Anyone using a Rollfilm back on their 4x5 Rangefinder?

Mr_Flibble said:
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.
Click to expand...

I just read that Weegee used his Speed Graphic set on f/8 @ 1/200th focused at 10 feet. I tried it with my digital to check the flash and settings and it was perfect, so my Crown Graphic is now set like this.
 
Pirate said:
I just read that Weegee used his Speed Graphic set on f/8 @ 1/200th focused at 10 feet. I tried it with my digital to check the flash and settings and it was perfect, so my Crown Graphic is now set like this.
Click to expand...

Supposedly, Weegee shot every thing with flash. With Super XX at 10 feet that meant f22, in daylight that meant 1/100 second. At night the shutter speed would probably have been slower.

More often he would have been shooting at 6 feet f32 and 1/50, because all news photographers wanted to be at that front of the pack which was why most of them used the 127mm lens. The guys shooting 135mm lenses (Most likely it would have been on a paper supplied camera) took a lot of photos of other photographer's hats (If you look at a lot of old news photos you will see what I am talking about).

Folks really ought to read Weegee's books, still available via inter library loan.
 
6X12 back on Arca-Swiss and Linhof Technika. I use the rangefinder on the Linhof almost all of the time. I've sold all of my medium format systems and just use the Linhof for both MF and LF film now.

 
Farside said:
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.
Click to expand...
If i am quite right some versions of RH50 allow 120/220-inserts. there are explanations i one forum. must dig them out. do i err/have a mixed up my findings?
 
europanorama said:
If i am quite right some versions of RH50 allow 120/220-inserts. there are explanations i one forum. must dig them out. do i err/have a mixed up my findings?
Click to expand...

Michael,
Wouldn't surprise me. Lots of Graflex shells and inserts are/were interchangable. But few around (besides you and me!) still use 70mm long roll. I have also used a jewelers file to make some modifications on some of mine.

Old Linhof Film Backs are just plain cool 🙂 I have a 70mm Cine Rollex, also for the Makiflexes. Built like a Leica in terms of quality.
 
524ce65677529f84ae8609f8352412e8.jpg

Inspection Arms.
Anniversary Speed Graphic, 127mm f/4.7 Ektar, Fomapan 100 in Graphic 23 holder.
 
I got a 120 back for my Linhof rail camera (that I still have not used after having bought it about 20 years ago)
 
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