Graflex.org

wmichaelb · Joined: 31 Aug 2002 Posts: 10 Location: Cincinnati, OH

Is there an easy way to determine if a 4X5 film holder on eBay or ? is compatible with a graflok back? Thanks!

bertsaunders · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 4:33 am Post subject:

LOOK FOR LATE MODELS LIKE
LISCO REGAL/RITEWAY/FIDELITY ELITE
Older models will fit but those listed above will usually be in better shape, and will last longer!
BERT

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Bert's right. It's not compatibility with a graflok back that's the problem, it's getting good holders.

Forget all wood holders, or holders that arent' black. Most of the time those natural wood holders don't hold film, they hold glass plates.

Black wood holders with a metal light trap are a 30/30/30 proposition, 30% work, 30% leak light and 30% are glass plate holders, And a 1 in 3 chance is no way to buy anything on ebay.

the only holder that won't fit your back is a Graflex holder, and it will look very different having grooves along the edge and a goove where the light trap bump should be.

Rubber and plastic holders are your best bet. Graphic Riteways are made of hard rubber, though people call it plastic, were built not to warp or split, and after 60 years they still command a better price than newer wood holders.
You'd be hard pressed to find a plate holder of plastic.

RichS · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 2:54 pm Post subject:

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

at the risk of starting a long thread....

why?

Schmell · Joined: 25 Aug 2002 Posts: 19

Hey, people still shoot on glass. I've seen it. I myself am looking into it at some point.

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Well kodak still makes Tri-x on glass plates, but the minimum order is 144 at $20 each.

I'm assuming you'll coat your own

_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

bertsaunders · Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2002 3:46 am Post subject:

On the old helpboard, I asked if anyone knew what the process for making glass plates was, got all sorts of flack on the question!
In those days, Les was asking a lot of questions, and I was putting my 2 cents worth in almost every day with answers, boy have times changed since then.
Must at this point, thank Les
for his tireless effort, in the
help dept.....Thanks Les
I finally found a book on the glass plate formula, and made about 15 glass plates for a fellow locally, it was a fun project! Glad it came up again, because I havent seen that book for quite a while, so will have to send the hounds out to find it again! Some of us have in our collection of cameras---like my
...>Seneca Chautauqua 4x5 Plate Camera<...
And it is fun camera to use....IF....you can get people to sit still long enough for the long exposures!!!! (My film speed must have been about a >blazing< 10) haha Bert

RichS · Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2002 4:58 am Post subject:

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

Bert said: "(My film speed must have been about a >blazing< 10) haha"

Boy does THAT bring back memories. Kodachrome in the 50s. ASA 10. Yes, it was useable. It took some man-sized flash to use at night. And, the best part - those slides are still good today.

I still remember what a thrill when they announced K25!

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

I have a Korona V plate camera and rather than going the plate method I modified a couple of holders, used regular film and a No47 Blue filter in front. ASA was about 2

You might want to do some more research for wet plate and tin type. I've found that holders made for dryplates just don't stand up to the harshness of ambrotype and ferrotype processes.

Bostick and Sullivan is a company you should get to know well. They sponsor an alt photo list serve that has some of the top people in alt photo on it, and most of the people are quite curteous.

When I get a moment I'll search my old bookmarks. there's a guy that makes wetplate cameras and runs workshops on wet plate photography.

RichS · Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2002 6:41 pm Post subject:

Ooops, wait a minute here... I'm not talking about wet plate! Way too much trouble for me. Deffinitely dry only! Brand new dry process tin-types can be bought from Rockaloid and glass can be processed in the same manner && materials. Then there's all kinds of heavy papers & such. But no wet process for me!!!

Thanks

Schmell · Joined: 25 Aug 2002 Posts: 19

Hey, you can try daugerotypes!

If you have a chemical fume hood in your darkroom....