C41
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Graflex Speed Graphic1912
- Format
- 4x5
- Mount
- graflex-lensboard
- Years
- 1912–1973
- Weight
- 2700 g
- Shutter
- 1/8s – 1/1000s
The Graflex Speed Graphic is a 4×5 press camera with a **focal-plane shutter in the body** (the "Speed" in Speed Graphic) plus a leaf shutter in each lens. Folding wood body with leather covering, aluminum hardware. The lens system is interchangeable via Graflex lensboards. Coupled rangefinder for hand-held focus, plus ground-glass focusing for tripod work, plus an optical sports finder on top. Multiple finder options, multiple shutter mechanisms — designed for whatever shooting condition a press photographer encountered.
Reference
Find film for your Graflex Speed Graphic
Recommended film stocks for the 4x5 format your camera takes.
ISO 160
BW
Kodak T-Max 100
Kodak T-Max 100 (TMX) is a professional ISO 100 black-and-white T-grain negative film celebrated for its extremely fine grain, high sharpness, and wide tonal range — one of the finest-grained B&W films available in 135 and 120.
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Ilford HP5 Plus
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
Develop 4x5 film
Labs in our directory that process 4x5 film.
Before you buy used
- **Focal-plane cloth shutter** — pinholes from sun storage; the in-body cloth shutter is often more degraded than the lens leaf shutter.
- **Bellows light leaks** — verify; replacement bellows available.
- **Rangefinder calibration** — must match the lens cammed for it.
- **Lensboard** — verify included or buy separately.
- **Film holders** — 4×5 sheet-film holders are still available; verify they fit the back.
- **Leather covering** — peeled on most surviving bodies; cosmetic.
- Service: independent LF shops; the Speed Graphic mechanism is well-documented.
About this camera
The American press camera. The 4×5 body that every newsroom photographer carried from the 1930s through the 1960s. Weegee's camera.
Key Specs
Frequently asked questions
- What film does the Graflex Speed Graphic use?
- The Graflex Speed Graphic shoots 4x5 film.
- What lens mount does the Graflex Speed Graphic have?
- The Graflex Speed Graphic uses the graflex-lensboard mount.
- What shutter speeds does the Graflex Speed Graphic offer?
- The Graflex Speed Graphic's shutter speeds range from 1/8s to 1/1000s.
