about any ground glass focusing situation you an think of.

Dave Parker
Satin Snow Ground Glass

Yea I figured I'd reply for those who may be stoping by the thread and wouldnt know otherwise. Also was thinking bout getting one of them Satin Snow ground glass, but beleive it or not cant really afford it right now (even as affordible as they are lol). (I manage to get most of my film either free or very reasonable, so thats how I still manage to survive shooting it, besides I work in a camera store).

naturephoto1 · Oct 3, 2006

kb244 said:
Yea I figured I'd reply for those who may be stoping by the thread and wouldnt know otherwise. Also was thinking bout getting one of them Satin Snow ground glass, but beleive it or not cant really afford it right now (even as affordible as they are lol). (I manage to get most of my film either free or very reasonable, so thats how I still manage to survive shooting it, besides I work in a camera store).

Karl,

Believe me for the little bit of money that Dave charges, you will welcome the results of the Satin Snow GG. Focusing will be so much easier. Try to come up with the $15 or so dollars, it will be some of the best money you've spent in photography.

Rich

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
Karl,

Believe me for the little bit of money that Dave charges, you will welcome the results of the Satin Snow GG. Focusing will be so much easier. Try to come up with the $15 or so dollars, it will be some of the best money you've spent in photography.

Rich

Maybe in 2 week, its not in the budget in the beginning of the month, just like how finding a graflok back for the camera, or a box of normal 4x5 film, or etc is not in the budget.

Dan Fromm · Oct 3, 2006

Dave Parker said:
Karl,

Believe me, I know how they go, without reading Graflex.org, I make ground glass for a living and equip a ton of cameras, I was just curious, but I am very familier with just about any ground glass focusing situation you an think of.

Dave Parker
Satin Snow Ground Glass

Dave, I must have misunderstood what you wrote. My little 2x3 Pacemaker Speed, made in 1947, has what I suspect is the original focusing panel. No fresnel and high bosses for the GG to rest on. My little Century, made in 1951, has what I think is its original focusing panel. Fresnel, low bosses for the fresnel + GG to rest on. Graflex made 'em both ways, what's right for one is wrong for the other.

Cheers,

Dan

Dan Fromm · Oct 3, 2006

Um, Karl, a naked Graflok back for y'r camera may well cost more than the camera. Those of us who've fallen into the "oh, I can get a Graflok later" hole now know that it pays to buy a camera with a Graflok in the first place. Your best hope of getting one at a low price is to buy a 4x5 Graphic with a Graflok, put the Graflok on the better body, and sell the other one. If, that is, you really need a Graflok.

Dave Parker · Oct 3, 2006

Dan Fromm said:
Dave, I must have misunderstood what you wrote. My little 2x3 Pacemaker Speed, made in 1947, has what I suspect is the original focusing panel. No fresnel and high bosses for the GG to rest on. My little Century, made in 1951, has what I think is its original focusing panel. Fresnel, low bosses for the fresnel + GG to rest on. Graflex made 'em both ways, what's right for one is wrong for the other.

Cheers,

Dan

Dan,

I was not complaining or making a statement other than I was curious as to the mounting situation on this particular camera, I am well aware they were made both ways, I just bought 4 crowns 1 wass made for the fresnel and three were not made for the fresnel, it was nothing more than a query that is all, don't make more of it, than the intent of the question, which was plain curiosity..Currently I have about 20 different grapflex cameras in stock and have many variations on them.

Dave

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

Dan Fromm said:
Um, Karl, a naked Graflok back for y'r camera may well cost more than the camera. Those of us who've fallen into the "oh, I can get a Graflok later" hole now know that it pays to buy a camera with a Graflok in the first place. Your best hope of getting one at a low price is to buy a 4x5 Graphic with a Graflok, put the Graflok on the better body, and sell the other one. If, that is, you really need a Graflok.

Um I got a really good deal on this graflex, so not like one with a graflok was avail to me to start with at the price I liked, also having a graflok isnt an extreme nessesity, would be nice, but not needed. When I got the crown graphic, I was intending to use it as it is, but was also thinking "would be kinda nice to be able to use a roll back once a while", since I would only use a roll back if I ran out of sheet film, why use something smaller than the camera supported, if I wanted to shoot roll film all the time, I'd stick with my Mamiya RB67.

Also I was already intending to just find a beat up graflex to get a graflok back, since I knew the bare back would fetch for more, but i'm not gona do it until I see a good price come by, even if that'll be a long time.

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

I went ahead and got approval from the wife, she'll figure out how to make up for the 15$ So got a 4x5 ordered, now just to sit back and hope it comes shortly after xmas lol.

I'll get used to the graflex the way it is now, and when I get the screen it'll likely be only better. .

Dave Parker · Oct 3, 2006

Hi Karl,

It should be there before that, we are pushing real hard to get get caught up, this happens every year, the summer is crazy and we spend alot of the time in the fall getting as caught up as possible.

Thanks.

Dave

naturephoto1 · Oct 3, 2006

Hi Karl,

Very good decision to get the Satin Snow Ground Glass. You will certainly find viewing brighter and easier to focus.

Rich

kb244 · Oct 3, 2006

Dave Parker said:
Hi Karl,

It should be there before that, we are pushing real hard to get get caught up, this happens every year, the summer is crazy and we spend alot of the time in the fall getting as caught up as possible.

Thanks.

Dave

Thanks for the encouragement, but even if it arrives as late as 8 weeks I'm not gona complain, it is custom made after all, and you can't rush good work.

New shots of my Crown

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