Waiting for my Crown Graphic, my first LF camera

[Alan Gales]

I would like more lenses, but since I just bought additional lenses for my Rollei medium format camera, and also this Graflex camera, I think my wife would kill me unless I take a break from buying .

Anyway, it's also fun to see what I can do with the basic materials, before I expand on it.

It sounds like your wife is related to mine!

 

[Doc W]

My first 4x5 was a Pacemaker Crown Graphic (I still have it). They are terrific cameras for getting into large format inexpensively. Although it doesn't have a lot of movements, you can turn the front standard around to give you front tilt, one of the most important movements for landscapes.

They are also a lot of fun hand-held. Make sure the rangefinder is accurate and you can almost use it as a snapshot camera. You can even get a roll film back for it. Keep in mind that it was designed to be hand-held - it IS a press camera and there are tons of great press photos from the 30s to the 50s which were shot on Crown and Speed Graphics - all hand-held.

 

[GKC]

Check out
www.graflex.org

 

[trondsi]

OK, I tried it today. I felt waaaay out of my comfort zone. Luckily I have recently gotten used to focusing using ground glass (thanks to my Rollei) but the fact that it is upside down is hard to get used to. My main problems was making sure the picture was properly framed (composed). I tried using the wire viewfinder, and completely forgot the optical viewfinder. Is this what you normally would use? How do people normally compose their picture for large format?

I also had a bit of a problem with loading the film without moving the camera. Maybe I need a sturdier tripod.

 

[BrianShaw]

A lot of people say that Tiltall is OK for LF. I've always found that heavier is better for just the reason you mention. .I use an old Manfrotto 3050, which is perhaps overkill but my camera doesn't move much when mounting holders.

I always use the viewfinder for handheld or GG for tripod. Never used the sport finder because I think (no personal experience though) that "approximate" is the best one can achieve with that tool.

Also, practice makes both perfect and easier... so keep practicing!

 

[Alan Gales]

I have a Tiltall and it will work with your Crown. I know because I used it with mine. That said, I agree with Brian. I like heavy tripods. Put your Crown on a Ries J100 and it will be rock solid. I know because I have done that too.

I always used the ground glass. I don't believe in hand holding 4x5 cameras. I'd get better results with a medium format camera hand held. For me, 4x5 film is too expensive to waste. That's my opinion and many do disagree. Don't take my word for it though. Try it and see what you think.

 

[shutterfinger]

I use the wire frame and peep site called Sports Finder as it allows for easier viewing of the scene when in P&S mode or I compose on the GG.

Now when inserting or removing film holders this method will minimize or eliminate camera movement and extend your film holder life:
Place the finger tips of your Left Hand on the Top Right rear corner of the camera with your left index finger at the side edge of the camera.
Reach down with your Left Thumb, place it on the top wing of the focus panel and pull back until the film holder will just clear the opening.
Push the film holder in straight until the light trap ridge seats into the light trap grove.
Repeat for film holder removal, releasing all pressure on the film holder so that the holder ridge clears the camera grove easily.

Pulling back on a film holder without releasing the focus panel spring pressure will result in the top of the film holder becoming loose and leaking light at the edge of the film area.

A tripod head mount plate that allows the camera to move with the mount screw tightened needs a new cork pad or a thin piece of sheet rubber bonded to it.

 

[trondsi]

Thank you very much everyone!
Shutterfinger, yes that method seems to work better. I'll practice a bit on inserting film holders.
I also found that my tripod gets much sturdier if I just lower it slightly from where I had it. It's cheap, but I think it'll do for now.

As far as large format goes in general, I am also enjoying Ben Horne's videos on the subject. He uses 8X10 but still, there are lots of useful tips in his youtube channel.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Wire frame or view finder for hand held; ground glass for tripod.

Check out:
http://graflex.org/helpboard/

 

[Alan Gales]

As far as large format goes in general, I am also enjoying Ben Horne's videos on the subject. He uses 8X10 but still, there are lots of useful tips in his youtube channel.

Yeah, 8x10 is the same as 4x5 only bigger and more expensive.

 

[trondsi]

OK, I just realized that the tubular viewfinder works just fine; it just had a mask on it that I had to remove. Now it is properly showing the scene as expected, and the distance/parallax adjustments seem to work as well. This is great, since i can start by setting up the camera and having a quick look in the viewfinder before I do anything else, even before opening it.

The rangefinder also seems to work, but this one is really tricky. I think I'll just use the ground glass for focusing.

 

[Sirius Glass]

At www.graflex.org there is information about viewfinder masks. http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/viewfinder-masks.html

 

[shutterfinger]

Use leg extension for height first, center column as a last resort for height, ensure legs are spread against their stops for best stability. Cheap tripods are fine until they dump your camera by tipping over.

Which rangefinder do you have, top or side?

 

[trondsi]

Use leg extension for height first, center column as a last resort for height, ensure legs are spread against their stops for best stability. Cheap tripods are fine until they dump your camera by tipping over.

Which rangefinder do you have, top or side?

