The Graflex Century Graphic 23 - And A Channel Update

[@Cwbierwirth12]

Don't worry about the pause on the channel. We all have lives, photography is just a part of it, never all of it. And for what it's worth the Empty Space boat shot is fantastic. As you were setting it up I wasn't sure I'd like the barbed wire, but you framed it beautifully and the shot turned out quite nicely!

[@reusedisland1904]

Hey Tim, that was extraordinarily generous of you to gift the Graflex.

[@renepirolt]

Good to see you back Chris. Always enjoy your videos and definitely look forward to them. And good for you on going back to school to finish your degree. Never stop learning!

[@randallstewart1224]

My first medium format camera in the late 1970s was a 2x3 Speed Graphic from the post-War 1940s. Basically, the same camera as this Century Graphic, except mine added the focal plane shutter of a Speed Graphic and lacked the Graflok back interchange system. Instead, mine used a spring back, over which we eventually parted company. I never had a serious use for the focal plane shutter. With the regular spring back, I could use sheet film holders. I also had an adapter allowing me to mount Graphlex roll film backs like he has here, but that required me to remove the ground glass back and semi-permanently mount the roll back. Since I only had the standard lens (101mm Kodak Ektar in Kodak shutter), I used the roll back and rangefinder. I turn, that meant no swings or tilts. After a year, I replace it with a Galvin 6x9 monorail view camera on which I mounted the adapted lenses from a Graphlex Xl system, which worked very well. (The Xl was a misadventure of the worst sort, but repurposing its excellent lenses saved my investment.) I think the relative simplicity of the Century Graphic makes it a better choice over the Speed Graphic. If you do no need to RF couple multiple lenses, it's as solid as any field camera of its day.

[@jw0001]

Glad to see you back. Education is very important. Take care.

[@danielkophoto]

Thanks Tim! Good to see you back Chris

[@RandyPollock]

After the AF, I went back to school in my 30s and got my CS and minored in math...never regretted it. Worked in the tech field ever since then. Keep at it Chris doing both is a chore, but if I did it you can too. Wonderful gift in that baby as well

[@2252269]

Hi Chris, we are loyal, do not worry. Congrats!

[@eltinjones4542]

A nice piece of kit and shots. Good luck with the studies

[@philipdahl9001]

Congratulations on returning to school! I have a Horseman 980 which that I have grown to enjoy. It goes along with me most of the time. I even use the rangefinder occasionally if I'm looking for a quicker shot and not doing any camera movements.

[@tonysantophotography]

Cool camera Chris! Glad to see another video from you! Looking forward to Zion!

[@sdkgodeacs]

Congrats on finishing your degree - great video

[@vladyurkov]

Nice to see a vid from you again. Looking forward to the next one.

[@Schlitzi]

Good to see you back on here!

[@andrewfindlayphoto]

Welcome back. Thanks Tim for the the generous donation. It looks like a bubble problem with the film development. Try vigorous inversion agitation for the first 15 - 30 seconds or pre-wash. This should not affect the development time (pre-wash might 🤔). Good to see some photos of your home turf. Go red filter 🤣. I also liked to use a dark yellow one which doesn't darken greens 🥦. No pressure on the videos, it's nice to see Square Space free contentand a man struggling with old film cameras. Been there 🤯. Keep Calm (Mildly Agitated) and Carry On.

[@MarcoMinutoli]

I feel you. I did my PhD (computer science as well) while in a full time job. Best of luck with your journey!

[@BaranCuruklu]

Excellent news. That camera is sweet!

[@brianbeattyphotography]

congrats on powering through the degree! I did the same a while back doing a FT job and school on weekends, and it was ROUGH. But, it's paid off immeasurably and definitely worth it in the end. Will be upping my monthly amount to help how I can.

[@StephenWhitakerImages]

What luck! I’ve been binging your videos the last few days and wondering if and when there would be more, and enter instant gratification. Very welcome update. Fellow hybrid LF/MF/Digital shooter here (and former Utahn, too). Funny enough I also recently bought a graflex back (in my case a 6x6 version I use to shoot square on my RB67). This kinda makes me want to look into the baby grafs..

[@jamesmoore9511]

Per the roll back, four thin washers (#4 size) will cure the problem of back not fitting, it will space the bars out a bit. The roll backs with a tiny tube roller at each end of the film gate holds the film flatter (the lever advance models all have it). Got any questions fire me off an email, I've been the field for 60+ years.

[@fstopPhotography]

Glad you're back.

[@carbonejack]

Good news.

[@fairwayfrank]

Glad to hear you've got a bit of a school break. And that you finally got out with the 23 with pretty good results, leaks and spots and all. Mine is a Speed Graphic with a 101mm Kodak Ektar lens. I have a 6x7 back for it. It's fun for sure. I recently picked up a 6x9 back for my 4x5 Crown Graphic. A little bigger and heavier, but easier to work with given its size. Hope to see you in a few months down in the wash. We'll bring the cookies.

[@haimtoeg]

Good luck with your studies, really missed your videos.

[@patrickguilfoyle8884]

WOW!! Full time college & full time work. That is a lot to handle. Take your time & do your best, we can wait a bit for videos. Good luck Chris!

[@bryanquick2709]

Glad to see you again, don't worry we'll be here for you Chris.

[@williamhamblen3808]

That f/4.5 103mm Trioptar lens takes a 1-1/4" (31.5mm) Series VI adapter ring that just pushes onto the lens. They take Series V drop-in filters, which went out of production in the '60s. You can use modern filters with a 44mm to 52mm (or whatever your filter is) step up ring that will screw into the Series VI adapter ring.

