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tinarae
Joined: 18 Apr 2002
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2002 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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i hope this is the right forum....
i have:
graflex century graphic, mfgd rochester ny w/mahoganite case; 101mm / f4.5 graflar lens; kalart synchronized rangefinder; "23" graphic back.
questions:
1) can anyone refer me to a "quick and dirty" guide to using this set up? or give me the basic pointers. specifically:
a. there seems to be three ways to frame your shot on this. first, two retractable metal squares behind the bellows (plus a round ring), second, an eyepiece on top of the unit with infinity to 12(?) markers - this turns but doesn't seem to do anything, and third, the kalart rangefinder (which seems to work, althoug the split image is only seen in high light / high contrast settings. pros/cons of these three units?
b. i AM confused by the markers on the rail. how do i read these? the shutter mechanism, the lens and method of selecting shutter speed and f stop i understand, and i assume that the numbers on the guide rail indicate depth of field, but how do these three things work togetheR?
c. bellows extension. when you open up the camera you can pull out the bellows to a certain (adjustable) point. what does this affect. I can see that by rotating the knob after the bellows is extended i can bring the image into better focus (via the rangefinder), but what does the inital setting affect?
sorry for being so ignorant....any help, references, points would be really, REALLY appreciated.
thx. |
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alecj
Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2002 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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You're at the right place. I'll try and help with some of the questions you've raised.
| Quote: |
On 2002-09-12 10:12, tinarae wrote:
i hope this is the right forum....
i have:
graflex century graphic, mfgd rochester ny w/mahoganite case; 101mm / f4.5 graflar lens; kalart synchronized rangefinder; "23" graphic back.
questions:
1) can anyone refer me to a "quick and dirty" guide to using this set up? or give me the basic pointers. specifically:
a. there seems to be three ways to frame your shot on this. first, two retractable metal squares behind the bellows (plus a round ring), second, an eyepiece on top of the unit with infinity to 12(?) markers - this turns but doesn't seem to do anything, and third, the kalart rangefinder (which seems to work, althoug the split image is only seen in high light / high contrast settings. pros/cons of these three units?
To frame your pictures, you have these choices:
1. The optical finder on the top, right side. Looking in that eyepiece, you'll see the approximate image you'll get. The ring on the back rotates since the image changes from a distant picture, and one close up. The numbers on that eyepiece are set for the approximate distance.
2. There is a fold-up eyepiece on the top, back of the camera which folds up. There's a frame which is collapsed down into the lens standard. Pull it up. On the left side, you'll see various settings, again for distance, like the optical finder.
3. Finally, you can put the camera on a tripod, open the lens, open the folding hood on the back, and look through the lens. That assumes you got a ground glass back with your camera. You said you have a 23 back, which I'm assuming is a roll-film back. If you have a GG back, you'll have to remove the roll film back to focus through the lens, since you need the GG for the lens to project an image on. That's the most accurate framing method, but it's obviously not very convenient.
4. You DON'T look through the rangefinder to frame the image you're about to take. That is used ONLY for focusing.
b. i AM confused by the markers on the rail. how do i read these? the shutter mechanism, the lens and method of selecting shutter speed and f stop i understand, and i assume that the numbers on the guide rail indicate depth of field, but how do these three things work togetheR?
I assume you're talking about the focusing scale on the front, left of the bed. Once the lens standard is pulled out to the infinity stops, and locked in place, then you can determine the focusing distance by refering to that scale. For instance, if your subject is 12 feet away, you match the FIXED arrow, with the number 12 [or the spot on the scale where 12 would be - not all numbers are shown, of course] on the moving part of the scale. This scale is used if you want to determine subject distance for such things as determining flash settings.
c. bellows extension. when you open up the camera you can pull out the bellows to a certain (adjustable) point. what does this affect. I can see that by rotating the knob after the bellows is extended i can bring the image into better focus (via the rangefinder), but what does the inital setting affect?
Your camera should have some infinity stops (2, one on each side of the bed). They fold up, and down. Normally, they are left up. Pull the lens standard out to those stops and lock it using the lever under the lens. Those are used for setting the lens in the right place on the bed for both the rangefinder and the focus scales to work.
sorry for being so ignorant....any help, references, points would be really, REALLY appreciated.
thx.
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Here's a source for Graflex literature which will greatly help you.
http://www.craigcamera.com/ib_graflex.htm
Good luck. |
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45PSS
Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.
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