Cyberkinesis70 Loc: Northern Colorado

Speed Graphics had a focal plane shutter. it was made of some kind of rubbery material with slits. I think it was good for up to 1/1000 of a second. It's been a long time since I saw one except in movies.

twowindsbear

Perhaps the focal plane shutter is open, or in the time exposure mode. Fiddle with the focal plane shutter controls & see what happens. Check for holes or other defects in the shutter curtain, too.

Or, maybe the fp shutter failed & was removed rather than repaired?

The Graphic 23 roll film holder may not be compatible with that camera. You'd need to remove the ground glass & focusing hood and replace it with the roll holder. And then you'd be dealing with the 'crop factor' of the 2x3 image in the 4x5 camera.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

You found yourself a fine classic user-collectible camera and it sounds like it has not undergone any hard use. My first job in a professional studio was to maintain and clean 12 cameras of that vintage. My first training in wedding and event photography was in the use of that model. I used them for decades before the industry went to medium format.

If you would take some pictures of your camera, from various angles and post them here, I can give you some specific advice on film backs, connector cords, etc. The Speed-Graphic itself is a standard issue but there were dozens of various configurations, adaptations, user-modifications, and little model changes as to shutter types, etc. Pictures tell the story.

Is the flash unit for disposable flash lamps or it is a Graflex Strobe? In the 1950s Graflex purchased the Strobo-Research Company and marketed the Stroboflash SR units. There is a service in the U.S. that refurbishes these units for use with currently available batteries. If you flash is a flash lamp unit, the battery holder can be used as a grip and a mounting place for a speedlight. It may be equipped with a quick release mechanism which couples with a shoe near the rangefinder.

You can probably find a roll-holder- that depends on if the camera is equipped with an older Graphic (Graflex) back or a more current Graflok back. If you go to a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 roll film format, your lens will be somewhat long for the format- sort of a medium telephoto effect- good for portraits etc. The rangefinder will work but the viewfinder will require a mask as well as the ground glass. If you stay with the full 4x5 format, you will have full use of a handheld press camera. The viewfinder and the sports finder is set up for the full format.

To make cert the rangefinder is working, you can mount the camera on a tripod, range finder focuses on an object at infinity- far away. Then check the ground glass under magnification and confirm that the image is sharp. Check the footage scale on the camera's bed and it should show "infinity". Then repeat the test target an object measure at 15 feet away. The ground glass should be checked and the footage scale should show 15 feet.

The cord you need is available from Paramount Cords- it is probably a standard bi-post connector- an electric-shaver cord can provide an improvised connection. The flash holder usually has an "H" or household type socket. You camera MAY also be equipped with a solenoid tripper on the lensboard which operates from the flash holder- depends on the model.

If it is a SPEED-graphic as opposed to a CROWN-graphic it does indeed have a focal-plane shutter at the back of the camera. You will find a windup key and shutter speed mechanism at the side of the body. When the front, the between-the-lens shutter is in use the FP shutter must be locked up. Back in the day, we had the back shutters disabled so it would accidentally close while shooting a wedding. The FP shutter is capable of speeds up to 1/1000 sec. When using flash, special FP lamps were used but they are no longer produced. The front shutter will synchronize with modern flash gear and speedlights. There should have an M-X control setting, the X is electronic flash. The M is for medium-peak flash lamps.

The 135mm f/4.7 Wollensack Optar is a decent lens. The shutter may be a Rapex or the later Graflex model.

The Focus-Spot require a light source- you may have the unit. It projects 2 beams of light through the Kalart rangefinder. When the projected "spots" are superimposed, you are in focus. It was designed for focusing in dark places.

As others here have alluded to, you can process your 4x5 film in a so-called daylight tank that can be loaded in a light-tight changing bag or a darkened closet- total darkness. Once the tank is closed, you can pour in the chemicals in regular room lighting. You will need 3 or 4 chemicals and a sink with running water. It's a bit messy. If you don't want to bother, you can send the film out for processing and the scan to print.

There is a resurgence of large format film usage. There is a Facebook group devoted to Graflex cameras and users.

Enjoy your camera- looking forward to some pictures of it!

Kuzano

Sorry Bebu, but the focal plane shutter was a standard on Graflex 4X5 camera's for years. In fact a good focal plane shutter (a big blind on the back of the camera) was often more accurate on shutter speed and image quality than the lens shutters used on front of the camera with the lens.

There were many variation of focal plane shutters mounted on the back, just in front of the film, mounted on many manufacture of camera's.

