I'm Back with new questions, Graflex

[tom thomas]

Hi, I had to close IE and reopen it to get the photo attachment to work. Here are top, rear and side photos. The sport rear range finder is visible laying flat atop the camera in the top view. The rear shows the flip open focus window with the glass behind it. Which back is this?

I do have the 23 Roll film adapter (120) which seems to mount fine if I remove the original back and secure the adapter back with black spring clips and screws. This will be my film option as I know how to work with 120 and my Canon Scanner has the masks for 120 film. Oops, I just realized the mask is for 2 1/4 square negative and this will be a 2X3 negative. Jury rig time or I'll be cropping my wide angle shots. Darn.

Oh, there is an interesting accessory with the camera. It came with a Staticmaster camel hair brush that contains a radioactive Polonium strip. It's a Model 1C200 that was made by Nuclear Products, Inc of El Monte, CA. Guaranteed till Oct 74B. This should help me figure out when this camera was in use anyway.

I vaguely remember seeing ads for this anti-static brush way back when. Hope it doesn't glow in the dark now.

There was also a like new Sekonic L-248 lightmeter with case and strap. Dead 625 battery though. Yuck, Mercury Cell. I'll have to order a replacement battery or use one of my modified ones from a Yashica 124G TLR to at least try it out.

Tom

[al olson]

Hi Guys, Dan and Jack,
...
Dan, It took me awhile but I finally found the serial number. Stamped or molded into the back edge of the side mounted Kalart range finder. Serial Number is A65496 for the body. The Kodak Ektar F4.5/101 lens serial number is EO 6528.
...
tom

Congratulations, Tom. I am wondering if you might be looking at the serial number for the Kalart? I have a pre-1940 Speed Graphic. My serial number is stamped into the inside of the top of the camera. Check yours by turning it upside down and look inside.

Back as late as the 1960's most press cameras, when ordered new, came equipped with a normal or wide-normal lens. The manufacturer or distributor would take the requested body and lens out of their inventory and put them together to fill the order. These most commonly supplied items being of contemporary production.

The lens that came with the camera, stayed on the camera because one lens was all we could afford. Even though it was possible to interchange lenses, it took a specialist to adjust the rangefinder.

I believe that a lens of your vintage would be the one that came with the camera. Further, it would be unlikely that the production dates for the body and for the lens would be multiple years apart. After 64 years, I would go with 1946 as a close estimate for when the camera was built.

[Dan Fromm]

Tom, this http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic...d-graphic.html is your camera. Miniature Speed Graphic.

This http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic...tml#FocalPlane describes a Pacemaker Speed Graphic's focal plane shutter. It and yours have two controls, one that selects the shutter's slit width (on yours, O, A, B, C, D) and another that selects the shutter mainspring's tension (I think it is at the bottom rear of your camera's right side, should have a knob and a window with numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Shutter speed is selected by both. There should be a plate somewhere on your camera that gives the shutter speed for each combination of slit width and tension. There are many, from 1/10 to 1/1000.

The s/n you gave is associated with the RF. I'm not sure that it is even a serial number, could be a part number. Go to www.graflex.org and ask where your camera's s/n is hidden. Also ask for advice on how to use it there. Odds are you'll get better advice there than here.

Cheers,

Dan

[Dan Fromm]

Tom, your camera has a spring (Graphic) back, not a Graflok or Graphic back. The only roll holder that I think makes sense to use with a 2x3 spring back is that Adapt-A-Roll 620. But then, I wrote the AAR 620 on graflex.org. Go read it.

More to the point, without the "spring kit" a Graflex-made roll holder can't be attached to your camera. Once it is on, focusing on the ground glass is impossible.

Cheers,

Dan

[Glenn Thoreson]

I believe you mentioned you have the spring kit for holding the roll holder on. If the lens is original, which it probably is, your focus scale and rangefinder may be in adjustment. Check them against images on the ground glass at different distances. Use a magnifier for checking the image on the glass. If everything agrees, you're good to go. I like the 6X7 roll holder, as 6X7 will print directly to 8X10" paper. You can pick up holders in 6X6, 6X7 and 6X9. The serial # should be stamped on the inside of the top, right behind the latch piece. Great cameras! Have fun with it.

[tom thomas]

I found the serial number. Thanx for the advice Al and Glen. It was stamped under the top front edge to the left of the cover latch as you described. Numbers about 1/8 inch so easily read with a CSI-style flashlight.

Oh, Glen. This is a 2X3 Model. I have a Graflex Model 23, 120 Roll Film Adapter that came with the camera. It appeas to be masked to 2X3 in or 6X9mm.

