Watching TV

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Watching TV

Postby John Power » 16 Jan 2022, 14:54

This is the first sheet of film that I've run through a new-to-me LF rig, a Graflex Speed Graphic from around 1968. Its a "Model FP" and has a Rodenstock Sironar N 150mm attached.

ImageWatching TV by J P, on Flickr

This was the temperature adjusted development mentioned in the Blueys thread, I brought the time down from 12mins to 10mins with water temp at 24C. I've pulled down the curve in GIMP for a bit of extra contrast.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Watching TV

Postby Walter Glover » 16 Jan 2022, 22:38

Bravo John,

A kiddie-pic only people with your closeness can even think of capturing.
Good move acquiring the Graphic, a 'nifty fifty' equivalent, and quite lush skin tones. Given the FP shutter I foretel a wide aperture barrel mount aerial lens on the horizon. :D :D :D

I also see more 4x5 eating into your MF & 35mm escapades now that you have a more user-friendly piece of kit. in my quest for kit that I can handle I gave very strong consideration to a Graflex Speed Graphic.

Do you envisage hanging onto the Horseman?
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: Watching TV

Postby John Power » 17 Jan 2022, 05:45

Thanks Walter!

Yep, I took it out on a dog walk yesterday and will see how the FP shutter works... this, like you say, will open lots of opportunities to shoot 4x5 in situations where it would have previously been another format. It came with a work grafmatic too, and the idea of holding a large format rig with 6 shots ready to go is very appealing to me.

And I'll definitely keep the horseman, I love it's flexibility too much to let it go. It's been a bad (good?) summer for acquiring new cameras, so something definitely need to go, though.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Watching TV

Postby Walter Glover » 17 Jan 2022, 16:27

" It came with a work grafmatic too, and the idea of holding a large format rig with 6 shots ready to go is very appealing to me. "


John,

There was a time that I was a Grafmatic tragic, but it didn't last long. A guy who photographed the "Hindenburg" burning shot a load of 6 sheets in about 18 seconds which roused my yearnings. But years (decades later) there were aspects that needed to go on a check-list:

    1. Check that the septums are flat and that the side channels you slide the film into are not pincher aat points. This can be done by sliding a long table knife along the channels,
    2. Vacuum out the interiors every time you load to minimise internal dust that breaaks down from the degrading blockss of felt that get shuddered and shhaken. by the slapping force of the sprrings thet enable internal shuffling of the 6 sheets,

    3. It's not a bad idea to remove the counter wheel the infringes into the image area, unless you particularly want a crescent with a number in the side of you printt,

    4. Practice getting muscle memory of ensuring you change the finger grip to either draw the darkslide, or bring forward a new sheet into the film gate.

Have fun.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

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Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: Watching TV

Postby Maris » 18 Jan 2022, 12:24

I agree with Walter about the Grafmatics. I use several instead of carrying lots of 4x5 double darks. For things that are about 70 years old they work perfectly but only if everything inside is also perfect: septums straight, film "grippers" tight but not too tight, main springs not weak with age, felt strips not loose, and fully dusted out.
A few years ago I went on a Grafmatic buying spree to discover a lot of sellers don't know what they have. The correct catalogue number is 1268. The other Grafmatic number 1168 looks nearly the same but fits only the Graflex SLR and not the usual Graflok 4x5 back. I paid about $100 each but recent values may be crazy.
Loading, using, and unloading a Grafmatic admits of no errors. Instructions for reference: https://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/grafmatic/ .

John Power "Watching TV" is a truly beautiful and gentle portrait. Please, more portraits before your subject gets camera fatigue.

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Watching TV

Postby Mick Fagan » 19 Jan 2022, 10:21

Totally engrossed in the television, nice catch.

You must be close to the minimum distance, focus is good to boot.

As for Grafmatic backs, I have two, mainly used on a converted Polaroid camera (Razzle), one works very well, the other not so great. I used them quite a lot for a couple of years with my normal 4x5 wooden folder, but found the cleaning regime whenever being loaded couldn't be upheld in a camper in a changing tent. The septums really are the make or break of these film holders. A Grafmatic back takes up approximately the same space as two DDS, as a result I now keep them solely for the Razzle.

In my darkroom I have a very small air compressor fitted with a water filter, but no oil filter. I bought it at an auction of a bankrupt graphic arts studio 31 years ago. This has been one of my best ever darkroom additions. Oodles of air for cleaning negatives and enlarger negative holders and, of late, cleaning the scanner negative holders on my flatbed film scanner.

I find the counter useful as the negatives may sit in a holder for a while before getting back to the darkroom, having my written description along with the negative number enables my memory once the film has been developed.

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: Watching TV

Postby John Power » 19 Jan 2022, 11:16

Thanks a lot for the info and encouragement everyone.

Trust me when I say that catching my kids engrossed in whats on he TV is like shooting fish in a barrel... i could do it all day, without even needing to ask them to hold still!

Walter, I'd already had a few goes loading and unloading the septums and grafmatic whole, and like you mentioned, lots of the septums had been pinched closed. I opened them with a small flat head screw driver and they're working ok... flatness, again as you mention, might be an issue, though... I dont think any one of them is perfectly flat, so I'll think more (and take any advice) on flattening them.


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