[LargeFormat] Apo Gerogons and Graflex RB Cameras

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Clive Warren" <Clive.Warren@megacycle.co.uk>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2004 2:53 PM
Subject: [LargeFormat] Apo Gerogons and Graflex RB Cameras


> At 17:31 19/03/2004 -0500, Jim Hemenway wrote:
> >Hi Clive:
> >
> >You're right, Grimes can make an adapter to put it in an
Alphax.  The
> >Super D has a 190mm Ektar and even though the camera has
a focal plane
> >shutter, the release mechanism is linked to the semi-auto
aperture
> >close-down during exposure.  I could put the 210 on the
camera but it
> >isn't worst the bother, (to me) for the extra 20mm.
> snip
>
> Jim,
>
> You've answered my question - I had always wondered how
well those 190mm
> Ektars perform and they seem to do a  great job. The auto
shutdown is a
> great advantage as long as there is no significant focus
shift. My old RB
> is running a  Series VIIa Protar - from memory it is
around 9" in focal
> length and also produces excellent results.
>
> As you say, there doesn't seem to be a lot of point in
fettling the 210
> Gerogon with the Ektar already in place.
>
> The back on my Graflex does rotate a little too easily.
The positive lock
> doesn't! I don't recall how the Super D locates the back
positions but it
> is probably similar to the older RBs. Mine has a detent
pin that is
> supposed to lock the back in either portrait or landscape
mode. The back
> has been replaced with a Graflok variety, probably many
years ago, so it
> may be the case that it needs a bit of TLC.
>
> Cheers,
>             Clive
>
>
  My Super-D has the Graflex Optar, I am pretty sure a
Wollensak lens. I don't have the Ektar so can't compare them
directly but my Optar is extremely sharp and has good
contrast. The automatic diaphragm mechanisms were all built
by Kodak regardless of the lens in them.
  You can use a variety of lenses on the Super-D if you set
the stop manually, the way it was done on other Graflex
cameras. The bellows capacity is about 12 inches so, for any
range of distance closer than infinity about a 10.5" lens is
the limit. You can use a slightly shorter lens than the
190mm but not much, maybe 175mm, it has to clear the mirror
box. For general use the Ektar or Optar is excellent. 190mm
is just long enough to be good for portraits.
   If you try viewing through the lens on the camera you
will find that even at f/11 the finder image is bright
enough to be usable. The Ektalite field lens on the Super-D
helps. My Super-D is one of my favorite cameras. Mine has a
Graflok back which is quite helpful. You can retrofit a
Graflok to any Super-D without surgery but you have to
adjust the finder screen because the distance to the film
plane is slightly different. The rotating back feature
should not be affected. AFAIK, the lock is the same as in
earlier RB Graflex cameras.
  One thing to be aware of is that the shutter curtain speed
is not constant. Especially at higher tensions it speeds up
during its run. When a narrow slit is used (for high speeds)
the difference between the top and bottom of the gate is
about a full stop. When using larger slits, or lower
tension, the difference is less. The Super-D has a
simplified shutter with only two tensions, high and low, and
fewer speeds. The speeds are accurate in the center of the
frame. This was belated recognition than most of the speeds
on the familiar Graflex/Speed Graphic speed chart are
wishful thinking. Graflex actually used to advertise the
speed difference as an advantage because it darkened skys in
landscapes.

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

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