Hi,

I posted a topic here a few weeks ago about not being able to squeeze my rangefinder cam back in position. I'm happy to say everything is resolved; I shot a lot of instant film sheets since then as well as several negatives. I just got some negatives back and found a possible issue.

I scanned in this negative and stitched it together with Photoshop. Do y'all have any idea what the issue is?



Curiously, it happened with an instant film sheet too, aimed down.



If I recall, I used a fair amount of front rise on the camera in both pictures. Front rise that I thought wouldn't be too much for the camera to handle. Could this be an issue?

Thanks everyone

The black bar is definitely No Exposure. Being you are using a leaf shutter the only cause can be standard movements.

The top photo is also over exposed.

The image on the film when it is in the camera is inverted and reverse of normal view. Top of image is on the bottom of the film in camera, right in the scene/viewed image is left on the film in camera.

One should always check their standard movements with the image on the ground glass before exposing the film.

P.S.
A darkslide not fully removed from the light path to the film will leave a similar blank stripe.

Thanks for the reply.

I might be missing some key view camera knowledge: If I have my Speed Graphic set up on a tripod all leveled out and then I angled it downward to the ground... would I be getting a black bar on the image like I am in the flower Polaroid? Is there something not I'm not understanding? I've never had success at aiming the camera downward.

1. Set up the tripod and level it.
2. Attach the camera.
3. Open the bed to 90 degrees (first lock in down from closed).
Open the lens aperture to wide open.
4. Set the lens shutter to Open via the Press to focus lever on the shutter, cock and trip the shutter on T, or using a cable release lock open on B depending on the shutter in use.
5. Open the view hood on the camera back.
6. Focus the lens on something.
7. There should be an image over the entire ground glass, if not there is a problem with the camera or shutter.
8. The Graphic only has front standard movements. The rise is sufficient to counteract dropping the bed for wide angle lens. The Super has forward and back tilt, shift and swing as well. Movements should only be used to correct perspective or induce distortion if desired. Movements should only be done while viewing the results on the ground glass. Most lens will run out of image circle with 5mm to 10mm of standard movement.
9. Read:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/how-to-operate.html

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/mistakes.html

10. With a good camera (nothing in the light path between the lens and film plane) pointed at the ground via the tripod head there should be no banding on the edge of the image frame.

11. http://cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_6.html should be of help also.