Graflex.org

[wood_raymond79]

What backs are compatible with the Crown view camera, neg and polaroid?

Anyone know where I can aquire some?

[t.r.sanford]

For Polaroid film, one of the "545" series of holders probably is your best choice. The earlier "500" is similar, but has a bad reputation for failing to catch the metal flange on the end of the film in a Type 5x packet.

I have an original "545", and it has worked well for almost 30 years. The discussions on these pages have mentioned a newer model, with a built-in process timer. The holder is very shallow, and will slide under a spring back without difficulty.

At present, the widest variety of emulsion types probably is available in the 4x5 packets that work with the "545" holders.

The two filmpack holders, for readily-available 3¼x4¼ and harder-to-find 4x5 packs, are thicker. They may or may not slide under the focusing panel; it depends on the length and flexibility of the springs. I've not seen the "Graphic" back supplied with the "Crown," and can't speculate.

All these backs turn up on "eBay," and often are found in listings by large-format dealers.

For rollfilm, you'll need the kind that holds both spools at the right end, beyond the focusing panel, and leads the film out to the left and back to the right. Calumet made one, and you'll find much discussion here of backs that used 620 rollfilm and were very popular in the 1950s.

Four decades ago, there were a couple of methods used to attach the Graflex rollfilm holders to a "Graphic" back. All involved removing the two screws through the spring that hold the focusing panel onto the back, and replacing the panel with some disposition that secures the holder in place. I was under the impression that Graflex made one of these dispositions, but I've not seen any discussion here of such a thing.

Anything that requires removing and replacing screws when you want to use the focusing panel is, of course, a nuisance in the field.

[wood_raymond79]

Sorry I neglected to mention that this camera is a Crown View camera.

[wood_raymond79]

I guess I didn't forget to mention that


Thanks for the reply.

[RichS]

The problem is the "v". You have a "Crown View". When the v is not capitalized, people take it for granted you're talking about a "Crown" and you are considering it a view camera...

That said, just about everything T.R. said still holds true. As long as you have a spring (Graphic) back. The CV was also offered with the Graflex back. This resembles a Graflok back except only the top bar slides. The bottom bar is fixed, and the dimensions are different.

So, if you have a spring back (nothing removes), then you should be able to use any 'standard' film holder. Grafmatics may be too thick. They fit some spring backs but not all. Regular double-sided film holders should be fine. Roll film holders like the Calumet C2(n) or the Adapt-a-rol (620 film spools!)will work. The Polaroid 545(I, Pro) will work fine. There are others around that also fit.

Nice camera by the way!


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"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"
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[wood_raymond79]

Thanks for the replies. I am just stepping over from digital-SLR so I am very new here. Just figured out that there is a metal Graflok back on this thing. So now what am I looking at?

[t.r.sanford]

I'll be interested in the reply to that one!

I've not seen a "Crown" view, but if it uses the same reversible back as the later "Graphic View" cameras, the "Graflok" back from a "Graphic View II" might fit back onto the "Crown." This would be a very useful thing to know.

With a "Graflok" back, you can use any kind of "Polaroid" holder for which you can still find film, and any of the rollfilm holders not specifically made for the "Graflex" back (the "Graflex" variety is much less common).