I want to buy a Super or Speed Graphic to use with a polaroid back. My questions:
1. which back on the Super / Speed Graphic (Graflok?) do I need to get (maybe they are all the same?)
2. which polaroid back 550, 545, 545i, other?

Thanks

Quote:

On 2003-09-19 13:08, Westshore wrote: I want to buy a Super or Speed Graphic to use with a polaroid back. My questions: 1. which back on the Super / Speed Graphic (Graflok?) do I need to get (maybe they are all the same?) 2. which polaroid back 550, 545, 545i, other?

1. Either the Super or late model Speed Graphic cameras, will come with a Graflok back. That's what you want in order to use the most accessories, e.g. roll film backs, Polaroid backs, etc.

2. That depends on what kind of Polaroid film you want to use. You should check the Polaroid site to see the difference between Pack and Sheet films, then choose the back. Not a lot of difference between 545 (metal) and 545i(plastic).

I have no problem at all with the 545i; however, I really use a lot of 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Polaroid film with my 4x5 Crown/Speed and use the Polaroid back for the 6XX films. I can always seem to find lots of this film "just out-of-date." It is great for verifying exposure, separations, etc.

The back came with a mask for the ground glass to indicate the reduced (and edge-aligned) format. I also made finder masks for 135, 162 mm from brass shim stock.

The only caution with the 3x4 back is that I had to take a file to the back edge of the plastic lip on the film-slot end in order that the back clear the focal-plane shutter escutcheon plate on the right side of the camera. This enabled the back to seat correctly in the film plane.

There are no problems fitting the Crown....since there is not an FP shutter plate to interfere.