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Pacemaker Speed Graphic-new owner

 
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photorams65



Joined: 19 Nov 2011
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:20 pm    Post subject: Pacemaker Speed Graphic-new owner Reply with quote

Hello,
This is my first time posting on your forum. I am the new owner of a Pacemaker Speed Graphic that i got from a chap online for $40 (not from fleabay). Bellows is in great shape, and came with the Graphic 23 back but the darkslide is missing. I have been informed as follows re/ the camera being operated with no darkslide;

Critical: The focal plane shutter in a speed graphic does not have a "cap" so if you take a photo, leave the darkslide out, and wind the shutter, you've just wound the "slit" over the film for a second time and double exposed your film. You must insert the darkslide to wind the shutter if you have film in the holder. .

My other question is that I really would like to put a larger 120 filmholder on the back of this camera and change the lens. Want to really make this close to a panoramic camera as possible using 120. I understand the back I have now is a 6x9 but want to use 6x17 (?) The lense that came with this is the Graphex 101mm, but I have read that I need a wider lense. If anyone can chime in with recommendations on my setup I would be grateful. Cheers! Kenneth
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_5.html
Should explain a lot and possibly answer a few of your questions.

Putting a (the) lens cap on the lens while winding the FPS will prevent fogging/double exposure provided the lens cap fits snuggly and is light tight, barrel lens in use or close the front (lens) shutter if using a shuttered lens.

With the RFH removed, measure the opening of the back. 1 inch =2.54 cm=25.4 mm. 17 cm=6.69 inch, too wide for the body.
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Last edited by 45PSS on Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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Dan Fromm



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2119
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You seem to have a 2x3 Speed. No roll holder for a format wider than 2.25" x 3.25" (also called, loosely, 6x9) will fit it. And no format wider than 2x3 can be shot with a 2x3 Graphic without massive modifications to the camera.

Graphex is the name of the shutter your 101 mm lens is in. Graphex shutters are rebadged Wollensak Rapax shutters. Chances are that your 101 mm lens is a 101/4.5 Optar; this is a rebadged 101/4.5 Wollensak Raptar. It just covers 2x3, absolutely positively won't do for 6x17.

The widest format that can be shot with a modern Graphic is 6x12 (actual size 56 mm x 112 mm). Doing this requires a 6x12 roll holder that fits a 4x5 Graflok back and a 4x5 Graphic with a Graflok back.

There were 5x7 Graphics, but there's no 5x7 Graflok back; they had Graphic or Graflex backs, modern 6x17 roll holders won't fit them.
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My Optar will cover 2x3 (well, OK, 6x7) with movements yet, on my Century. YRMV.
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Dan Fromm



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2119
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Henry, if your Century is like mine -- it out to be -- the only usable movement it has is about 10 mm of front rise.

Cheers,

Dan
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dan, I measure 17 mm (.67") of front rise on my Century. And what about front fall (drop bed) and shift; granted, the latter is miniscule, but I have used it on occasion.
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Dan Fromm



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2119
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Henry wrote:
Dan, I measure 17 mm (.67") of front rise on my Century. And what about front fall (drop bed) and shift; granted, the latter is miniscule, but I have used it on occasion.


Fair comments, Henry, I may have misremembered the rise.

As for front fall, I've found it generally useless. In theory it is useful for a limited range of focal lengths and focused distances. They exist but I've never hit a combination that worked in practice.

Shift is tiny and I've been able to get it to work only when the front standard is completely in front of the struts. Again, I've just never hit the combination of focal length and focused distance that could use it.

Cheers, Dan.
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Henry



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 1636
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can get more shift if you remove one or the other of the round knurl nuts at the bottom of the front standard; this permits more shift before hitting the strut on that side.

Like you, I never had much occasion to use the drop bed for front fall. The only likely use would be when photographing something below the camera level, where aiming down would produce the dreaded converging verticals (as in architectural work).

I did once use shift to work around a street sign pole when photographing a building façade; that worked out rather well. But now that it's possible to do perspective correction in Photoshop (you'll recall that I scan my negs now; the wet darkroom is gone), although I still correct in the camera wherever feasible, I don't fret about not being able to achieve perfection in the camera, at least where PC is concerned. OTOH, even Photoshop is useless in those situations where shift is called for!
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