Question about Speed Graphics and aero lenses

[dimento]

Hi guys, I'm thinking of getting a Speed Graphic and using with an aero lens, or similar.

Can anyone tell me which specific models of Speed Graphic will work, I think the ones that David Burnett uses have graflok rather than spring backs (he uses a cambo reflex finder which I believe needs a graflok back) and believe that the side mounted rangefinders are easier to service?

many thanks

[IanG]

There's only 3 models of 5x4 Speed Graphic and the major difference is the Pacemaker Speeds allow a slight amount of tilt and shift neither of which you'd use with an Aero lens, so you could use any model. However only the Pacemakers came with a Graflok back and then not all.

Ian

[dimento]

There's only 3 models of 5x4 Speed Graphic and the major difference is the Pacemaker Speeds allow a slight amount of tilt and shift neither of which you'd use with an Aero lens, so you could use any model. However only the Pacemakers came with a Graflok back and then not all.

Ian

Cheers Ian, helpful as always, I assume the pacemakers have tilt and shift?

[Wayne Aho]

This is a good resource, and where I purchased my adapter:

http://lommen9.home.xs4all.nl/aero/

Wayne

[EdSawyer]

All the speeds have some tilt and shift, which yes, in fact, some people do use with an AE. (Burnett is one of those.)

Graflok back recommended for most compatibility. A graflok back can be retrofitted if need be, to a camera with a graflex/spring back.

Kalart (side rangefinders) are adjustable, and can be made to work with the AE with no trouble, allowing spot-on rangefinder focusing. The top-rangefinder models would need a custom cam made for the AE, which would be challenging to find someone who could do that.

Graflex.org is a good resource or all things related to Graflex/speed graphics.

[Jim Jones]

An Anniversary model might be the easiest to adapt to the Aero Ektar. It has a slightly larger lens board than the later Pacemaker series, a lens board that is easier to fabricate. The Anniversary has no tilts, and may support a heavy lens like the Aero Ektar better than the later models. The tilts in the Pacemaker series are an inconvenient improvement. As I recall, a Graflok back from a Pacemaker series camera can easily be adapted to the Anniversary model.

[Jim C.]

There's only 3 models of 5x4 Speed Graphic and the major difference is the Pacemaker Speeds allow a slight amount of tilt and shift neither of which you'd use with an Aero lens, so you could use any model. However only the Pacemakers came with a Graflok back and then not all.

Ian

Weren't there four models ?
Pre-Anniversary
Anniversary
Pacemaker
Crown ( no FPS )

[Dan Fromm]

Jim, the Pacemaker Crown Graphic (that's its full name as used by Graflex, Inc.) isn't a Speed Graphic. It is a Graphic, though, but not a Speed Graphic. The focal plane shutter makes a Graphic a Speed Graphic, except, for the Super Speed Graphic whose standard issue lens was a 135/4.7 Optar in a leaf shutter whose top speed was 1/1000.

Graflex Inc's (and predecessors', too) naming conventions confuse everyone.

[IanG]

Dan's right in that I referred to the Speed Graphics specifically. The Anninversary Speed graphic is an interim model before the Pacemaker and has thye same body and focus track as the Pakemaker but a front standard that only has rise. There seem to be some slight variations of the front standard.

It's not generally realised that the actual track is similar on all the 5x4 Speed Graphics and a Super Graphic standard will fit the Pacemaker and earlier versions if modified, the heigh of the rails above the bed differes so you need to modify to get enough clearance.

The easiest rangefinder is the HUgo meyer as this can be adjsuted to suit any lens (within reason) but it's also less common.

Ian

[dimento]

thanks for all the responses, looks like a Pacemaker speed with graflok back so, here's a slightly different new question do the graflok back speeds have the same graflok back as the super, reason being I bought a cambo GG back and cambo viewer which fit the graflok back on the super and was wondering if this combo works on a graflok Speed