[@ScottGamble1]

Welcome back, Chris. Love the photos from the SLC area. We lived in north Davis county years ago and I recognized where you were for the Antelope island shot, except when we lived there the water level came all the way back to where you were.

[@Wpoolesf]

Welcome back, Chris. I owned and shot a Century in the last century, when the camera was still in production (1970s). I'm not sure about your edge-development issue, but I have the same problem occasionally and will be interested to see if other viewers have any ideas. Congrats of going back to school.

[@bernardkealey6449]

Yay great to see u back. I normally hate “first impressions” but not from you, all welcome 😉

[@jaydigshistory36]

Good to see you back on the You Tubes! Best of luck with the College endeavor!

[@herbiemac100]

I recently got a 4/5 Speed Graphic. No light leaks and waiting for a chance to use it. Yep I have the red filter. If you go to the Graphic web sight they have a set of filters that I believe fit your camera. Ansco series VI filter set with Kodak adapter ring. I bought mine on EBay.

[@jaytayag810]

Glad to see you back, Chris! Comp Sci is a tough major especially with juggling a full time job. Keep at it though it's always good to get smarter. 😛

[@Tokrm]

Hey there Chris, long time watcher! I always used to get those development marks on my film too. They are bubbles that stay on the film, causing uneven development. You’ll notice that always tend to be in the same place, namely the side that is at the top end of your development tank - your most likely need a tad bit more chemistry to fully submerge the roll and once you’re done agitating give the tank some good hard knocks on the surface. Typically for 1 roll of 120 I do 600ml in a Patterson tank and 1 litre for two rolls. Hope that helps and glad to see you back!

[@frutt5k]

A paterson tank must be 'slammed' to the desk 3 or 4 times for these bubblettes to disappear. Hold the filled tank level at 5 inches above a hard surface. Then put it down on the sink with some force: You shoud hear an audible 'clack'. Agitation: hold the tank level. Flip it upside down and raise the inverted tank up to eye level in a smooth gesture, and flip it back. And 'slam' it back on the table.

[@barteklipski6270]

Love the shot with the light leak

[@davidedmond8933]

missed you man

[@berthaduniverse]

Chris, been wondering. Even started watching/rewatching your early stuff... You know, the no grey beard stuff 😂😂😂

[@ChrisDarnell]

Haha I swear just yesterday the beard wasn’t that grey…

[@paulhimle]

Great job Chris! I knew where you were so it’s all good 😂

[@Olyvia..]

welcome back, you were missed! i think the development may actually be from overagitation causing bubbles to form?

[@frutt5k]

The blobs on the edge of the image are most likely light leakages. Perhaps the felt cushion where the metal slider plate engages. Lack of agitation produces grayscale slurrs. Hard to explain in words. Another option is leftover of fixing agent (thiosulfate) in the paterson spools. Traces of fixer cause a local acceleration of the developer. Could be.

[@ruudmaas2480]

Nice pics. It could be airbubbles. Nok the tank or twist the rod when you put the tank down. It can also be your fingers touched the film when mounting on the real.

[@chriscard6544]

awesome video

[@twit_t9668]

Off the top of my head, the uneven development could be from loading the film into the reel. Maybe the ball bearings were catching onto the top edge of the film every time you advanced it forward. It could have been the same with the camera back, sometimes there can be uneven tension when loading/advancing the film, especially with untested backs so it doesn't expose flat. I don't imagine you would be getting bubbles this far into your B&W journey

[@tim31415]

Dude! You've gone gray! What happened to that happy-go-lucky kid we all knew and loved? ;-) The marks on the film edges look like turbulence marks on 35 mm film around the sprocket holes. As they appear to be overdeveloped areas, it would seem that the flow of developer is locally increased. One of the many beauties of this camera is that you now have a century's worth of lenses to choose from. Any lens from a 6x9 or larger camera will work (with larger ones allowing more movement). There are a lot of old folders with perfectly good lenses that are available cheap. And with those lenses you can get genuine Kodak Series filters and learn the wonders of that system. Then you won't have to hold the filter over the lens. Did you get that neon orange release cable so you wouldn't forget to pack it? If you paint the film advance knob neon orange, you might have fewer double exposures. Take care, good luck.

[@georgechang6162]

It is the typical Paterson tank problem. I had it and switched to jobo rotary tank, problem solved. Try it.

[@jamesmoore9511]

You couldn't make the Horseman back fit? I use one on my 23 Century and my 23 Crown. I also use a 70mm Mamiya back. Love the camera use from 47mm to 150mm lenses. If you get a chance to purchase a 101mm Ektar do it. My last quarter of college I took 18 quarters hours so I can guess how hard life was then. Quick thought get a flexible magnifier (Amazon) and cut out the central chunk to match your ground glass WOW your image will be 2 or 3 times as bright. When you get an afternoon check and adjust the rangefinder too . Ps I put a laser pointer in the top opening so I can focus in the semi dark.

[@WRPugsley]

By "Baby" Graflex do you mean one that shoots 3.25X4.25? I've got one and cutting down 4X5 film is a pain and so when I was gifted a "23" Graphic 120 back, it was a game changer, though not being able to use the ground glass to focus impedes sharp shots (I should get the rangefinder fixed but ...). Love to see others using same or similar classic cameras! *subscribed*