[LargeFormat] 5x7 Press Graflex Film Holders...

[Richard Knoppow]

-----Original Message-----
From: LNPhoto <LNPhoto@twmi.rr.com>
Sent: Jan 6, 2004 5:47 AM
To: largeformat@f32.net
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] 5x7 Press Graflex Film Holders...

Welcome to the crazy and confused world of Graflex.

Two things separate the GRAFLEX holder from the GRAPHIC or modern  
holder.
1st and more obvious is the greater width and the grooves along the  
long side of the holder.

2nd and more importantly, it that the light trap on the darkslide side  
of the holder is reversed....Graflex holders have a fairly deep groove  
while modern holders have one or more commonly, two ridges.

The Press Graflex is the odd duck in that it's the only Reflex type  
camera to have a spring loaded ground glass back and yet still takes  
the Graflex holders.

5x7 Graflex holders are hard to find. Before I got my PRess Graflex,  
there was one auction for about 4 or 5 and they went for quite a sum  
(but still not as much as 11x14 holders Jim!) However since this camera  
doesn't use the grooves of a Graflex holder it wouldn't take much to  
modify some older regular film holders to fit.  Look for the older wood  
holders with the metal light traps.  These are great in that the felt  
can be replaced but the added benefit over modern plastic holders is  
that the ridge can be milled off and replaced with the necessary groove  
and the width built up with any hardwood. Really a very easy project.   
I would have done this but my camera came with a plate magazine and no  
ground glass.  BTW I'm not sure how but the Ground Glass is removable.   
Look for some hooks at the top and pins at the bottom of the film  
holder slot.

Les

On Tuesday, January 6, 2004, at 01:12  AM, tripspud wrote:

> Sorry for the 'wrong' subject line before...

   This is useful. I was not sure if the Press Graflex used standard Graflex holders because its such an odd duck. 
   My one and only Graflex is a Super-D with a Graflok back so it takes standard Graphic holders. Its been years since I used a Graflex with a Graflex back. 
    Both backs were available on both cameras (Graflex and Graphic) on special order. Graflex backs are occasionally found on Speed Graphics because they allowed the use of special accessories.
    I have not seen any Graflex holders at the local shows for years, they appear to be as rare as hen's teeth. 


Richard Knoppow
dickburk@ix.netcom.com
Los Angeles, CA, USA