Re: [Leica] f/8 and be there

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

John,
having used a Graflex at a couple of times in my checkered past, it depends
on what you use!
Graflexes with the sheet film holders can be a bitch, in that you have to
replace the darkslide, pull it, turn it over for the next shot, and if you
want more- you need to put it into the pocket of your jacket- most sports
coats have a pocket that is just right for holding a 4x5 film holder!
IF you were smart, you got a sheet film holder, and just pulled a paper tab
to flip the next sheet up- but I think they quite making those back when
Lyndon Johnson was pulling on his hound dog's ears!
The Roll fillm backs were nice- you could get 8 or ten shots on a 120 roll,
depending on the back, and it had a lever wind, later, then was an
improvement on the knob wind.
They were heavy, and the Baby Graphic that was made for 2x3 was actually
faster, but the 4x5 could shoot either sheet film or roll film and was a
solid as a '52 Buick, and nearly as heavy- if you could hold it at all, it
was steady from sheer inertia!
You could use it for sports!, portraits, weddings and waging war- I am sorry
in a way that they went the way of the dinosuars. With the resurgent
interest in larger formats, they are getting expensive when you find them,
and they would be a great complement to a Leica kit!
Dan ( Old Farts never die.... they just smell that way!) Post
- ----- Original Message -----
From: John Coan <jcoan@alumni.duke.edu>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] f/8 and be there


> So, Perry, I have a question.
>
> How long does it take to load another sheet of film in a Speed
> Graphic?  (How "speedy" is it?)
>
> I always admired the old news photographers with those cool cameras.
Seems
> like you either got the shot the first time, or it was gone.  Of course,
> back then celebrities actually liked to get their picture taken "Just one
> quick shot, Miss Harlow."  and they would stop and pose with a big smile.
>
> And didn't they all wear fedoras with a card saying "Press" in the hat
band?
>
> It's enjoyable seeing the evolution of press cameras in newsreel
> footage.  Seems from my casual observation that during the late 50's the
> Speed Graphics were being replaced with TLR's (mostly Rolleis) in the
> US.  Whereas, in old WWII footage from Germany those guys used
Rolleiflexes
> back then.
>
> At 11:49 AM 06/15/2000 -0700, you wrote:
> >"Sal DiMarco,Jr." wrote:
> > >
> > > Lug Nuts,
> > >         It is said in the very early days of news photography (1920s &
> > 30s),
> > > all one needed to know was "ten feet, f/8 and be there."
> > >         It's the simplest guide to photography. Remember back then,
they
> > > shot was a 4x5 Speed Graphic and flash bulbs.
> > > Happy Snaps,
> > > Sal DiMarco, Jr.
> >
> >Ten feet put's em in the back row with the Graphlexes, Sal!
> >Mark (Perry White) Rabiner
> >
> >When the Speeds came out (leather covered mahogany boxes that float) the
> >word was:
> >smash to the left, smash to the right, then fire (you wanted to get a
> >clear shot)!!!?
>