Graflex.org

[raloch]

Thinking about buying a Super Graphic for use as a landscape camera. I also really like wide angle lenses. In 35mm terms my favorites would be 24, then 21, then a short tele like an 85. So I would love to be able to get a wide like a 75 on a Super. Possible?

What were the widest lenses that were available with the Super?
Would new current lens designs work on a super?
What is the longest and shortest focal lengths with a flat lens board?

Thanks for any help!

[RichS]

I know there's some people here who actually know, but I'll offer the info I found in "the book".
The Super was offered with lenses down to a 2 1/2" f-8, then a 3 1/2" f-6.8, up to the 15" f-5.6 (telephoto!). There are only flat lens boards available as recessed were never made for this type, and would have had a pretty small hole if it were tried...
To my knowledge, a 65mm (2 1/2) Super Angulon works fine on a Speed/Crown with no possible movements and getting a bit dark around the dges. It should also work on the Super. Modern lenses work great as long as they physically fit on the lensboard and into the hole in the front standard (some are too large). A 75mm should be no problem at all except for getting one that will cover 4x5...

[Les]

All of the wides from 90 on down reside inside the body. A Super Graphic does not have linked rails, so focusing is by pushing and pulling the standard. A Crown has the same basic dimentions (but not the RB back or front tilt) but does have linked rails. I can put a 58 Grandagon on mine and others have used a 47mm with a roll back at infinity.

Somewhere (out there) I read a workaround for the Supers. I know they mounted a few wides in Helical mounts, but I don't know which ones.

[Jonathan Bundick]

"All of the wides from 90 on down reside inside the body."

Les did I read that wrong? My 90mm will focus at infinity while on the normal focusing rails without being inside the body. You have to lock it at the very back edge, but you can focus using the normal focusing knobs. I would hate to have to fiddel with pushing and pulling with just my fingers to focus. That is part of the reason I haven't gone wider yet. Looks like a lot of trouble to work with anything shorter than a 90mm.

[Les]

Okay I'll rephrase it and say anything shorter than a 90mm. When I shoot a 90 on a Crown, I drop the bed and pull the standard out until it hits the bedrails, so it sits on the body rails. I then focus which brings the standard out just enough to get some shift but not much.

I suppose it's possible to put the 90 on the bedrails. Somewhere out there I read a work around for it. I know some lenses were mounted in a helical mount, but they are hard to find.

You say you can get yours to lock onto the back edge. Are you dropping the bed? I've proven too many times that the bed will show with my angulon and my 88 B&L

_________________
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[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2003-02-13 21:44 ]

[supermouse1]

Hi, just to add fuel to the fire. I am not an expert on graflexs, but here is what I do know. I have a Super Speed Graflex. (metal body, no focal plane shutter) I have the 90mm Wollensak, 135mm Rodenstock, and the 250mm Tele-Wollensak lenses. The 90mm has bedstops set at around 1.25" from the back of the rail. I use the standard flat lensboard. The bedstops were set for me by Fred Lustig the Graflex man, and I watched him calibrate them with his test equipment. Anyway I have not had any sign of the end of the bed in my negs yet, although I don't remember if I have shot a vertical. I have a Toyo camera chart that shows the 90mm 4x5 lens as being approximate to a 27mm on a 35, a 135mm equates to a 35mm, and the 250mm would work out to about 75mm. I do know that I have to shorten my series 6 filter holder lens shade as I have vingetted the corners of the neg with the 90mm Wollensak.