Auto Graflex Junior

I hung out with a long time friend today whom I haven't seen in a while. Among other things he had to show me, was his dad's old Auto Graflex Junior (2 1/4 X 3 1/4 ?) camera, Looking at it, we noticed there was a film pack in it. Counting the number of paper tabs remaining we found there were 3 shots left in the 14 shot pack of Kodak Tri-X Pan Professional film, so we fired off those 3 final frames! He said that he had probably shot the remainder of the pack, sometime in the 1960s (he being 71 years old currently to my 64).

That size film would NOT be my choice for regular shooting, too close to medium format- like I would not go out and buy one of these. But it might be fun to mess around with the camera a bit.

Wondering IF anyone knows of somebody who would clean the camera up, maybe do a full-on CLA on it?

Also, I feel like he should send the film out for processing, but would any old "normal" lab be able to handle this film?

Since the film was in the camera all these decades (!!), no doubt was not refrigerated or anything... I suspect the prospects are slim for any recovery of photos.... yet I still feel compelled to get it developed just to see!

I don't think any regular lab would handle the film, I would ask around is someone here or another photography forum is willing to give it a shot.

I've shot and developed 2x3 sheet film before, but never pack film. Using the "taco" method and a regular Paterson System-4 tank. This was expired film from the 70s that hadn't been kept cool for as long. Even exposing it at EI5 it gave a very faint image. I'm told better results could've been achieved with a very short developing time and a strong concentrated developer, We're talking HC-110 dilution A (1+15) for less than 5 minutes.

My Auto Graflex JR is pretty messed up. I had to seal light leaks in the bellows, curtain was in one piece but are not light tight either even with a few coats of LET. Also, someone had messed around with the Graflex Back to fit a DIY film holder to it. It appears to be a 6x4.5cm adaption, but it's missing the mask for it.

You can fit a Graflex 22 or 23 to the back of the camera but you will have to unscrew the winding knob and replace it something slimmer. Otherwise it'll hit the curtain housing at the top.

To get around the problems.....I just bought a Graflex RB Series B 2x3 :rolleyes:;)

2.25" x 3.25" sheet film is medium format. Being slightly narrower than 120 film.

As such, it might fit in a 120 plastic spiral of a standard developing tank, depending on the depth of the reel cheeks. If so, it could be separated and held in place with small blobs of Blu-tak pushed into the spiral groove between sheets.

It'll almost certainly fall out of a stainless reel though.