The Folmar Graflex Company made many different cameras over the years. In
the 1920-30s period the Graflex camera was a favorite of serious
amateurs. It was a single lens reflex which came in a number of variations
and sizes. I inherited a 4x5 R.B. Auto Graflex from an uncle and enjoyed
using it for years, You held the camera at waist level and looked down
(through a long folding hood) at the ground glass for focusing. When you
tripped the shutter there was a soft whump as the large mirror swung up and
then a wraaaap as the focal plane shutter tripped. It had speeds up to
1/1000 which was something for those days.
Another camera, perhaps the best known in the history of press photography
was the Speed Graphic. It came in several film sizes and had both a
shutter in the lens and a focal plane shutter. I have have a 4x5 model
from the 1950s. From time to time I used it intensively on
assignments. With pockets bulging with cut film holders and #5 photo flash
bulbs, one had to made every exposure carefully, Today - every once in a
while I load some black and white film into the film holders and take a
couple of photographs of nostalgia things. It was a slow camera to
use. Slide in a film holder (or film pack), focus, set the shutter speed,
set the lens opening (after metering), pull the slide from the holder, cock
the shutter, take the picture, put the slide back in the film holder (white
side of the metal lip on the slide would be out if "light was out", white
side would be in [leaving the black side showing] if "light was in". We
all memorized "White's out, light's out, white's in, light's in". If using
flash, calculate the distance and use the flash bulb guide number to figure
out the exposure settings.
My pair of OM-4Ts are much faster. And, I have a pair of OM-2s and an
OM-1md in reserve.
A bit more on the old camera world. I also inherited from my uncle an
Exacta B (from around 1930) single lens reflex which takes 127 roll film, a
bit wider than 35 mm. It too was a single lens reflex, with a frame
'sports' finder so you could sight through that - after you had wound the
film, set the exposure and focused.
In those days folk were a lot more careful before exposing a frame. Now I
just crank film through.... sigh.
- George
At 10:21 AM 05/15/2001 -0400, you wrote:
Gentlemen, My apologies if this is a repeat post, I never saw it come though
on the list.
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