Graflex.org

[ANDRE]

I recently bought a nice Super Graphic at a Washington DC pawnshop for next to nothing. In a decaying section of town known more for its liquor stores and check-cashing rip-offs, it had sat behind a glass counter for over a year with no one expressing the slightest interest in it until I came along. So I ended up walking out with it for less than I see 3-cell flash units selling for on U-Buy. Deals like that do not come along every day and I laughed all the way home. I had found the proverbial petunia in the onion patch.

But it came without any flash unit, no case, no optical viewfinder and no film holders. OK, I can live with that. The lens was not the Optar 135 but the Optar 90mm (with correct cam and battery door too boot. It was like buying a nice old Packard from a used-car lot for a hundred bucks and finding the cigarette lighter was missing.

The only accessory was some kind of Polaroid film holder made in the Netherlands for Mamiya. The pawnbroker told me that whoever pawned the camera said that this piece of equipment was the proper Polaroid back that he used with it.

From photos I have seen on the ‘net, this piece of gear looks similar to a Polaroid 405 despite the Mamiya brand.

My question is, how do you attach it? I popped off the Graflokk back but cannot fathom just how this thing fits. It is a bit smaller than the Graflokk, only a little larger than the ground glass.

Can anyone tell me (sight unseen) what this might be and how it attaches to the camera? Is it supposed to fit into the hole once the ground glass is removed? Am I lacking some other necessary part?

[ANDRE]

Post script

My editor-in-chief would fire me if he read my previous posting.
I really do know how to spell "Graflok".
Just goes to show, you can edit other peoples' work but you cannot edit yourself.

Andre

[bartsf]

The whole back of the Super comes off if you simultaneously depress the two chrome latches that protrude and slide it to the side (direction you insert film holders) then you should see the bottom frame where the sheet film holder goes with two Graflokk slides, one above and one below it. Your 405 should fit in the frame and it should have lips that the Graflokks slide over.
Hope this helps.
Bart

[ANDRE]

Thanks for the post Bart, but I already knew about the Graflokk back and how it is removed. (Think I would have bought the S-G without removing the back and inspecting the insides?)
Anyhow, the mamiya/polaroid back just doesn't slip on like it should; there is nothing to "catch" so to speak. It is definitley a polaroid pack film holder, but it is a bit smaller than the Graflokk and has no springs. I still cannot figure out how it is mounted.

[RichS]

I wish someone who knew would have answered this.

All I can off is that not all backs made for the Mamiya will fit a Graphic camera.

To be honest, I thought they only fit the 2x3 cameras anyway?

My suggestion would be to get a 545 or 545i holder and use the Polaroid sheet film. Bigger, has Type 55 Pos/Neg, and yes, more expensive per shot. The advantage is you can use different kinds of films wihtout having to worry about paks, which can't be unloaded. And they're larger.


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"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"
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[ANDRE]

Thanks, I already forsaw that as the probable situation and aquired the 545 as well. Now THAT is something even I could figure out how to work! I bet someone bought a used Mamiya Medium Format from Sam's Pawnshop and it came with a "correct" Polaroid 545 back.

[R_J]

Andre,

I wonder if there is a spacer device like the Horseman Polaroid's G spacer, enabling the polaroid back to be used.

Can't help with the Super or Speed Graphic - I use the 2x3 Century and haven't got around to adapting the Horseman Polaroid back to the Century (Graflok too). The Graflok just doesn't fit, and neither do the grooves.

Good luck.