Anyone using a Rollfilm back on their 4x5 Rangefinder?

When I started in LF, it was via German 9x12s and one or two came with ancient Rollex backs. That was a hoot, finding they still worked fine (and lighttight) after 50, 60, 70 years.
I find them very handy to rapidly run some film through a body after messing with the lens, bellows, settings of the bed, registration, in fact any excuse at all, really.
I'm in the odd situation now of not having a rollfilm back for 4x5, although I've got an RH50 I mean to convert and run some 120 through. Great, that's another excuse to do it.
 
Horseman 6x12, MPP 6x9, Linhof 6x7. Have not used the 6x7 yet. Easier to use a 6x7 camera. 6x12 if you can get them printed in colour, very nice.
 
I have several. They are great. There are times i ust dont feel like developing sheet film. The most versatile type maybe the ones where they slip in like a sheet film holder. I like the ones like the graflex rh8 and 12 the best. I started to use them again (hadn't for a long time) after getting my first 9x12 plate camera. A 6x9 roll film back on a plate camera is quite nice..

Gary
 
Today, I just took delivery of a Universal Back to Rollex converter - a spacer which sits in the UB, held by the slide-locks and allows use of one of these old 6x9 rollfilm holders. Excellent; now I can use these on my Crown.
The converter was a Linhof part and is designed for their slightly shorter UB, so needs a slight Dremel touch, but no biggie.
 
Looking forward to see your results with it.
I had to do some slight dremel work as well to put a graflok back on my Combat Graphic and my Miniature SG.

More recent photo's

FE130372.jpg

Combat Graphic with Kodak Anastigmat lens, Kodak Tri-X in a Graphic 23 roll film holder

SF120644.jpg

Anniversary Speed Graphic Kodak Ektar lens, Ilford FP4+ in Graphic 23 roll film holder
 
Great shots there Rick! Do you us the standard Kallart rangefinder or some modification of it to focus these?

I have great respect for anyone who can shoot the Graphic with that RF in quick situations.
 
I used the Kallart rangefinder on my Speed Graphic for that shot, together with the small parallex VF on top for composition. I didn't quite nail the focus on the other 7 photos during that demonstration.
It did give me a new sense of respect for the sports photographers and war photographers who had to use one of these things in the thick of the action.

Another one from that roll.
SF120642.jpg



The Combat Graphic lacks an RF, so you're stuck guessing the distance and have to hope the subject lies in the shallow DOF of the long lens.
I haven't quite figured out how to compose with Wire Frame sportsfinder yet.
I used it this last weekend, but only attempted 3 action photos. I didn't want to risk ruining too many images on the roll ;)
 
Very interesting to see these shots Rick, very well done!

Somebody knowledgable please correct me, but I suppose most action shots back in the days of 4x5 press cameras were either stopped down a lot in bright daylight or shot with flash, when possible or were shot wide open in available light with lot's of luck + skill and simply not needed to be tack sharp as todays internet people with digital expectations expect them to be.

Remember these shots were for newspaper use (hence there was no need to make the floppy mechanics of the Graphics to work as precisely as todays Linhofs).
 
menos said:
Very interesting to see these shots Rick, very well done!

Somebody knowledgable please correct me, but I suppose most action shots back in the days of 4x5 press cameras were either stopped down a lot in bright daylight or shot with flash, when possible or were shot wide open in available light with lot's of luck + skill and simply not needed to be tack sharp as todays internet people with digital expectations expect them to be.

Remember these shots were for newspaper use (hence there was no need to make the floppy mechanics of the Graphics to work as precisely as todays Linhofs).
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was quite common to see wartime pics with long dof, so eliminating errors quite successfully. Rather a usable pic than one that didn't work out. It's something I've always done myself, reasoning the same outcome. Not so difficult now of course, but back then you could always crop in the darkroom but you couldn't go back and re-focus the pic.
 
I was told that Press photographers got around the focusing difficulties by using flashbulbs and a consistent f/stop, then shooting from a standard distance. Essentially a 4x5 point-and-shoot program.
 
In any case, I enjoy seeing these wide aperture 4x5 shots, be it roll film or the whole film.
It just looks marvellous, so keep em coming Rick ;-)
 
Very nice!
The funny thing is, I never had any interest in guns and military topics, but I follow your photography for a while now and your shots always make me want to see more!

I really like the two shots above in post 34!
 
Thanks Dirk,

I shot some Ektar and Tmax 100 with the combat graphic last weekend at Fort Veldhuis. Should have some more results by Saturday;


Speed Graphic, Ilford XP2

SGPP0010.jpg

Pont De La Roque, Brittany

SGPP0018.jpg

Plan Fougères, Brittany
 
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