Sure, but the rangefinder has to be matched to the lens focal length or it
won't correctly find the range. The Graflexes with film plane shutter can
use lenses without a shutter. Don't forget your darkslide!

-j

If you are going for a view camera I'd suggest going 4x5 rather than 6x9.
You can always crop the 4x5 or buy a 6x9 roll film back. There is
surprisingly little difference in the size and weight of 6x9 compared to 4x5
and I've always thought that if you're going to to to the trouble of
carrying and using a view camera you might as well at least have the
potential to get the biggest possible negative from it. You'll almost
certainly see an improvement in the scans from your flat bed with either 6x9
or 4x5 but more so with 4x5.

I've never used any of the various Graflex cameras so I can't comment on
them. I know they have limited movements and the lenses that came with them
probably aren't quite the equal of today's lenses but many people use and
like them. They can be a relatively inexpensive introduction to large format
photography (I realize that 6x9 is medium format but the camera is a scaled
down large format camera).

You can probably find additional information about this particular camera by
checking the archives at www.largeformatphotography.info.

Owning a dozen assorted Graflex and Graphic cameras, I can safely say
that they are fun, still cheap to own and operate and easy to fix - more
like a gun or power tool - big robust parts, easy access, etc.
Empty out the Graflex org website or do searches on the web.  If your
question is Graflex related, someone has already done it. And two dozen
people have commented on it. Fast, cheap, reliable fun.

Regards,

Marv

Hi Ralf,

I use a (slightly modified) Century Graphic a lot.  I use it as a more
portable version of a view camera, since I also have a 6x9 (and a 4x5)
Arca-Swiss.  The Century is much easier to travel with, but the extension
and the movements are - not surprisingly - much less than with a monorail.
Because I use it this way, I'm always focusing on the ground glass, so don't
bother with setting up a rangefinder on it.  It takes any 'baby Graflok'
fitting back, so you aren't limited to Graflex ones: you can use Arca,
Horseman, Wista, etc., and also the Mamiya RB backs.

Yes, you can use 'ordinary' LF optics.  However, the Century lensboard is
very small, so some lenses with large shutters won't fit.  Most of the ones
you'll be likely to want to use on it for 6x7 or 6x9 are in a Copal 0 anyway
though, so no problem.

Also, a few lenses with really big rear elements won't fit through the
lensboard opening - for some you can get round this by removing the rear
cell, fitting the lensboard, and then screwing the rear cell back on from
behind, through the back opening.  This isn't exactly convenient, but it's
the price of portability: I have a Schneider SA 38mm XL which can only be
fitted to the Century this way, but once it is fitted it works very well.

The extension is about 26cm (from memory), but that's enough for quite a lot
of lenses, and there are always tele designs if you want longer: I have
180mm and 240mm tele-xenars that both work well.

The pop-up 'shade' around the GG won't be much help with focusing in bright
light, so you'll want a dark cloth - I attached Velcro to the body which
then holds a lightweight darkcloth.  Or you can use a reflex viewer - I have
a Horseman one the I use mostly with the Arca, but it also works well on the
Century.

Notable niggles:

No rotating back so for portrait format you have to turn it on its side.
This wouldn't matter except that there is a lot less cross front than there
is rise, so for portrait format shots you get very little front rise.

No front swing, so you have no front tilt when doing verticals.

No movements at all on the back - the price of light weight portability, as
far as I'm concerned.

The back opening isn't really a full 6x9 - but then most RFBs aren't anyway.
Graflex "6x9" backs are about 56mm x 82mm, which is fine with me.

Using it with a Polaroid back is a little inconvenient: the Polaroid back
cannot physically put the film plane in teh same place as it is with a
normal back, so you have either to focus with the normal GG and then shift
the lens back a set amount, or else focus on a special GG that matches the
Polaroid back (remembering to re-focus agaion when you take the shot on
'real' film.)  I can live with this.

If you get Graflex RFBs, make sure you get the ones with the needle-rollers
either side of the film gate, as these keep the film flatter (actually,
they're very good).  (Almost?) All the lever wind backs have these rollers,
most of the knob wind ones don't.  (But the knob wind 6x9 has a slightly
longer gate, I'm told.)

The Century Graphics all have a baby Graflok fitting back moulded in.  Other
6x9 sized Graphics and Speed Graphics don't necessarily: avoid the Graflex
back and plain spring back ones, as they won't take a 'normal' RFB.  Note
that RFBs made for the 'international' back on a 4x5 camera don't fit this
(or any 6x9 camera) - this is the full sized Graflok back, and the 6x9s all
use the baby Graflok.

Lenses I use on my Century are the aforementioned 38, 180, and 240mm ones,
plus 47, 65, 80, 100, and 150.  This is a more comprehensive kit than one
really needs, but what can I say?   ;-)

I like my Century, and I use it a lot.  In fact, it is often my main MF kit
when flying, since it is much lighter and takes up less space than my 6x6
SLR.  (I've just bought a 6x9 rangefinder, so that may change, but I think
probably not, since the Century will still be a better landscape camera,
even if I want the rangefinder in town.)

Any specifics that I can  _try_  to answer, just post.

Peter

I had one and wasn't that impressed. First there are film flatness issues
with the graphlex 6X9 backs and they are a hassle to use. You must remove
the gound glass from the camera to install the film back, then reinstall
the ground glass. Plus the camera must have a "grafloc back" to use them.
The "slip in" roll film holders are better quality and easy to use but are
expencive. Then you have all the -problems- that using a view camera has,
the dark slide, closing the lens, stopping down the lens manually and then
firing the shutter. For all this, you're better off just shooting 4X5.

If you're looking for a cheap versatile 6x9 camera a Century is great.
Downside is you will need to use a tripod most of the time, the camera is not
as easy to use as modern ones, and is a little larger and heavier when you toss
in backs and lenses. If you want the view camera experience with lot's of
movements better to get a 4x5 if your processing equipment can handle it.  The
bigger the ground glass the easier to see things.  I use my Century mostly as a
straight 6x9 camera with no movements. Hard to find anything to match it for
this function considering weight, close focus ability, use of all kinds of
lenses from modern to weird old ones, and cost.

I would not look for a big quality setup from your modern 645 no matter what
lens you use.  (Well maybe with the newer Schneider 80mm.)  If you want that
better go 4x5.  Just my experience looking at what I get from a Fuji 645Zi
compared to the Century with 100 Apo-Sironar.
Chuck

Ah, get a Printex... unless you want to do camera movements.

get a gowland flex, its a 4x5 twin lens, seriously.

Looking at your galleries, you might want to give some serious thought
to a 4x5 Crown, Speed, or Super Graphic.