Using a Speed Graphic hand held - doable?

[Sirius Glass]

The practical advantage of having a focal plane shutter is the ability to use barrel (non-shuttered) lenses.

Reason number 2 why I bought a Pacemaker Speed Graphic and a Graflex Model D.

Reason 1 was that I wanted LF cameras that I could use hand held.

Reason 3 is that I wanted an camera that also had some movements.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I shoot with my left hand under the strap with my fingers around the body frame.

How many shoot that way and how many shoot with the left hand under the camera?

 

[summicron1]

at this age juncture most of the FP shutters on Speeds don't work very well -- at least mine doesn't. Look around you can find one pretty easily with a 127mm Kodak Ektar and have fun, either a crown or speed -- they were made for being used handheld Keep ur shutter speed at 100 or above.

and remember, the guys who used those things in combat had to get shots of the troops advancing, "and we want to see their faces..."

 

[removed-user-1]

Yesterday I went to a Memorial Day event at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, where there were several WWII-vintage planes on display, including the only airworthy B-29 bomber in existence. They were playing big band swing music and some original flight crew members were there. It struck me that it would have been really appropriate to have taken a Speed Graphic and used it handheld.

 

[fotch]

.... that is why Graphex came out with the Crown Graphic in 1947, some people just did not need the focal plane shutter any longer.

FYI Graflex is the company name.

 

[Sirius Glass]

at this age juncture most of the FP shutters on Speeds don't work very well -- at least mine doesn't. Look around you can find one pretty easily with a 127mm Kodak Ektar and have fun, either a crown or speed -- they were made for being used handheld Keep ur shutter speed at 100 or above.

and remember, the guys who used those things in combat had to get shots of the troops advancing, "and we want to see their faces..."

Go to www.graflex.org and find out how to get your Speed focal plane shutter working correctly. It is not all that hard and well worth the effort.

 

[Photo Engineer]

My focal plane shutter works perfectly.

BTW, the B&W Aerial shots (air to air) were shot using a Speed Graphic with Super XX film rated at ISO 100 or 120. I would have to look up my notes on that. The color shots were made using a first run Nikon F. Of course, all was hand held. No tripods in the cockpit!

Upside down at 600 knots wasn't easy but it was doable.

PE

 

[graywolf]

There is an old adage about what the slowest speed one can hand hold steadily. It goes: the slowest speed is one that approximates the focal length of your lens in millimeters. In other words, most 4 x 5 graphics have a 135 mm lens. That would mean you can hand hold comfortably at a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second or faster. A 150 mm should be OK at that speed too with care. For 35 mm cameras, a 50 mm lens can be hand held at 1/60. I tell my students that with practice they should be able to drop down at least another speed.

That rule of thumb is for 35mm cameras. Anyone should be able to get sharp images with a 4x5 Graphic at 1/25th of a second, and steady folks at 1/10th, I have seen many shot at 1/5th. Assuming a 127 or 135mm lens of course. The 35mm camera (and the equiv digital) has become so much the standard since 1970 or so, that most people know nothing about larger cameras.

First off the frame is going to be magnified 2x with the 4x5, and 8x with the 35mm, so you can cut that 1/125th you mentioned down by 3-4 stops right off the bat. Second the camera weighs twice as much so it has more inertia, so you can move it down another stop. That puts you right into that 1/5th to 1/10th of a second range. Less grain is not the only advantage to a larger format by any means.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Reading this makes me want one now. Ugh this GAS.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That rule of thumb is for 35mm cameras.

Actually, it was first for medium format. In the 60's I started telling 35mm customers to use it for guidance.

 

[hoffy]

Actually, it was first for medium format. In the 60's I started telling 35mm customers to use it for guidance.

Apparently I have read on a D!g!tal forum, that with these high resolution sensors, you can no longer hand hold at anything less then 1/1000 of a second ……

Thanks, there is some great advice here. I should stop eating beans as the GAS is going to explode soon I think. Thankfully, I have given myself a goal of saving my coffee money for such things (instead of dipping into the bank account), so I will get a bit of clarity of time to save up for one. While we are talking money, what would be a fair price (from the US) for a working one with lens and operational range finder?

