Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

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drmoss_ca
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Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

There's got to be something good about a negative with 27x the area of a 35mm negative. Even if you have to put a black cloth over your head to focus.

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My first try with a Crown Graphic, 127mm Linhof, HP5+ @640, Diafine and X1 scan:

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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by Araner »

Chris, a 4x5, this is certainly a surprise! And yet, it shouldn't be. A view camera is a natural progression for a film purest like you. Your result is stunning; I can't wait to see where this camera leads you.

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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Today it led me here. HP5+ again, also at 640, but developed in Rodinal 141:1 for 40 minutes semi-stand (yes, some guesswork!)

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I'm waiting for a 210mm lens and lensboard, which will be more like a short portrait tele lens. Then I shall get going!

Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by jww »

Amazing.

On a subject-related note, I am guessing that the lad was back home for the Christmas season? Nice to have family around, our oldest was up to visit from the Big Smoke as well .... he always makes the effort to spend time here over the break and we greatly appreciate the sacrifice of travel on his part.
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by Lyrt »

The details retained in the background are amazing. The same photograph shot with a 35mm would probably result in blown-out highlights in the windows on the right; conversely, the drapes (?) on the left would be lost in the shadows. Also, your son must love your cat because he's covered with its hair. :)

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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Yes! I noticed the cat hair too! Today:

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I must get out and try something else with it.

Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

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I have been playing around. My first Graflex Crown Graphic had broken hooks on the Graflok back, and I had to hold the back on with rubber bands. I bought another Crown Graphic from KEH to cannibalise, but it turned out to have a Graphic (or spring) back, not a Graflok. With a set of jeweler's screwdrivers and some determination I swapped the backs, changing the ground glass only focusing screen from the Graphic to the ground glass and fresnel lens from the Graflok in addition to changing the backs. I suspect only someone who has played with these Graflex cameras will be following me at this point! The concern at this stage is that the ground glass surface that used to sit at the same plane that a sheet of film in a film holder would occupy in the donor camera is now displaced by the plexiglass fresnel lens that I have placed under it. Why didn't I think of that before spending hours making a hybrid camera? Shall I take out the fresnel, move it above the ground glass as some recommend? Use the ground glass by itself which is bound to work but will be dark everywhere except the centre, obviating the possibility of using the limited movements offered by Graflex cameras? I decided to try it out and see what happens. I found a Graflok back on the Bay all by itself so I can afford to do an experiment while I wait.
Now just to be difficult, I didn't want to stick with the Linhof 127mm lens that I got with my first Crown Graphic. It equals a 42mm lens in 35mm format terms and I want to do portraits. I have obtained a Rodenstock Apo-Sironar N 210mm lens and ordered a carbon fibre lens board from the Czech Republic to mount it. This should equal a 70mm lens in the tiny format, which was the minimum for portraits that I would choose in my days there. I hate doing experiments with too many variables—don't you? Thinking that a day with no film developed is a day wasted, I went ahead and corralled my poor wife into sitting in the kitchen. I took two photos, one at f16 for increased depth of field in case my fresnel lens added to the Graphic back threw off the focus, and one at f5.6 just in case it didn't. The second turned out to be just fine! Now I have to decide whether to swap to the proper Graflok back or not when it turns up in a week or so—I suspect I shouldn't mess with proper focus! Here it is, HP5+ @400, f5.6, 1/15, Rodinal 6ml in 900ml for 40 minutes semi-stand and a Hasselblad X1 scan:

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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

My shame—platelets too low to shave!
Crown Graphic, Linhof 127mm/f4.7 @f16, 1/2 second, HP5+, Rodinal stand, X1 scan:
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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by brothers »

Ahhh, who needs to shave all the time anyway. As I said earlier, embrace the beard!
Gary

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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by rsp1202 »

You look very extinguished, Chris, nonetheless. :D
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Time for tea:

Crown Graphic, Rodenstock Apo-Sironar 210mm/f5.6, HP5+, HC-110 (Dil.B), Hasselblad X1 scan:
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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by jww »

Holy moly these are wonderful results. Hope you are doing well with your treatments. I recall when you first revealed your condition to us, and indicated you would likely be posting less, I thought ..... "Sure, I'll believe that when I see it."

Thanks for these, Chris. Marvelous!
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Bored, bored, bored. Need victims/models.

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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by Squire »

Dammit I knew he would wind up with a beard, Sic transit and etcetera.
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Have to get new passport photos very soon, so it won't survive that, even if I have to go electric to do it.

Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

Minus 15C with windchill. The oil in the camera's bed soon becomes stiff!

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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by brothers »

Do you get a lot of wind? That's the most unpleasant part of cold weather around here. We have permanent wind chill it seems.
Gary

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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by drmoss_ca »

We're at the water's edge, so lots of cold wind coming off the ice.

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Chris
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Re: Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5

Post by CMur12 »

Chris, your wife and son appear to be very indulgent of you and all the portraits. I wonder if you get eye-rolls when you suggest they pose, once again, for a photo.

I really like the line-up of medium format cameras above. Those are all cameras I can really relate to and appreciate.

- Murray
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