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Randy | profile | all galleries >> cameras >> Graflex RB Series D 4X5 modifications tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Graflex RB Series D 4X5 modifications

Some mods I made to my camera to make it a little more usable (Click on each picture to enlarge):

I mounted guitar strap lugs on both sides and attached a guitar strap. It has clips for easy removal. I tried a few shots before deciding to mount a strap - didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that I was eventually going to drop the camera on my foot as I was advancing to the next sheet of film in the magazine.

I had trouble viewing the image on the ground glass due to my tired old eyes. I have to wear reading glasses for focusing but could not get them inside the top of the viewing hood, and had trouble with extraneous light hitting my face and bouncing off the ground-glass, making it difficult to see the image for focusing and composing - my solution was to screw some 52mm close-up lenses, (like you would mount to the front of a 35mm camera lens for doing close-up work) to a 52mm rubber lens-hood (which ever combination allows you to focus on the ground-glass without wearing your reading glasses - for me it was the #1 & #2 filter). I then epoxied the lens-hood to a piece of black plastic that I had cut the appropriate size hole in. I then mounted 4-1 1/2" wooden dowels to the corners on the underside of the plastic, they are guides that keep the eye-piece in place, and cut a piece of black T-shirt, cut a hole in the center, slid it over the eye-piece to prevent any light from leaking between the hood and eye-piece.
And besides...I have never, in my 40+ years of taking pictures, used both eyes for focusing/composing. Just easier for me to use my left eye only.

I removed the side flaps that mount to the camera lens cover. I didn't want to, as they were in good condition, but I have a Walloston Meniscus lens that uses waterhouse stops, and the side flaps would have prevented me from being able to use the stops unless I mounted the lens with the slot on the bottom, but I didn't want to risk the stops falling out.
g9/99/50999/3/152947258.GeB79DYz.jpg guitar strap mounting
guitar strap mounting
With viewing eye-piece
With viewing eye-piece
g9/99/50999/3/152947262.Eg1Bi4Fk.jpg
top side of eye piece
top side of eye piece
underside of eye piece
underside of eye piece
side shades removed, string attached to keep door from flipping all the way up
side shades removed, string attached to keep door from flipping all the way up
g9/99/50999/3/152947267.n8cKB3aR.jpg
Walloston Miniscus w/waterhouse stop incerted
Walloston Miniscus w/waterhouse stop incerted
Some images made with the Graflex RB Series D
:: Some images made with the Graflex RB Series D ::