robert_meyer3

<p>There are a number of tricks that can be used with these older cameras to help sharpness, or perceived sharpness. If the lens has a few scratches you can decrease their light-scattering effect by filling the scratch with black(carbon black, graphite, etc.). A tripod & shutter release will help decrease any movement effect. Don't shoot towards the sun (decrease lens glare) but away from it. Use small apertures to increase depth of focus. Use slow (fine grain) film. Jason Schneider of Modern Photography Magazine Camera Collector fame had a 4 foot x 6 foot enlargement in his business office waiting room for clients to see. When asked what view camera/lens he used he would show them a Kodak Brownie box camera.</p>

<p>I have a Schneider 210mm Symmar that I routinely use on a 5x7 view camera. I believe the spec sheets say it will cover 8x10, although not with a lot of movement. The symmar's (and Componons) will cover more than they are rated. I have used both 300mm and 360mm Componons (the enlarging lens versions of then Symmar) on my 11x14 and both cover. I have a 12"/21"/28" Turner Reich Triple Convertible that will cover 11x14 in the 12" configuration (as well as the 21" & 28"), so it will clearly cover 8x10. The Wollensak 15" TeleRaptar will cover 8x10 (barely), although it's made for a 4x5.</p>

<p>I have had good luck using Schneider Componons as taking lenses on several cameras: 210mm on a Graflex RB Auto (this is a 4x5); a 180mm on a Graflex RB Auto (3 1/4 x 4 1/4), a 210mm on a 5x7 Speed Graphic; a 300mm on an 8x10 view camera, and a 360mm on an 11x14 view camera. I have a 210mm Symmar and I can't tell the image quality difference between that and my 210mm Componon.</p>

<p>I've loaded a few rolls for my Kodak 3A. I brought old Verichrome Pan rolls off Ebay for the spindle and backing paper and cut 5" Aerial film down to fit. After doing this a few times I decided it probably wasn't worth the effort. I picked up a couple old falling plate box cameras (a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 and a 4x5). They both seem usable, although I haven't tried them yet.</p>

<p>Get a Graflex Crown Graphic or Super Graphic, a 135mm Optar or Ektar lens, some film holders, a light meter and go shoot. You won't need a tripod if you start with ASA400 film (I like Tri-X).</p>

<p>I would buy a roll if the price were right. I have a 70mm back for my Graflex Super Graphic.</p>

<p>I've been buying batteries for all of my 1960's vintage cameras at <a href="http://www.batteriesplus.com/">http://www.batteriesplus.com/</a>. They're about a 20 minute drive from my home. I brought a PX625 battery there about 2 weeks ago.</p>

<p>I have three cameras that are about the same age: an accordion-hood Auto Graflex (made from 1906-1910); a 3A Graflex (made from 1907-1915); and a Revolving Back Auto Graflex (made from 1906-1908). The 3A doesn't work, but the other two work fine (both are 4x5's).</p>

<p>You could try to get a Yashica Lynx 14E. I have one. It can be used with the on-board meter, or you can set the aperture and shutter speed manually if the meter won't work. It also has an f/1.4 lens that's very sharp.</p>

<p>I have an old Bogen 3050 with a 3047 head that I've used for my Rochester Camera Co. 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 and my lighter 8x10 cameras. I think you could get one for a lot less than $600.</p>

<p>I have had this problem in the past. My best results have been to print such negatives using a point source head.</p>

<p>These meters are getting pretty old at this point (I've had mine for 25 years at least). I was just going to suggest that some light baffel or seal had broken down and was letting light from the low light assist bulb or diode get where it shouldn't.</p>

<p>The people who used to be known for this were "Photography on Bald Mountain" If you do a google search you will find they're still around. I don't know if they still do this conversion of not.</p>

<p>4x5 Tri-X looks fine at 20x24 (5X enlargement), but I don't think it will go to 40x80 (16X) without looking really grainy. If that's the look you want, fine. If you want less grainy prints then I would look for some Kodak Technical Pan 4x5 on Ebay. I've had good luck with outdated Tech Pan. Or you could try one of the low speed (ASA 25) films.</p>

<p>I'd try Diafine, all films get the same development times.</p>

<p>I suspect that wet plates are very slow, even compared to photographic paper. You might try a point source head. They're very bright.</p>

