Okay, now I'm retarded

[Perry Way]

Really, I must be retarded. I went through the whole auction, could have asked any question I wanted to, but thought I knew just from looking at it, sure it's what I want. A 4x5 Speed Graphic. Yippeecayea! Wow, such a good price too. So it arrived this morning. Open the box.. I'm looking at a beautiful Speed Graphic but there's some awefully small looking film holders.. why, gollygeee isn't that quaint, they are for a 3.25 x 4.25 film. How interesting. Why did he send me film holders that don't go to this camera. ... Wwwwwait.. Oh my lord, don't tell me! It's a 3.25 x 4.25 Speed Graphic.

I am so retarded.

The drop bed leather fell off (I have it though and its in good condition on the black side). The rangefinder still works. The lens, a Zeiss Tessar 135 and the shutter works, its hard to switch speeds but everything works on this camera, the ground glass will have to come out and be thoroughly cleaned.. But it is in very good condition otherwise. No battle scars to speak of.

So now I'm faced with having three cameras that I own that I can't shoot right now due to lack of something. The Voigtlander Avus 9x12 camera (missing plate/film holders and film), A B&J 2.25 x 3.25 Press-field camera (missing film holders and film), and now this Speed Graphic (got film holders but they need to be gone over as I suspect one of them is a leaker, and I need to find some film) but I'm not any further ahead with my gotta have a lightweight field camera. In 4x5, not 3.25 x 4.25. I don't even have any neg carriers for this strange size. <grumble>

Anyone know where you can get any other film other than Efke in 3.25 x 4.25?

[ntenny]

Anyone know where you can get any other film other than Efke in 3.25 x 4.25?

As far as I've ever been able to determine, Efke is the only game in town unless you want to cut down a larger size.

I did once see someone (on APUG, I think) saying that they used 3.25x4" electron-microscopy film in 3.25x4.25" holders successfully.

If you want to donate the problematic camera to a good home, I've got some of that Efke film just waiting for it. :-)

-NT

[Anscojohn]

Well, you can trim down 4x5 or split 5x7. I wonder, does a Fujiroid film back fit them?

[Perry Way]

As far as I've ever been able to determine, Efke is the only game in town unless you want to cut down a larger size.

Cutting down a larger size is wasteful. I'm not prone to do that at all. I think for the moment I'm going to automagically limit myself to Efke on this camera. It's not like I don't have other 4x5 cameras. I have several really, just none as light and compact as a Speed Graphic. But thanks to this episode I think I just convinced myself I'm going to get a Toyo technical field camera, or a Linhoff. I really desire every movement possible for front standard and for rear it has to have swing and tilt. And I'll never get that with a Speed Graphic, so...

I did once see someone (on APUG, I think) saying that they used 3.25x4" electron-microscopy film in 3.25x4.25" holders successfully.

I did some research on that just now. What I found is all blue sensitive film. Now that can be interesting, but not an every day menu item.

If you want to donate the problematic camera to a good home, I've got some of that Efke film just waiting for it. :-)
-NT

You know, that idea is sounding like a nice option. How about you reimburse postage of.. $120 (and I'll get it right out there to you)?

[Mats_A]

....The Voigtlander Avus 9x12 camera (missing plate/film holders and film) ...

If this is 9x12 cm film holders then these can be found on eBay. And both Ilford and Foma has 9x12 sheet films.

r

Mats

[steven_e007]

3.25 X 4.24, quarter plate, is one of the sizes in Ilford's ULF run

So...get your order in for a few boxes of FP4+ or HP5+ and stack them in the fridge and you are set up until next year's ULF run...

[Rick A]

I have a pair of Graflex film pack adapters that will fit your camera. I was told they were for 4x5, so I bought them. Opened the package when they arrived, and waddaya know, 3-1/4x4-1/4 pack adapters. You can have them for postage($5 small flatrate).

[Fotoguy20d]

Does your Graphic have a Graflok back or a spring back? You can, with a little searching and patience, find a roll film holder for the 3x4 graflok (make sure it's a graphic not a graflex - the latter is for the RB cameras). 2x3 holders and film for the B&J shouldn't be hard to find at all (as long as you don't mind the Efke film).

Dan

[mhcfires]

Efke 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 film is available from Freestyle. I use it in my 3x4 Graflex SLR. I also have a 3x4 Speed with a graflex back, so I can use the graflex bag-mag with this camera too.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Why not use a roll film back? Graflex made 6x7 (23) backs for these.

- Thomas