What Polaroid holder will fit my Graflex Super D for use with FP100C45?

njrfoto · Jun 22, 2016

Hi all,
Quick question. I have recently acquired a few boxes of Fuji FP100C45 (4x5) from a friend of mine who no longer wanted to store it and I basically need to know what film holder will enable me to use the film with my Graflex Super D. I've attached an image just showing the rear of the camera where film holders get attached. I've not had any experience with Polaroids in large format but as I've got this rare film now I'm willing to make it work! Thank you for your help in advance!
N

shutterfinger · Jun 22, 2016

There is no Polaroid holder that fits the Graflex back that is on your camera.
You can make an adapter that will hold a 545 or 545i Polaroid film holder and mount on your camera's back but the view ground glass will have to be adjusted to match the film position.

EdSawyer · Jun 22, 2016

If you upgrade to a graflok back (a good idea regardless, in my opinion, and I did so on my super ds), the fuji PA-45 back or the polaroid 550 back will fit fine.

removed account4 · Jun 22, 2016

with masking tape a 545i will fit
i masking tape a 545i to the back of my series D
and i masking tape a graphic 23 film holder. both of these things
are not "supposed to fit" ...

shutterfinger · Jun 22, 2016

jnanian said:
with masking tape a 545i will fit
i masking tape a 545i to the back of my series D
and i masking tape a graphic 23 film holder. both of these things
are not "supposed to fit" ...

What about the lip of the back frame? It forms a light seal with Graflex film holders. I know for fact that a 545 will not sit flat inside a 4x5 Graflex back nor will a 4x5 gradflok roll film holder. Did you cut it off?

removed account4 · Jun 22, 2016

nope, i just don't worry about it !
i put tape around all the edges, to make the 545i holder light sealed to the back,
the first times, i shimmed the 545 with a thin piece of matboard but the rest of the times i didn't bother.
its been more than 10 years since i did the slr with polaroid, i never plan on buyng any of the new offerings ...
its been less than a couple of months since the 120 roll holder was taped on there, i shoot wide open ( 3.8 ) never any issues.
and i have probably shot more than 300 rolls of film with it taped like that ...

shutterfinger · Jun 22, 2016

I have a Pre Anniversary Speed with a Graflex back. I measured the lip to be .051 inch so its not a lit of swing.
On a 4x5 SLR the back is held on by 12 screws, 4 oval head - 2 each side, and 8 flat head - 4 top and 4 bottom, of the holder side. The back must be rotated part way between Portrait and landscape to access them. Once off the camera there are two screws, oval head, top and bottom of the wood blocks the slider(s) are mounted to and 4 flat head screws accessible from the back side of the front rotating frame, the felt may hide them but there should be small holes for them. Replacement blocks that are wider can be installed so that standard film holders fit but there is still that lip that has to be dealt with.

njrfoto · Jun 23, 2016

shutterfinger said:
There is no Polaroid holder that fits the Graflex back that is on your camera.
You can make an adapter that will hold a 545 or 545i Polaroid film holder and mount on your camera's back but the view ground glass will have to be adjusted to match the film position.

Thank you for your response. Is there some online resource where I can read about how to do this? I found this thread regarding a graflock conversion:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/rec.photo.equipment.large-format/2y1tuBO_iGg
but dont know if thats a solution for me...

B.S.Kumar · Jun 23, 2016

I'm not sure why the Polaroid 545 and 545i holders are being discussed here. These holders are for single sheet film, which is available only from New55, and Bob Crowley is the person behind it. Fuji FP100C45 is a pack film, and will fit Polaroid 550 and Fuji PA-45 holders.

Kumar

removed account4 · Jun 23, 2016

shutterfinger said:
I have a Pre Anniversary Speed with a Graflex back. I measured the lip to be .051 inch so its not a lit of swing.
On a 4x5 SLR the back is held on by 12 screws, 4 oval head - 2 each side, and 8 flat head - 4 top and 4 bottom, of the holder side. The back must be rotated part way between Portrait and landscape to access them. Once off the camera there are two screws, oval head, top and bottom of the wood blocks the slider(s) are mounted to and 4 flat head screws accessible from the back side of the front rotating frame, the felt may hide them but there should be small holes for them. Replacement blocks that are wider can be installed so that standard film holders fit but there is still that lip that has to be dealt with.

wow,
that is a lot of work.
i have removed the back from my series D before to maintain it ... lots of screws.
but when i use these backs i just use tape (since the 1990s when polaroid #59 and 55 films were expensive and flowed like water )
never issues. seems replacing the olde back on a super D with a graflok back is the way to go, that way
any holder can be used without issue.

EdSawyer · Jun 23, 2016

When I converted my SuperDs to Graflok I used the magnesium back from a speed/crown graphic. I cut it down to size with a carbide-blade 12" dewalt chop saw. I then bolted/glued it into the brass rotating frame that previously formed the frame of the Graflex back. I removed the graflex blocks/sliders/felt but kept the rotating brass frame it sits in. It works great, the registration distance matches basically exactly, I didn't need to shim the ground glass at all as I recall.

Another option is sell the FP100C45, I'd be an interested buyer.

shutterfinger · Jun 23, 2016

B.S.Kumar said:
I'm not sure why the Polaroid 545 and 545i holders are being discussed here.

Cause I'm a dumb sheet when it comes to Fuji and instant film I don't use and am not otherwise interested in.

njrfoto said:
Thank you for your response. Is there some online resource where I can read about how to do this? I found this thread regarding a graflock conversion:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/rec.photo.equipment.large-format/2y1tuBO_iGg
but dont know if thats a solution for me...

There are no instructions or videos I'm aware of.
Get a piece of 1/4 inch thick birch plywood from a hobby shop. Cut it to fit into the camera back opening like a film holder. Cut the film gate opening to match the pack film holder's image opening then rout out the holders outside dimension so the holder's frame edge sits flush with the adapter edge complete with light trap grove.
Sand smooth and finish with satin black stain.

shutterfinger · Jun 23, 2016

Remove the felt from the holder seat and the blocks to access the screws that hold the rotation ring.

Some cameras may have 14 or 16 screws holding the back on.

What Polaroid holder will fit my Graflex Super D for use with FP100C45?

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