Dan, the serial number is 396321. Any help finding the age? The number on the Kalart rangefinder must be it's serial number. It is machine etched into the metal so probably not a part number.

Dan, the 23 Roll Film Adapter appears to be well used so I assume it was used with this camera. If I previously verify that the focus scale is accurate within it's range, do I need to focus every shot on the internal glass?

I'll probably be doing mostly landscape shots at infinity, using the aperture for depth of field. Most 120 film now reasonable ASA so I can try higher shutter speeds for effect.

Glen, I'll check the accuracy of the lens and the focus scales. I did take it outside yesterday and was able to see a bit and focus sharply at infinity (handheld). It was too bright for me to see clearly for a closeup (4.5 feet or so.) The ground glass in the Graphic film holder is very stained with yellow (cigarette smoke) so I'll have to dismantle and clean it a bit before continuing. Also the lens is dirty which is affecting brightness.

Thanx in advance.

Tom Thomas

[Jack Dahlgren]

Dan, the 23 Roll Film Adapter appears to be well used so I assume it was used with this camera. If I previously verify that the focus scale is accurate within it's range, do I need to focus every shot on the internal glass?

I'll probably be doing mostly landscape shots at infinity, using the aperture for depth of field. Most 120 film now reasonable ASA so I can try higher shutter speeds for effect.

Glen, I'll check the accuracy of the lens and the focus scales. I did take it outside yesterday and was able to see a bit and focus sharply at infinity (handheld). It was too bright for me to see clearly for a closeup (4.5 feet or so.) The ground glass in the Graphic film holder is very stained with yellow (cigarette smoke) so I'll have to dismantle and clean it a bit before continuing. Also the lens is dirty which is affecting brightness.

Thanx in advance.

Tom Thomas

Those big screws on the back that hold the spring back do not appear to be original, but look like they were installed so you could switch back and forth between ground glass and rollfilm holder. This method of switching would be slow. You would either use film holders and ground glass OR put the roll film back on and rely on the viewfinder & rangefinder/focusing scale. You wouldn't do both.

The other type of back allows swapping ground glass and rollfilm back much more quickly, but you don't have that kind so don't worry about it. Just verify that your rangefinder works (at a variety of distances) and mount the roll film back on it.

As for just setting it to infinity, well, perhaps you could focus a bit short of infinity so that you maximize your depth of field. Look up hyperfocal distance to see what that is all about if you haven't heard of it before.

One thing to watch out for with the focal plane shutter and roll film back.
Unlike a lens mounted shutter, the focal plane shutter will expose the film when you cock it by rolling it back up. So if you are using the focal plane shutter and the roll film holder, make sure you put the darkslide back in before you cock the shutter for the next shot. Using the lens shutter avoids this issue.

[Dan Fromm]

396321 is in a block of 2,000 serial numbers assigned 5/14/46. Just when it was used is an open question.

Tom, the roll holder replaces the ground glass. Once you attach it you won't be able to use the ground glass for focusing. If your RF is accurate this will not be a problem as long as you use the lens the RF is set up for. If you change lenses, then you'll be in trouble.

That the roll holder is well-used proves nothing. You'll need the spring kit to attach it. No spring kit, no use roll holder.

[jnantz]

I skimmed the photos out of the E-B listing.
Here is the adapter I think the seller referred to as the 35mm Black Folding Adapter. Anyone know just what it might be?

I attached a couple others too, perhaps they will help identify the age.

Thanx, Tom

hi tom

i agree that the 35mm adapter looks like it is for an enlarger.
the 35mm back i had that was for a 4x5 camera was a recomar kodakchrome back.
the springs look like the same sort of springs that are on my durst.


john

[tom thomas]

Hi,

Thanx for the info Dan. Two spring clips came in the box of stuff. They have bent clips on the ends instead of screw holes like the ones holding the original back. Here is a photo of them. Are they the correct ones?

I'll check out the range finder accuracy manually before I use the roll film back. It is a Graflex Model RH-85 from what I found at the other site. It has a red winder lever and film counter for 8 exposures on the top.

I doubt if I'll use any other lenses with this camera but who knows after I try it out

Thanx to your help I now know I have a Graflex Minature Speed Graphic made ca 1946. It sure has been interesting to find out about the camera. Now to CLA it a bit, then exercise the shutter real well, remember how to present the internal shutter so I can use the lens mounted one. If weather cooperates, I hope to try it soon.

Thanx again
Tom Thomas