Press camera

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Graflex Crown Graphic press camera and exposure meter.
Graflex Crown Graphic press camera and exposure meter.

A press camera is a medium or large format camera suitable for use by press photographers.

Press cameras were widely used from the 1900s through the early 1960s and commonly had the following features:

  • collapsible into strong, compact boxes
  • easily interchangeable lenses
  • accept sheet film, film packs, and rollfilm, through the use of interchangeable film backs and holders, often conforming to the "Graflock" standard set by Graflex
  • bellows focusing
  • optical rangefinder focusing
  • ground glass focusing
  • handheld operation
  • flash-synchronized central shutter (many older cameras had focal-plane shutters)
  • some have both a focal-plane and a central shutter, allowing fast shutter speeds and the use of barrel lenses with the focal plane shutter and flash synchronization at any speed with the central shutter.
  • reduced number or absence of movements, in contrast to field cameras

Press cameras most commonly employ the 4×5 inch film format. Models have also been produced for the 2×3 inch format, and various 120 film formats from 6×6 cm. through 6×12 cm.

Many press cameras could be fitted with rangefinders for handheld use
Many press cameras could be fitted with rangefinders for handheld use

The press camera is still in wide use in photoreportage and among fine art photographers who use it as a low cost more compact alternative to a view camera. Advances in film technology, notably finer film grain, have obviated the need for large-format cameras for most press assignments, however. In news photography, the press camera has been largely supplanted by the smaller formats of 120 film and 135 film, and more recently by digital cameras.

[edit] List of press cameras

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  • Linhof
    • Super Technika
    • Technika Press, model of both Graflex XL and Mamiya Press
    • Press 70
  • Graflex
    • Speed Graphic, the classic American press camera
    • Crown Graphic
    • Super Graphic
  • Omega
    • Koni Omega
    • Rapid Omega
  • Mamiya
    • Mamiya Press
    • Mamiya Universal
  • Plaubel Makina
  • Burke & James Press
  • Busch Pressman
  • Meridan

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

  • Field camera
  • Weegee - Reporter-turned-artist. One of the most well-known users of press cameras.
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