The strong selling points. Often more accurate than regular shutters, and you only needed ONE shutter for ALL your lenses. A good, well serviced focal plane shutter was a godsend in many instances. Lenses could be mounted in Barrel and if adjustable apertures were needed, they could be inserted in the barrel alongside the lens, or an adjustable aperture by itself could be mounted at the lens.

FP shutters worked like a blind, with varied lengths of openings creating the various speeds.

rcarol

The Speed Graflex camera did indeed have a focal plane shutter. The Crown Graflex did not.

TreborLow

I had a Miniature Speed Graphic. It took 2 1/4 by 3 1/4 sheet film and I had both film backs for
2 1/4 x 2 3/4 as well as square on 120 and 220 film. It had both a focal plane shutter and one in the lens. The neat thing about the focal plane shutter was varying the combination of the size of the slit and the number of turns to control the speed of the slit. I think the maximum was 1/1000 of second. In the beginning I remember the slow learning process of the two shutters and the dark slide!! Used a Bessler 23 to print....the good old days!
Have fun with that big boy!
Bob

therwol Loc: USA

I tried tray developing film once. I found that the emulsion is very sensitive to damage when wet, so any contact with any instrument or even the hands could cause damage. You must have figured this out. I didn't, plus developing in total darkness for so long was too much for me.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

You don't need a full darkroom to process 4x5" sheet film only a light tight tank (or tank with adapters). You need a dark area or closet or changing bag to load the film. I rigged up a processing box. Not convenient but it lets me do B&W 4x5" film at home. Then I can scan the negatives and go digital from there. If you get color film processed at a lab you can still scan your negatives yourself. I regularly process B&W 35mm film at home in the kitchen. Again using a changing bag or darkened area for loading. It has been a long time since I had a home darkroom. Still have loads of equipment.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Unfortunately it came in two models, only one was used by the prop guys for light saber handles. They are worth about $300+ and the other model is just about worthless. I know, when I sold my Speed Graphic with original luggage style case and accessories (got it at a garage sale in the late 70s for $45) the buyers were excited until they checked on line and found I had the wrong model flash.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

But the OP stated he does not want to go the darkroom route.
I never developed film in a dark room, changing bag and light proof developing tanks for 35, 120/220 and 4x5. The darkroom was for printing.

The one year I taught basic photography I had access to a printing darkroom with 12 enlargers and a film darkroom with space for about 6 people at a time - that is where the students developed their film - too much trouble to get a bunch of changing bags & light proof film tanks and teach them how to use them. It was enough trouble teaching them to put the film onto the reels - I did that in a lit room with waste film scraps left over from the 100' rolls for loading cartridges (we used bulk film and re-loadable cartridges for 35)

The school had a Saturday maintenance crew and I made friends with the plant manager. He, I and the principal had the only keys to the photo classroom, I got an elevator key (classroom was on the 3rd floor) and the crew let me on campus on Sat. I lived only a few blocks from campus. So on Saturdays I had use of the darkroom to myself - I even cleaned it for them and Sat was "drive to Hollywood to Free Style" for supplies day. So I went to Hollywood first thing in the morning, then to the school to put the purchases away and work by myself.

Because we used so much all the chemicals came as powder in 5 gal drums and I had to mix them about two - three times a week. I quickly learned to teach in jeans, work shirt and one of those long white lab coats made of heavy material to catch splashes. The coat may still be somewhere around the house. In later years when I used it in my home darkroom our oldest boy referred to it as my "Mad Scientist" outfit.

Bill P

Yup, they had one. Never knew anyone that used it, most just left it open and used the in lens shutter.

scg3

And you could have cleaned the brown developer stains off your coat with Anchor Photo Chemical Stain Remover. Remember it? One more casualty of the digital revolution along with Pinakryptol Green desensitizer and ferricyanide for B/W print spot bleaching. It's been awhile...

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Bill 45

E.L. Shapiro: Thank you for your reply. I have made a hard copy of what you wrote, so I can reread it at a few time so I full stand what you are writing. As for pictures that more down the road at this time.
Robertjerl: What are you saying, I confuse. I known that people use them for Star Wars.
For every one else: Camera has a name plate on it "Speed Graphic" Was it change some time in it history I don't known. As for the focal plane shutter, the camera may had one sometime in the past. Here is the Ser#: 750XXX.
Kept those reply coming, been very helpful to me. Thank you Bill45

larryzplace Loc: Elk Grove Village Illinois

1965 was a good year Yep I also graduated that year... And I also had a Speed Graphic camera that I purchased at a garage sale... As I remember it had 8 or 10 backs and a polaroid back... Paid a Whopping $5.00 Enjoy your new camera...