<p>I have both a 4x5 RB Auto Graflex and a 4x5 Series D that have been converted to use a 4x5 Graflok back, and hence the normal 4x5 Graphic film holders. I'm not sure if this is what you're asking about or not. It can be done. It's just necessary to shim the ground glass in the focusing hood to a new height because the graflok back will be a different distance from the lens that the Graflex back was. Having said that, I have other Graflex SLR's that use the original Graflex film holders. I prefer the Graflex (slotted side) film holders because I think they're easier to get on and off one handed. The graflex holders are readily available on Ebay. Once you get enough for your needs you're set. My advice is just suck it up and buy the Graflex holders. You'll find they're easier to use with the SLR's.<br>

It wasn't clear (to me anyway) if that is what you were asking, or if you were asking if a 4x5 back could be put on a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 camera. The answer is (I think) yes, although I haven't done it. I think you could take the 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 graflex back off, and mount either a wooden 4x5 Graflex or a wooden 4x5 spring back and mound it on a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4. The back might overhang on the sides, but I think I've seen cameras offered on Ebay that had had this done. <br>

I don't think it's worth the effort to be able to use 4x5 film in a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4. Freestyle still offers 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 film I think. If that's too expensive just find some Kodak Electron Image sheet film on Ebay. It's in 3 1/4 x 4 (not 4 1/4) size. I've picked up several thousand sheets on Ebay cheap. I expose it at ASA 10 and develop it in Diafine. Remember, ASA 10 is about the film speed everyone was using when these cameras were new back in the 1910's and 1920's. (My oldest Graflex SLR was made around 1906-1908, a Revolving Back Auto Graflex, sort of a clone of the 1902-1903 models. It still works great.) Kodak Electron Image sheet film has very low grain. Think of it as a poor man's Tech Pan. The best portrait I ever took of my brother and his late wife was with Kodak Electron Image film in a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Speed Graphic. No grain, amazing detail. </p>

<p>I have a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Speed Graphic, a Graflex series B SLR, a Graflex series D, a Graflex Super D, an RB Tele Graflex, and an RB Auto Graflex in 3 1/4 x 4 1/4. I also have an Ansco 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 view camera. I use them all.</p>

<p>If you go to Wikipedia and look at the lensmaker's equation you will see that the focal length of a compound lens depends not only on the properties of the two individual lenses, but also on their separation. If you changed the distance between the lenses when you changed them from a nonworking shutter to one that works, then you changed the focal length of the composite lens.</p>

<p>As far as not garnering much attention, that's not my experience. I took one with me twice on trips to Japan in the late1980's. In those days I still had a couple of bricks of fresh color film and a brick of fresh B&W for it, so I was shooting a lot of 620. As I was walking around Tokyo I had several people stop me to look at the camera. Some tried to buy it from me. I found that one in an antique store in Rochester, NY for $60, and it was the only one I'd ever seen at that point. That was in the days before Ebay, so if I'd sold it I didn't think I'd ever see another for sale. Now they're easy to find. (I brought a Leica IIIc in the same antique shop for the same price that day. Those were the days.)</p>

<p>Altmans</p>

<p>While I don't have a Nuarc, I do have an old Xerox Model D, which is basically a process camera. It came with a built in set of lights with an exposure timer that controls the electronic shutter, a holder for what you want to copy (i.e., glass cover), and a place for the film. I put a 4x5 copy back in and had myself a free copy camera. since I had a lot of family photos with no negatives I set out to make a complete set of negatives. That took some time, but is now basically done. In the next incarnation I think the Model D will come back as a horizonal enlarger for my 11x14 negatives.</p>

<p>I don't know what speed (ASA) to recommend. Try developing in Diafine, all films and plates are developed for the same times. I think it's three minutes in each of the 2 development baths. I have used this for many glass plates and films with good results.</p>

<p>I have a half-plate camera and 5x7 film holders work just fine in it.</p>

<p>I have both an 8" Dallmeyer Pentac and a 7" Kodak Aero Ektar. Right now I have an Anniversary Speed Graphic with the rangefinder adjusted for the 8" Pentac. I came to the conclusion that this was about the longest focal length lens that I could adjust the rangefinder for. I have a 5x7 Speed Graphic that I would like to install a rangefinder on, but I don't think there is enough adjustment to take the 210mm lenses that I like to use on it. I don't think there would be any problem adjusting a rangefinder for the 7" Aero Ektar.</p>