This is from the first test shoot with my most recent acquisition. It’s a Graflex RB Series D SLR circa 1940. They were used by the likes of Dorothea Lange and others during the 30s. It is a 4×5 camera (i.e. Large format) and they are the worlds first SLR’s. Quite awesome really. It also comes with 12 shot “Bag Mag”…effectively allowing me o shoot LF on the go. Three things to come out of the test are…damn that DOF is shallow, The shutter (which is made of cloth and prehistoric) is about one stop too fast, and there is a slight light leak on the locking side of the film back (but I can mend that) hence I have cropped these. The film (Adox in 4×5) seems to be sweating after development, I had the problem before and it seemed to go away…come to think of it the problem was last summer…maybe humidity.

Anyway, I am very pleased with this monster…another creative outlet methinks LOL!!…oh and my wife’s Grandad shot with one of these in WWII, so I am not even in the dog house ;-))


From the gallery "Landmarks"