[LargeFormat] Graflex 5x7 Home Portrait SLR

[Jay Allen]

My 5x7 Single Lens Reflex

I have many cameras - 2x3 ---> 11x14 views, Century Studio 11x14,
Hasselblad, Rollei, modern Contax slrs, and Leicas.

But the one camera, I like best is the old Graflex RB 5x7 Home Portrait.
Built in 1919 it does not seem to know that it should have died before
World War II. 

I will take several cameras when I go out to the Southwest this spring,
to shoot mostly Black and White. But I will be using the old Graflex to
do the best Work.

Why I like it:

1. It has a 5x7 negative
2. It's easier to use than my view camera
3. It has a rising front.
4. It has a focal plane shutter so I can use barrel lenses
5. The lens board is large so all sizes of lenses will fit.
6. I can mount a sync'ed shutter/lens on the front lens board.
7. The lens board is made of wood so it is easy to make extra ones.
8. The 5x7 film holders can be loaded with 4x5 film( loads side ways).
9. I can shoot 5x7 paper negs.
10. The old focal plane shutter is still very accurate.
11. The focal plane shutter runs from 1/500 to 1 sec with out a timer.
12. Many of the old time studio soft-focus lenses will fit it.
13. Kodak commercial Ektars in Ilex shutters fit it.
14. It has a revolving back.
15. There is a bag mag that fits it that will hold 12 shots.

 It just does higher quality work than my other cameras because it is
easier to use and more flexible.

Jay Allen