[rollei_list] Re: 6 x 9 search
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Bischof" <nbg90455@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 9:36 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: 6 x 9 search



Jan,
There is a considerable amount of information about Graflex built cameras at http://www.graflex.org I agree that its a great convenience and maybe more than that to have a Graflok back on any Speed or Crown Graphic. I even have one on my Graflex. For lenses other than telephoto or reverse telephoto the wire finder is pretty accurate. Where the wire finder is the size of the film and is mounted approximately at the rear principal point of the lens (I think that's right) it will show the same view as the lens because it moves with the lens as the lens is focused. The fixed optical finder shows the right angle of view only at a fixed distance from the camera. Graphic optical finders are generaly masked so that they show a smaller field of view at any distance to insure that anything visible in the finder will be on the film. On any of these cameras the finder field of view should be checked against the ground glass so you know what its looking at vs what gets on the film. There were at least two series of roll film holders made for the 2x3 Graphic. The earlier ones have a knob wind and the later ones have a lever wind. Most of the later ones were made by Singer. The later version will fit the Graflok back but will not fit the older spring back when the spring kit is used because the body of the adaptor will not clear the edges of the camera body. The older versions are usable with the spring kit. This is not a problem for the larger format cameras. The spring kit is a set of hold down springs used in place of the springs from the normal film holder back. The panel and springs are removed and the springs installed. These will hold in place most of the accessories made to fit the Graflok back. The spring kit is a makeshift and, in any case, is hard to find. Graflok backs are available for both early Pacemaker and "Miniature" speed Graphics but are relatively rare. Probably, a complete Pacemaker Speed or Crown with the Graflok can be bought for no more than the back alone. Virtually any 4x5, 3x4, or 2x3 Speed or Crown Graphic, and many Graflex cameras of these sizes can be re-fitted with a Graflok back with very little surgery. For those unfamiliar with the Speed Graphic there were three different styles of backs supplied on these cameras. The Speed Graphic was normally equipped with the "Graphic" back, a conventional spring back. These do not take accessories (with a couple of exceptions). The Graflex SLR camera came normally with the Graflex back. This back did not have a spring panel, rather, the film holders were held in by a pair of metal stips sliding diagonally into grooves in the sides of the holder. The ground glass panel was similar and held in place in the same way. Graflex backs took a variety of accessories. Either back could be had on either camera on special order. Not many Graflex SLRs had Graphic backs but Graflex backs were frequenly ordered on Speed Graphics intended for special purpose technical or scientific work. The third back was first announced about 1948 and first appeared on the Century Graphic camera, an economy model 2x3 made mostly of plastic. Within about two years the Graflok back became available for all other Speed and Crown Graphic models and was the standard back by about 1951. A version was also available for the Model D Graflex but was a special order item, never standard equipment. The Graflok is something like a combination of the Graphic and Graflex backs. There is a spring loaded panel with the ground glass in it but it can be snapped out leaving a back with two sliding metal locking strips as on the Graflex back. however, the Graflok and Graflex back are not compatible. The opening is slightly different in size but the main difference is that the lock groove and strip on holders is reversed: on holders and accessories intended for Graphic or Graflok backs the lock groove is on the camera side and the strip is on the holders; on the Graflex back the lock strip is on the camera back and the holders have a groove to fit. For this reason modern accessories for the Graflok can not be used on cameras with Graflex backs. The Graflok back is also called a Universal back because simiar and compatible backs are found on many non-Graflex-built cameras. I certainly agree about the Kodak Ektar series. These were outstanding lenses with performance quite comparable to modern lenses. 

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org 

- Online, searchable archives are available at
http://www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: