Graflex Photography Question
- Thread starter Belle
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oftheherd
Veteran
Nice photos Belle. The second seems a little over exposed, but it may be the scan, or it may be you were looking for that effect.
Belle
Established
oftheherd - Good eye. The polaroid was about 1/2 stop over exposed.
JohnTF
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Somers
Somers
Small world, I used to hang around Somers on the way home from the Dentist, buying my 5x7 inch Medalist paper, then I eventually moved to the Hts. as I taught in the schools there.
Somers was going great guns for a while, bought out Demshar's in Euclid, where I used to work, and had a number of locations.
The stores are long gone now I know Irv worked there for a while after Dodds bought it, but I understand he got remarried and moved on. Am not sure his heart was in it. Blanche and Taylor, store is closed now. Dodds are spread out to the malls.
Dodds Commercial is now on Carnegie, but though they take in used equipment, it is really not the old Dodds, best place now would be Campus Camera in Kent, which is where Demshar's went when Somers bought them out, they are doing well, but the business has changed, and everyone sells a lot on ebay. I go along for the ride down to Columbus now and again with a dealer friend, Stu is from the Hts. You would want to deal with the original owner's son Danny. I probably took home my share of Graflexes from them, they had three SM Leicas in the case last week. I recall a IIIc, IIIf, and IIIg. A nice Crown with good lens often went for $100-$150, they pay that at the shows, and then piece out all the stuff that is in the case. I probably have three or four of the old cases in the Attic. I know I have given three or four away, shipped a war time one to my friend in Prague, another to Berlin, another to Mexico.
And the camera shows are still worth going to if you are looking for that odd item, I found the quick load adapter for the M2 and now I need another for the friend I promised. Well, I can normally find some old friends and have a beer afterwards. I listed the Sept. 7 show, Igor is giving free admission to teachers and students.
If I had to guess, I would say you went to Roosevelt?
Somers
Small world, I used to hang around Somers on the way home from the Dentist, buying my 5x7 inch Medalist paper, then I eventually moved to the Hts. as I taught in the schools there.
Somers was going great guns for a while, bought out Demshar's in Euclid, where I used to work, and had a number of locations.
The stores are long gone now I know Irv worked there for a while after Dodds bought it, but I understand he got remarried and moved on. Am not sure his heart was in it. Blanche and Taylor, store is closed now. Dodds are spread out to the malls.
Dodds Commercial is now on Carnegie, but though they take in used equipment, it is really not the old Dodds, best place now would be Campus Camera in Kent, which is where Demshar's went when Somers bought them out, they are doing well, but the business has changed, and everyone sells a lot on ebay. I go along for the ride down to Columbus now and again with a dealer friend, Stu is from the Hts. You would want to deal with the original owner's son Danny. I probably took home my share of Graflexes from them, they had three SM Leicas in the case last week. I recall a IIIc, IIIf, and IIIg. A nice Crown with good lens often went for $100-$150, they pay that at the shows, and then piece out all the stuff that is in the case. I probably have three or four of the old cases in the Attic. I know I have given three or four away, shipped a war time one to my friend in Prague, another to Berlin, another to Mexico.
And the camera shows are still worth going to if you are looking for that odd item, I found the quick load adapter for the M2 and now I need another for the friend I promised. Well, I can normally find some old friends and have a beer afterwards. I listed the Sept. 7 show, Igor is giving free admission to teachers and students.
If I had to guess, I would say you went to Roosevelt?
Last edited:
RObert Budding
D'oh!
Absoutely. The shot shown above suffers fron7m lens flare. A hood will make a huge difference.
I use a 135mm Optar and have been very pleased with the results.
Gumby
Veteran
Did you get a shot of the guy who mugged you... or did he steal the camera befroe you could get a filmholder in? 😀
David Goldfarb
Well-known
Hey, John, I guess I missed your reply when you posted, and I just came across it just now. Thanks for the roundup. I'd forgotten about Demshar's.
I graduated from Brush in South Euclid-Lyndhurst in 1984.
x-ray
Veteran
First the Optar is a fine lens, coated or uncoated. The optar is a Wollensak copy of the Zeiss Tessar as is the Schneider Xenar and Kodak Ektar press lenses and commercial ektars. Many companies made and still make copies of the Tessar. It's been one of the all time great lenses for around a hundred years. The mentioned 203 f7.7 Ektar differs in that it's 4 elements in 4 groups and the Tessar (etc.) is 4 elements in three groups. The 203 Ektar and the Tessar design are quite different.
It does appears that you have some lens and bellows flare plus not letting the film process long enough. LF lenses have a larger image circle than standard lenses due to the need for camera movements like rise, fall, tilt and shift. The larger image circle can result in light bouncing around in the bellows and creating fog on the film which reduces contrast. Many people use a compendium shade but I most often use a black card (8x10 black foam core) over the lens just outside the film view to shade excess light off the lens and prevent bellows flare. Some lenses like the Schneider XL lens have huge image circles and are very prone to creating bellows flare if some form of shielding and restricted light isn't used.
Simple lens designs like the Optar / Tessar can work quite well even uncoated if you are careful about shielding the lens.
New design lenses are a bargain at the moment. Any of the Schneider Symmar / Symar S, Rodenstock Serinar series, Nikkor W, Fujinon W or Caltar II or IIN are super lenses. A 135 or 150m in nice shape can be had for around $225 to $250 in a copal shutter. One thing to remember if you change lenses is that your RF will not focus correctly unless you have it calibrated or a new cam cut.
Have fun with your LF.
It does appears that you have some lens and bellows flare plus not letting the film process long enough. LF lenses have a larger image circle than standard lenses due to the need for camera movements like rise, fall, tilt and shift. The larger image circle can result in light bouncing around in the bellows and creating fog on the film which reduces contrast. Many people use a compendium shade but I most often use a black card (8x10 black foam core) over the lens just outside the film view to shade excess light off the lens and prevent bellows flare. Some lenses like the Schneider XL lens have huge image circles and are very prone to creating bellows flare if some form of shielding and restricted light isn't used.
Simple lens designs like the Optar / Tessar can work quite well even uncoated if you are careful about shielding the lens.
New design lenses are a bargain at the moment. Any of the Schneider Symmar / Symar S, Rodenstock Serinar series, Nikkor W, Fujinon W or Caltar II or IIN are super lenses. A 135 or 150m in nice shape can be had for around $225 to $250 in a copal shutter. One thing to remember if you change lenses is that your RF will not focus correctly unless you have it calibrated or a new cam cut.
Have fun with your LF.