Forward Tilt on a Speed Graphic - Drop Bed and Reverse the Front Standard 

Thank you so much.

Many thanks for the video, really useful! I am brand new to large format and the proud owner of a new-to-me speed graphic

If you loosen the the looped handle that locks the front standard in place on the rails, and press the little tongue that sticks out from the bottom in front of it, you have front shift.

For good or ill, my Speed Graphic is the model before your Pacemaker: an Anniversary. The Anniversary has front rise and drop bed, but no tilt in either direction on the front standard. The base of the front standard has slots that look as if there should be some shift either direction, but I think I'd have to pull the standard off the front of the rail to loosen whatever locks that -- and that requires completely removing the Anniversary style infinity stops (vs. folding down the Pacemaker style, which won't fit Anniversary rails). I also had to do an aftermarket conversion to put a Graflok back on my Annie; if you're shopping for a Speed, and want to do anything with it other than use standard film holders or slip-in roll film adapters, best to get a Pacemaker (easily identified by the built in cable release trigger on the user's right side of the body). All of those made after 1952 had a Graflok back, all of them accept the fold-down infinity stops. With the fold-down stops, you can use the rangefinder with a LomGraflok back and not need to carry the focusing insert in the field: just use it once to set a second set of stops the right distance behind the standard position for the lens for which you've calibrated your rangefinder. Focus with the rangefinder as usual, frame in the upper left of the viewfinder (because the LomoGraflok's film surface is offset down and right -- you could use the ground glass and insert to calibrate a mask to slip into the tube viewfinder, if you like), meter and expose as you usually would for the Instax film, and you've got an easy-to-use, quick operating instant camera with far better image quality than anything Fuji sells.

Great!

I have an MPP Micropress 4x5 camera made in the UK in the early 1950s. Exactly the same movements as the Speed Graphic. The front drop on the bed also enables the use of 90mm wide lenses without any cut off. My MPP is fitted with a 135mm Schneider Xenar 4.7 lens. The rear shutter needs repairing so I just use the front shutter which works accurately at all speeds from 1 second to a 300th. It is synchronised for flash too.

What is the difference in range of motion between dropping the bed and reversing the front standard. Do you get more drop with the reversing? Thanks for the great video.

My speed graphic has these different bolts that won’t let me take the nuts off to do any of this :( kind of a major bummer

That's cool! Never seen that done before, but in my defense I've only been using Graphics since the mid sixties. I'm wondering what focal length you've found will work without cut-off from the bed? I'm thinking maybe nothing shorter than 250? Does the lateral shift still work with this set-up? It's a slight effect but it can still be handy for those final adjustments. Anyway, I'm afraid I'm not going to try your hack 'cause it's easier to pull out my monorail and get right to work. BTW, also kudos to you for the apparent care you take handling the bellows - some of them won't take much flexing in their old age anymore - kinda like me. Cheers!

I tried this reversal of the front section on a crown graphic 2x3 and the camera would not be able to close properly… bummer! Did you notice this problem in the 4x5?

reversing the front standard is a total waste of time. just turn the camera upside down.