took delivery on my crown graphic yesterday---my first LF camera. Managed to figure out the polaroid film holder and took some shots last night. Will try to figure out flash tonight--it came with a bunch of bulbs, etc.
Then outside (once it stops raining) in the daytime.

You can view the first attempt in my portfolio on http://www.photo.net
search under Ann Mester

Comments appreciated.
Anyone have any success using a modern flash?

Using a modern flash with your "Crown Graphic" should present no difficulties, if the lens is mounted in a shutter that offers X synchronization. Attaching the flash to the camera involves making some choices, which depend on the particular flashgun you want to use. There has been a good deal of discussion on this site, which you might find diverting during an idle half hour.

Hi Ann
I often use a electronic flash with my Crown,of course, using guide numbers. I am lucky that two of my three lenses/shutters for my Crown are equipt with PC connectors. I mount the flash on top of my battery case with a rubber end and shoe mount. You may be able to copy and paste a direct link to your photo on this forum. I'm too lazy to hunt for it.
Harry

Hooking a modern flash up is really pretty easy, as long as you have an X sync, even with the older bi-post cords, I use alot of old electric razor cords I find at the second hand store, and am always raiding the junk box at the local photo store for PC conectors, just a bit of stripping of wires and a little electrical tape and you have a sync cord for less than a buck! whats nice about most large format shutters is they sync at just about any speed.

Dave

Quote:

On 2004-05-14 11:39, Rangemaster wrote: whats nice about most large format shutters is they sync at just about any speed.

If you're like me you set the shutter at 1/400 fire the flash at full power and then get to try and figure out why the negatives came out underexposed. Finally I read my flash manual and found out full power is 1/300. Now I know to use slower shutter speeds if I need full power. Or at least I think that's what happened.

On the guide number issue. If the flash is auto it works just fine in auto mode. I guess some flashes won't have the smaller F/stops but you can fake that by changing the film speed.

That's likely to be more of a problem with large high-voltage flashes than with smaller ones. I vaguely recall that the last Honeywell handlemount "Strobonars," like the "892s," had a flash duration that varied from 1/300 sec. at full power to 1/2500 sec. (or some similar very short duration) when the sensor was cutting off the flash to the greatest extent possible. It's easy enough to forget this, but it is a good reason for selecting 1/200 or 1/250 as your X synch speed.

Welcome to the world of Graflex, Ann. I looked at you photo on .net and also left a comment for you there. I think (hope) you will enjoy using this very versatile camera.