Graflex XLSW

Let us see some results when you can!
Too bad there's just no way to cram all that detail onto a computer monitor; if this is your entry into medium or large format, you're in for a treat!
 
I've played with other MF cameras.
I've got a couple of folders and a very beat up Koni-Omega.

I just shot off a couple of rolls from my 21mm color skopar over the weekend. I'm hoping to use this camera for most of those shots from here on out.
 
Ran a couple of rolls through this weekend...waiting on film to come back now.

I'd never loaded a graflex rollfilm back before, so I'm sure I blew half a roll on that.

Overall, I liked using the camera, but it looks like my cv21mm viewfinder is not well suited to this camera. It sits so far forward that it is barely usable in landscape orientation.
 
The camera didn't come with a dedicated viewfinder?
Maybe finding some kind of adapter to raise the viewfinder or position it further aft is your best solution. There are coldshoe adapters out there for cameras with a coldshoe and synch socket. I've ended up using one on my Bessa L and 15mm combination to get the viewfinder above the 77mm filter so I can see what will be in the lower part of the frame.
Is there a similar adapter out there to shift the viewfinder aft?
I've never seen an XLSW, but I think the back design is quite a lot thicker and narrower than the one on the Veriwide XL.
 
I can't find any mention of a dedicated finder for the thing anywhere.

Here she is.... Camping, camera and coffee.

540013851_1de208e91e_o.jpg
 
That's interesting, no viewfinder. The veriwide came with one, though many of them seem to end up for sale without. Maybe it was an extra cost option?
Does the image of the camera you've posted show it with its back on? It looks too campact... Unless you're using sheet film, that is.
The handgrip looks interesting- could make the beastie really hand holdable- mine is not, since there isn't a good way to reach the shutter release.
Filter wise, I use a 40.5mm-49mm step up ring and 49mm filters. I have no vignetting problems with the combination, if you're interested.
I was pleased not to have to buy more filters, 49mm ones fitting nearly all my gear.
 
I wasn't worried about the viewfinder, figuring that my 21mm finder from my cv21 would do. It just doesn't sit well on the camera.
I'll find another solution.
That's the whole camera. It's just that the roll film back is well hidden.
I've got a 40.5 to 52mm step up ring on order.
 
I can easily report that fears of vignetting were completely unfounded.
Even on the larger polaroid image, I'm not seeing vignetting.
This one was at f11.

545163183_8e83d41eb0.jpg
 
dazedgonebye said:
Big rectangular thing? I'd love to see that.
Click to expand...

No, it is a circular filter that is not very large, with an outer rim that looks like an adapter ring. The whole set-up is not that large.
 
Light falloff has only really been a problem with slide film for me. That was a little bit of a letdown for me, as I'd intended to use the camera in part for panoramic shots of landscapes.
With negative materials? No problem, the exposure latitude of the film handles it easily.
How are you aiming the beastie after all that?
 
I've used the finder from my CV21. I only had a 6x7 back at first, so I just mentally accounted for the difference in ratio.
For the polaroid shots, I've just been leaving the finder off and pointing from up close and at odd angles.
I pre-focus to 1 ft and stick it right up to something. Veeeery precise work!

545028312_fe1930c337_o.jpg
 
I used the XLW almost exclusively for scenic shots in the West of the USA. I glued on the camera body two level bubbles so that photos were well alligned. The nagtives are so large and the view is so wide that cropping any vignetting becomes easy to do. The resulting transparnecies that I got were amazingly sharp.

Raid
 
Nice shot, Steve! I never really considered the possibility of OOF with that lens!

Raid- I shot a couple of rolls of transparency and was also blown away by the overall image quality. Never experimented much with the aperture, took it on faith that the lens is at its best at F/16, and have always used it between F/11 and F/22.
I did have plenty of light falloff though, and got best results by overexposing 1/2 or 1 stop. The center of the frame looked a little hot, the edges a little dark.The results are fine unless you're shooting a large evenly toned surface like a wall.
 
Bryce said:
Nice shot, Steve! I never really considered the possibility of OOF with that lens!

Raid- I shot a couple of rolls of transparency and was also blown away by the overall image quality. Never experimented much with the aperture, took it on faith that the lens is at its best at F/16, and have always used it between F/11 and F/22.
I did have plenty of light falloff though, and got best results by overexposing 1/2 or 1 stop. The center of the frame looked a little hot, the edges a little dark.The results are fine unless you're shooting a large evenly toned surface like a wall.
Click to expand...

I think you can only get out of focus by getting in close really.
I've got a little spring wound string thing that I'm going to attach to the tripod socket. I'll be able to pull the string out and measure 1 or 2 feet. I could use the help estimating these very close distances.
 
raid said:
I used the XLW almost exclusively for scenic shots in the West of the USA. I glued on the camera body two level bubbles so that photos were well alligned. The nagtives are so large and the view is so wide that cropping any vignetting becomes easy to do. The resulting transparnecies that I got were amazingly sharp.

Raid
Click to expand...

Cropping wide breaks my heart!
I do need to pick up a couple of level bubles though.
 
They are pretty....
I found an old metal "wide angle" hood today. 62mm thread size.
I've currently got a 40.5-55mm adapter with a filter at 55mm (no vignetting). Add to that a 55-62mm adapter and the new hood.
I'll shoot some polaroids and see if it is in the way.

You should hear the comments I get when I pull that camera out.
 
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