Also, I think an older member of our club may have one in his shed. I might ask if I can borrow/shoot some frames with it if he is willing to let me have a play.

Cheers

 

[Photo Engineer]

If anyone is interested, I have 2 Graphics of different age, and one mini Graphic 3.25 x 4.25 and a baby Watson.

Come by here and you can try them out. I might even give you one!

PE

 

[hoffy]

If anyone is interested, I have 2 Graphics of different age, and one mini Graphic 3.25 x 4.25 and a baby Watson.

Come by here and you can try them out. I might even give you one!

PE

Hmmmm, I don't think they do direct flights from Adelaide Australia to Rochester International Airport.....

 

[Photo Engineer]

TOUGH! Sorry.

PE

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

If anyone is interested, I have 2 Graphics of different age, and one mini Graphic 3.25 x 4.25 and a baby Watson.

Come by here and you can try them out. I might even give you one!

PE

Road Trip!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I never could find the Duty Free Shop at the Greater Rochester International Airport!

Where is the Lesser Rochester International Airport?

 

[Photo Engineer]

There is this grass field in Brockport........

PE

 

[BrianShaw]

at this age juncture most of the FP shutters on Speeds don't work very well -- at least mine doesn't.

Like any other mechanical device of that age, it might need to be serviced.

 

[Ian Grant]

Like any other mechanical device of that age, it might need to be serviced.

It's not that difficult to service them either, I got mine up and running nicely about 5 years ago and only found the sites/books afterwards.

Ian

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have repaired a Graflex shutter. It is not that difficult with the right tool [not expensive] and well written instructions with photographs.

 

[Ian Grant]

Thomas Tomosy has a good section on LF focal plane shutters in his book "Repairing Classic and Collectible Camera". There is a PDF version available online but whether it's kosher or pirated I've no idea.

I've supplied new shutter curtain material to a US repairer recently just over 6ft in lenght x 8" wide for the restoration of a 7x5 Graflex, the camera's now restored.

Ian

 

[removed account4]

It's not that difficult to service them either, I got mine up and running nicely about 5 years ago and only found the sites/books afterwards.

same here, i remember the day vividly. it was january 1989, and i took the back apart and untightened the nut
and de-wound the shutter by accident. then i didn't have it set to "0" and i rewound it ( the right way ) about 15 revolutions and nothing was aligned ...
it wasn't until an hour later, in a cold sweat that i realized it needed to be set to "0" to work right ... piece of cake !
and since about 1995 the graflex slr has been timed and working like a charm too !

Thomas Tomosy has a good section on LF focal plane shutters in his book "Repairing Classic and Collectible Camera". There is a PDF version available online but whether it's kosher or pirated I've no idea.

I've supplied new shutter curtain material to a US repairer recently just over 6ft in lenght x 8" wide for the restoration of a 7x5 Graflex, the camera's now restored.

Ian

i have always wanted a 7x5 graflex ... you are one lucky-duck!

I have repaired a Graflex shutter. It is not that difficult with the right tool [not expensive] and well written instructions with photographs.

right tool ?
the only tool/tools i have ever used were a flat-head screwdriver and a wrench ( to remove the tiny nut )
john

 

[Ian Grant]

i have always wanted a 7x5 graflex ... you are one lucky-duck!

The camera is owned by a well known Chinese photographer I just made and supplied the curtain material

Ian

 

[removed account4]

i guess you will soon be known as the fred lustig of turkey(west midlands uk)
i know you have restored thornton pickard shutters, i would guess ( maybe i'm wrong? )
that a graflex 7x5 is kind of like a giant one of them ..

whatever they are, it sounds like FUN

john

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The 5x7" Graflices (that's the plural, isn't it, like "indices"?) have fairly simple shutters. Mine is a Press Graflex, but I think the same is true for the Home Portrait with the rotating back. Instead of an adjustable slit, which I gather can be a source of trouble in the later Speed Graphics, the curtain has four different slits, and you just advance or retract the curtain to the slit width you need for the exposure, so as long as the mainspring isn't broken, the curtain isn't torn, and everything is tensioned and moving properly, it's easy to get the shutter running accurately.