Speed Graphic, infinity stops and a Lomo Graphic Back

dabsond · Nov 7, 2022

I have Graphlex Speed Graphic 4x5. I wanted to purchase one of the lomographic backs, to shoot Instax wide instant film. Is it possible to add a second set of infinity stops to the rails and set them to infinity focus for the new back (plane of focus is different)? My plan is to install the stops and set the infinity focus for the back and If I shoot standard film, I can use the original stops. What about the accuracy of the rangefinder, will it be unchanged? Any inputs appreciated. Thanks.

nakol · Nov 7, 2022

The rangefinder works fine once you setup the infinity stops for the Instax back at correct distance.

You can color code the stops by putting some colored nail polish on top of the infinity stops so you can easily identify which is which.

AnselMortensen · Nov 7, 2022

If your Speed Graphic is a Pacemaker Speed Graphic, you can use multiple infinity stops...if it's an Anniversary, it would be difficult.

Sirius Glass · Nov 7, 2022

AnselMortensen said:
If your Speed Graphic is a Pacemaker Speed Graphic, you can use multiple infinity stops...if it's an Anniversary, it would be difficult.

I have three one for each lens on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic with the appropriate distance scale.

nakol · Nov 7, 2022

This is how I setup my Crown Graphic.

For 150mm lens:
Yellow stop is for normal film backs (front stop)
Red is for the Lomo instax back (front stop)
Blue is for the 4x5 plate to hasselblad V digital back (back stop)

Sirius Glass · Nov 8, 2022

nakol said:
View attachment 321102
This is how I setup my Crown Graphic.

For 150mm lens:
Yellow stop is for normal film backs (front stop)
Red is for the Lomo instax back (front stop)
Blue is for the 4x5 plate to hasselblad V digital back (back stop)

Three of the scales has infinity closer to the camera body and one has infinity further away. Something is off.

nakol · Nov 8, 2022

All three sets of the infinity stops are for 150mm lens, for different types of backs.

For regular film backs like 4x5 film holders I use the yellow stoppers but Lomo instax back needs to be back-focused so those red stoppers for it sits closer to the body. Yellow and red stoppers stop the front standard from the front like they should.

The blue ones need to be in-between red and yellow stoppers to work properly but there is no space available so I put them way back and use them to stop the front standard from behind. Notice when I use the blue ones the front standard is over the red stoppers.

This way I can use irregular backs with only the rangefinder and I don't carry the ground glass at all.

dabsond · Nov 8, 2022

nakol said:
View attachment 321111

All three sets of the infinity stops are for 150mm lens, for different types of backs.

For regular film backs like 4x5 film holders I use the yellow stoppers but Lomo instax back needs to be back-focused so those red stoppers for it sits closer to the body. Yellow and red stoppers stop the front standard from the front like they should.

The blue ones need to be in-between red and yellow stoppers to work properly but there is no space available so I put them way back and use them to stop the front standard from behind. Notice when I use the blue ones the front standard is over the red stoppers.

This way I can use irregular backs with only the rangefinder and I don't carry the ground glass at all.
View attachment 321112

This is exactly what I was thinking about doing. What is your impression using the instax film on the Graphic. Are you pleased with the results. I think it would be a great mix of old and new working together. Is there a benefit of adding the depth of field scales if I only plan on using the rangefinder. In your opinion are they needed?

Donald Qualls · Nov 8, 2022

AnselMortensen said:
if it's an Anniversary, it would be difficult.

Not to mention few Anniversary models have a Graflok back. I converted mine with a 3D printed unit from 20th Century Camera, which works but isn't terrifically secure (pulling dark slide requires care to avoid lifting off the rib and pulling the back out of the mount). Since it won't accommodate multiple sets of infinity stops, I made scratch marks in the bed rails so I can move the stops and use the RF with the lens its calibrated for (13.5 cm Tessar) on either film holders and Grafmatic, or LomoGraflok.