I have a rangefinder on the side.

I tried to find a picture of a Crown Graphic exactly like mine. Here's a picture of a Super Graphic, but all the accessories seem to be arranged exactly like on my Crown :

 

[shutterfinger]

That's a Pacemaker Speed Graphic, not a Super Graphic.

Now the windows on the RF should unscrew allowing you to clean the inside of them and the mirrors. Sometimes the windows are stuck and are hard to remove. Earlier versions do not have removable mirrors. The top mirror is a beamsplitter, trying to clean it with Windex may strip its coating leaving a piece of clear glass only. Windex will work on all of the windows and the lower prism or mirror whichever was used as I have seen both.
If the rangefinder image does not move smoothly in both directions, infinity to close, close to infinity, then it needs a CLA. A complete CLA will require the rangefinder to be removed from the body and recalibrated after reassembly.

 

[peter k.]

Place the finger tips of your Left Hand on the Top Right rear corner of the camera with your left index finger at the side edge of the camera.
Reach down with your Left Thumb, place it on the top wing of the focus panel and pull back until the film holder will just clear the opening.
Push the film holder in straight until the light trap ridge seats into the light trap grove.
Repeat for film holder removal, ...

Ah .. even with a sturdy tripod.. I set up scene with ground glass, then focus.. with everything on the tripod locked down, would look through view finder, to verify, position.. But even with hand against the back on left side, would still sometimes have to readjust .. as the camera would move.
But now.. ah ha.. doing it this way... really makes sense.. never even thought of it... THANK YOU!

 

[trondsi]

Right, that's a Speed Graphic of course. I guess my Crown is s bit lighter (with fewer options)

Anyway, I might try that rangefinder cleaning later, when I give hand-held a go. The rangefinder seems to work, I just sometimes get a bit lost when using it. The ground glass is in good shape now, so focusing on the tripod should be no problem.

I really dig the way this thing folds up. I bet this is one of the reasons why the lens is in such good shape. I also figured out how to move and tilt the lens up and down.

 

[trondsi]

I just got some trial pictures back. Ouch.

There is something wrong here. In all pictures there is some sort of leak on the side where I pull out the dark slide. I am not sure if this is the holder or the camera. In one picture the scene is in focus, but that edge is bleached and purple-ish. Several were also blasted clean (blank) with light, and in this case that leaky edge looks darker than the rest of the frame. Very odd.

 

[trondsi]

Before I go ahead and try more film, I was hoping someone could diagnose the problem here. The picture that is blank might have been myself simply forgetting to close the shutter, but what's up with that purple edge in both? This edge is on the side where I insert the dark slide. The pic on top is in focus though (sorry for bad snapshots).

 

[Truzi]

The streaks look like a light leak. The holder may not be sealing properly, or you may be pulling a bit much as shutterfinger advises to be careful of. I've a few holders waiting for me to get a 4x5, but I really haven't played with them, so I can't offer any way to check other than a visual inspection for obvious gaps or wear.

Also, I don't think you exposed the blank one at all - notice you have the light leak, as well as the edge markings (which are pre-exposed at the factory).

 

[BrianShaw]

That, plus it looks as though the film possibly was not loaded correctly into the holders.

 

[trondsi]

That, plus it looks as though the film possibly was not loaded correctly into the holders.

Yes, I just realized that at least some of the sheets were incorrectly loaded. Thanks!

 

[Pioneer]

If I could suggest an option that will be a great training system for the camera without spending a ton of money.

Use photo paper instead of film. The effective film speed is a lot slower with photo paper but there are some benefits.

First, the cost is far lower with 4x5 photo paper than with film. This way you can shoot more without worrying too much about the cost.

Second, you can load the paper in the film holders while using a safe light. This helps you to see what you are doing allowing you to learn.

Third, developing is very quick. Typically paper is developed in a minute or minute and a half. If you use Resin Coated instead of Fiber Based your wash times are easy as well.

Finally, you may find that you actually like paper negatives.

If you do decide to work with photo paper I recommend that you start with Ilford MGIV RC Deluxe.

Just a thought really. Learning to really use and enjoy large format takes time and will result in mistakes. That isn't bad, making mistakes is a way to learn, but making those mistakes is a lot easier to live with if the cost of learning is low.

 

[trondsi]

Pioneer, that is a very interesting suggestion. I never thought of that.

For now, I actually have an old box of BW film that I got for free with the camera. It was stupid of me to jump straight to Velvia instead of using this BW film first (it's expired, but probably fine to use for learning)

 

[Pioneer]

I would certainly put it to work. I use expired b&w film all the time. It may be a bit fogged but if you find that to be true there are ways to reduce the fog.

I would start by shooting the film at the suggested ISO.

If it is clearly fogged then add about 2 grams of potassium bromide to your developer and try again.

Remember though, even fogged negatives can usually be printed without too much trouble. If the fog isn't bad I wouldn't worry about it.

If the shadow detail in your negative/print needs help then I would lower the ISO of your film by one stop and try again.