A very special week using my Dad's old Speed Graphic camera that I managed to get going again. Whilst I need more practice using this highly manual camera - it still works!
I wrote about the Speed Graphic a while ago, and these are my very first shots using it. Whilst they are not particular special on their own, I am delighted to have been able to bring this amazing camera back to life. It was not without its challenges though, the camera my Dad gave me had film sheets you insert into the back (film for this size of camera no longer exists). As I said in my previous post, through some research I found a possible solution: attach a film roll holder onto the back of the camera. I found one on Ebay in the US and received it after a few weeks (including an interesting trip to German customs to pick it up). I also received some very generous help from Jo Lommen, the Speed Graphic legend, who built me some custom clamps to secure the film roll holder to the back of the camera.
120mm film roll holder attached to the back of the camera
I will stop boring you now, but to summarise this camera now works with 120mm film. It is larger than a normal 35mm film and only takes 8 photographs!
As you will see from the photographs some of them are out of focus, I will need to go back and look at the lens and slightly adjust the rangefinder as it is likely out of sync. I suspect this camera also works best at a very high shutter speed: it has a very interesting way of adjusting shutter speed, by adding tension to the shutter curtain. There is a metal plate on the front of the camera to tell you how far you have to wind it and what number to set to achieve the shutter speed you want.
Shutter speed table on the front of the Speed Graphic
Let's not forget this post was supposed to be about film! Kodak Portra is more of a portrait film, so I may try this camera and film type again for portraits. Also, as this was more of a test roll to check if the Speed Graphic (and my film roll holder solution) actually works, I will need more practice with it. I am also looking forward to attaching the flash unit with single use only bulbs to it - proper old school!
Overall result: PASSED (and absolutely thrilled this camera still works!)
And as always - stop reading this and go take more photographs!
See you next time, Neil.
Frankfurt skyline with a rowing regatta going on
A very out of focus shot of the ECB building in Frankfurt
Speed Graphic in action
One does get funny looks using this camera -for sure!
My favourite Spanish restaurant in Frankfurt (Centro Cultral Gallego). Got some light leaks due to user (i.e. me!) error