FWIW, if you have an Annie, you could probably get a Pacemaker Crown without lens for not much if any more than the 20th Century Camera conversion back...

nakol · Nov 8, 2022

dabsond said:
This is exactly what I was thinking about doing. What is your impression using the instax film on the Graphic. Are you pleased with the results. I think it would be a great mix of old and new working together. Is there a benefit of adding the depth of field scales if I only plan on using the rangefinder. In your opinion are they needed?

Well with the large format lens the instax pictures are much better quality compared to the ones you can make with the toys from Fuji.

People are very drawn to the whole setup and they are very impressed with the instant pictures so very good for parties and such.

The distance scales are for parallax correction and for 90mm lens focusing.

At close distance the parallax can be quite severe, so framing without ground glass is hard.
For that, I have installed Linhof universal finder and it needs the distance input.

I also setup infinity stops for 90mm Angulon but it is not rangefinder coupled.
I use it by locking the focus on certain distance on the 150mm scale, move to a point where it is in focus using the rangefinder, and adjust the focus using the 90mm scale. Wider DOF of 90mm lens allows generous focusing which is okay to my eyes.

Cheers!

BrianShaw · Nov 8, 2022

Clever; very clever!

Have you considered making a viewfinder mask, or figuring out which Graflex mask might be close enough?

Donald Qualls · Nov 8, 2022

BrianShaw said:
figuring out which Graflex mask might be close enough?

I've thought about it, but the LomoGraflok has a very off-center image area, so you'd have to make a mask from scratch. I don't know if a 3D printed mask would stand up to insertion and removal from the tube finder without breaking and leaving a difficult to remove fragment in the tube, but it should be easy to cut and bend one out of brass or aluminum sheet stock.

AnselMortensen · Nov 8, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
Not to mention few Anniversary models have a Graflok back. I converted mine with a 3D printed unit from 20th Century Camera, which works but isn't terrifically secure (pulling dark slide requires care to avoid lifting off the rib and pulling the back out of the mount). Since it won't accommodate multiple sets of infinity stops, I made scratch marks in the bed rails so I can move the stops and use the RF with the lens its calibrated for (13.5 cm Tessar) on either film holders and Grafmatic, or LomoGraflok.

FWIW, if you have an Annie, you could probably get a Pacemaker Crown without lens for not much if any more than the 20th Century Camera conversion back...

My Annie has a Graflok back from a Pacemaker, a yoke from a Pacemaker with multiple infinity stops, a reversed (front-tilting) front standard from a Pacemaker, but the larger (better) lens board holder from the Annie.

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2022

AnselMortensen said:
My Annie has a Graflok back from a Pacemaker, a yoke from a Pacemaker with multiple infinity stops, a reversed (front-tilting) front standard from a Pacemaker, but the larger (better) lens board holder from the Annie.

So in other words, your Annie is a Bride of Frankenstein. Actually, that sounds like the perfect Speed or Crown -- best features of Annie and Pacemaker.

ags2mikon · Nov 9, 2022

If the instax back is rearward of the cut film back you can also use a spacer to move the standard back. Horseman did that and so did Graflex. Then if you get another lens you can still use the spacer with your new lens infinity stops.

Donald Qualls · Nov 9, 2022

ags2mikon said:
If the instax back is rearward of the cut film back

It is, by about 19 mm. My longer term plan is to do exactly that with my Annie: I'll 3D print a spacer that just drops into place on the rail, and can be removed (attached to the camera with a lanyard) once the front standard is locked. Of course, that really only matters if you have the RF calibrated for the lens you switch to; otherwise you're going to have to use the ground glass and insert to focus anyway.

dabsond · Nov 9, 2022

I have sourced a set of infinity stops and they are on the way. I will try installing them and setting them to infinity focus with the LOMO unit. I don't want to make any permanent changes to the camera as I still plan on using for film as well. I will look into sourcing something to use in the viewfinder as a mask to assist with composition.

AnselMortensen · Nov 9, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
So in other words, your Annie is a Bride of Frankenstein. Actually, that sounds like the perfect Speed or Crown -- best features of Annie and Pacemaker.

Yes, she's an AnniversaryMaker.

Speed Graphic, infinity stops and a Lomo Graphic Back

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