Graflex.org

Mark JW · Joined: 31 Aug 2002 Posts: 19

I took out my speed today for the first time. Used the focal plane shutter because the lens shutter is not working reliably at slow speeds. I used a Minolta XG7 and a 130-mm lens as a makeshift spot meter.

Still I blew the first four shots when I forgot to match the aperture on the Minolta to the aperture on the speed.

I went out to the local forest preserve farm, a beautiful day. Had a number of people come up to me (and my 4 yo) to ask what kind of camera I was using. The only one who didn't was the guy with the rolliflex.

This was fun. I can’t wait to get the film developed (transparency film).

Next I have to get a loupe, and a viewing hood, and the assorted B/W negative developing stuff.

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

Ah, yes. ANOTHER addict to be included on the list. Get's to you, doesn't it?

rsdean · Joined: 27 Jun 2002 Posts: 52 Location: NE Maryland

As Les told me last month:

SAFE

Speed
Aperture
Focus
Expose

Sounds like fun! I've now been at it for two months and I'm pretty well hooked. It *would* seem that you have to be the sort of person who likes to attract attention in order to enjoy taking a Graphic out these days.

Rob Dean

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Still I blew the first four shots when I forgot to match the aperture on the Minolta to the aperture on the speed.

I'm not gonna tell you all the mistakes I made, it'll take too long. But there was the time in college when a kid walked into the processing area with a 8 roll ss tank, ready to process. Now with only two weeks to go in the semester, the only reason to pull out an 8 roll tank is that his entire portfolio was shot yesterday and he needs this stuff NOW!

He measures the proper amount of HC 110, but instead of diluting it before hand, he's gonna save some time by pouring it in straight. Before I can say anything, he's got 32 oz of straight HC 110 drizzling down 8 rolls of 35mm. Then he just sticks the hose into the top of the tank. The tank gets air bound and he thinks it's full when he really got about 16 oz of water in there.

By this time I'm finished and I can't keep my face straight any longer so I leave. I pass the darkroom employee on my way out and tell her. "In about 6.5 minutes there will be a blood curdling scream coming from the processing room. When he finally comes to, you can tell him what he did wrong."

I never did get to see the results, but the employee said he put on a good show.

_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

45PSS · Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2002 4:44 am Post subject:

I got a fantastic shot of a 10 point Buck prancing down the street the other day, right on the darkslide.

_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

clnfrd · Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:02 am Post subject:

I took my old GE exposure meter and Minolta out and compared readings on subjects of different light reflectivity...made minor adjustments to the ASA setting on the meter so it agreed with the Minolta...and now I don't have to lug the #@!!%&*#! Minolta around. Fred.

Henry · Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2002 6:27 pm Post subject:

Aren't those old GE meters great? My GE DW-68 is right on the money compared with readings from a Gossens Luna-Pro on an 18% gray card. And no batteries to worry about! And you know what else I like about the DW-68? The shutter speed markings agree exactly with my Graphex shutters: 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 (instead of what you get on "modern" meters: 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, etc.). The only situations where I can't use the GE are in very low light/interiors, as a flash meter, or for incident readings; then I switch to the Gossens.

Like all meters, you have to learn how to use it, as far as aiming it is concerned. My general tendency was to aim it at too high an angle, resulting in too much sky influence and consequent underexposure. Aiming slightly downward, or walking up to the subject and reading directly off that, if possible, will give accurate results.

By the way: a Tamrac cell-phone case fits the DW-68 perfectly, and has a convenient velcro/snap belt loop and velcro cover flap.

clnfrd · Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:39 am Post subject:

My old G-E is an 8DW58Y4...the leather case and belt strap is intact...snd yes, it's great! I learned a long time ago not to just point the meter at a scene. Also, any scene worth taking is worth taking more than one exposure. I burn a lot of film, but if the reading calls for f8, I always shoot one at f5.6 and f11 also, to compensate for all the variables. Fred.

Dan Fromm · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 2120 Location: New Jersey

Mark JW · Joined: 31 Aug 2002 Posts: 19

I just got a Weston Master II off of e-bay. (showed up yesterday) Now I just need a Loupe to read the little numbers on the dial

Henry · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2002 6:22 pm Post subject:

Ah, the memories.... The saddest day in the world was when I lost my little GE Mascot meter with its leather case. It was calibrated perfectly for the Kodak Pony 135 camera. Still have the camera, but the shutter is gummed up. I've seen several Mascots at camera shows but have resisted the urge to buy one....so far.

clnfrd · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2002 10:30 pm Post subject:

Hey, Henry. I have a G-E Mascot, Type PR-30, which I'm too dense to comprehend. It has an internal rotating f-stop scale, with a choice of the numbers 5, 10, 16, and 50 stamped below the f-stops...four scales in all. I've used it as a back-up to my other G-E, by choosing whichever scale more closely agrees. No shutter speeds are indicated on the Mascot, so I use 1/100th sec as my reference in calibrating it to the more detailed G-E. What is the significance of the 5, 10, 16, and 50? Sounds like some super-slow Kodachrome or Ektachrome movie film...daylight and tungsten. Fred.

Henry · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2002 12:35 am Post subject:

Fred, it's been an awful long time since I used the Mascot, but I believe those numbers 5, 10, 16, 50 are indeed the old ASA film speed numbers. If memory serves, the original Kodachrome film speed was ASA 5, later upped to 10. When you rotate the GE logo to positions A, B, C, and D, these correspond respectively to shutter speeds: 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200, which were the shutter speeds on the Pony 135.

clnfrd · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2002 1:25 am Post subject:

I guess I've drifted away from the original subject matter of the post here, Henry, but this G-E Mascot may possibly be for a different purpose. When you rotate the G-E logo, four positions total, they are labelled 5, 10, 16, and 50 ...with an f-stop scale on each that is, I suppose, appropriate for the ASA speed of the film. 5, for example has an f-stop range starting at f1.4...whereas the 50 scale starts at f5.6. Since no shutter speed is expressed or implied, I thought maybe this model was made for a movie camera. If I'm belaboring the subject, I apologize. Fred.

Henry · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2002 2:19 pm Post subject:

Mmm, maybe there were different versions of the Mascot, and/or my memory is shot!