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Topic: Any info on a Kalart camera?

Adam Wilbert
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 590
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 04-27-2006 04:50 PM

I recently came into posession of my grandfathers old Kalart 3.25x4.25 camera and am trying to find out information on it. Can anyone direct me to a pdf manual for this camera or suggest a good source for large format information? Do any of you shoot large format stills? Its something i've been interested in for a while so am excited to take this camera out and see if it still works! Any and all info would be appriciated.

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Stephen Furley
Film God

Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002

posted 04-27-2006 05:37 PM

Adam,

That's a nice looking camera. Try looking at this site. It's mainly about the various cameras made by Graflex, but there's a lot of information there that's applicable to other cameras too.

Is it for roll or sheet film, and if sheet, what type of back does it have; can you post a picture of the back. This format can be a problem; large format roll film hasn't been made for many years; neither have film packs, but sheet film is still available, but only in a very limited range, and difficult to find. 5x4 sheet film is readily available, and it's not difficult to cut this down to the smaller size in a darkroom.

There may well be pinholes in the corners of the bellows; if they're small they can probably be filled in with a drop of rubber solution with some black pigment in it. If the bellows are beyond repair, and yours don't look like they are from what I can see in the picture, new bellows can be made for almost any camera by Camera Bellows in England. The quaality of their work is very good, and they're not that expensive.

If the camera has been out of use for some time the shutter may will be sticking, or the speeds irregular. And decent camera shop should be able to clean and lubricate the shutter, or send it for this work to be done.

I see your lens has a shutter with the old bi-pin flash sync connection; if you want to use this, and you don't have a cable for it, or the one you have is perished, they are available from Paramount Cords, in the Bronx.

Hope this helps.

Large format is fun, but a very different art to 35mm or digital phoography; take your time.

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 05-01-2006 12:29 PM

Thanks for the link, Stephen.

My dad has a Speed Graphic. Seeing the history of the camera was interesting.

Jack

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 05-01-2006 01:01 PM

When I was photography editor of my high school yearbook, my workhorse camera for candids was a Graflex Graphic-35 rangefinder camera and Kodak Tri-X film:

For formal group shots, we still used a Speed Graphic and sheet film.

Kodak still sells lots of sheet film:

Kodak Sheet Film

quote:
When you want a convenient,simple way to shoot your 4 x 5 images, the KODAK PROFESSIONAL READYLOAD Single-Sheet Packet offers the ideal solution. Choose from your favorite Kodak 4 x 5-sheet films—but without the bother of standard sheet-film holders,darkrooms,or loading bags.

The READYLOAD Single-Sheet Packet offers quick and easy daylight handling and loading while keeping dirt and dust away from the film—providing superb system performance. The sealed packets are designed to be used with the KODAK PROFESSIONAL READYLOAD Single-Sheet Packet Film Holder. The packets clearly identify the type of film inside, and handy "Exposed" stickers prevent mistakes and double exposures.

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Stephen Furley
Film God

Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-01-2006 02:47 PM

quote: Jack Ondracek
My dad has a Speed Graphic. Seeing the history of the camera was interesting.

I haven't used mine for about three years now; I just haven't had the time, maybe this year I'll get it out again.

I agree that the 'Readyload' packet system is good, the range of emulsions available is not as wide as with conventional sheet film, and the cost is somewhat higher, but it almost totally avoids the dust problem.

My Speed Graphic is fitted with a Kalart rangefinder, one of three types which were used, it is fitted with a 'Focus Spot', a small lamphouse powered from the flashgun battery case, which sort of works the rangefinder in reverse when there is not enough light to use it normally. It projects two spots of light onto the subject; when they merge into one the subject is in focus.

One of the great things about 5x4 cameras is that you can put almost anything you like on both the front and the back of them. Any lens can be mounted, needing just a lens board with the right size hole bored in it, and if you have the Graflok back, as my 1949 Pacemaker does, you can attach almost any type of film holder to it. The Graphic back is slightly more limited.

I made a point of buying on Ebay when I found it every type of holder that I could find. this includes:

5x4 plates.

5x4 sheet film.

5x4 film packs (film no longer available, but I have a pack for display).

Roll film (in two different sizes and types).

Grafmatic (a reloadable magazine which holds six sheets of film, and quickly shuffles them into position).

Kodak Readload, as mentioned by John.

Fuji Quickload, basically similar to Readyload.

Polaroid 545 packet holder, similar to Readyload, but contains rollers for processing.

Polaroid pack film holders in two sizes.

Polaroid roll film holder (film no longer available, but I have a roll for display).

Fuji Quickchange, a sort of cross between a film pack holder and a Grafmatic.

If I had the money, I could even buy a modern digital back; it would fit, and it would work. How's that for versatility!

Graflex started out as Folmer & Schwing, later became Folmer Graflex, and I believe were owned by Kodak at one time. They ended up as Singer Graflex, (I believe this was Singer as in sewing machines) and made some 16mm projectors in the '70s, I didn't like them much, but they did have a shutter which could be converted between two and three blades.

Edit.

I forgot one; 9x12 (cm) film holders also fit it.

[ 05-01-2006, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Stephen Furley ]

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Hugh McCullough
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 147
From: Old Coulsdon, Surrey, UK
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 05-01-2006 05:28 PM

Hi Adam.
Try this site http://www.photobooksonline.com/books/userbk46.html
They might have the manual that you require.

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