Crown/Super Graphic stability? Alternatives?

[engl]

I own a Pacemaker Crown Graphic, bought a couple of months ago as my first LF camera. The camera unfortunately is not in very good condition. I bought it for 200$ but ended up with a 90$ refund as the camera did not match the description. Too bad I spent a fair bit of money on shipping and then customs cost for the full price + shipping...

Anyway, the biggest issue with the camera is that the bed is somewhat bent (not perfectly perpendicular to the body). Actually, everything about this camera seems slightly bent. This means the front standard is not parallel to the GG/film, and with limited movement, it is not possible to correct for. Another major problem is stability. If placed on the inner rails (for a wide lens), the front standard can be wiggled several millimeters. The outer rails are luckily much better, but still not as rigid as Id expect.

Other issues with the camera include broken rangefinder, holes in the bellow, scratched lens/stuck shutter and the ground glass looks like a battlefield. Im not convinced the GG and film holder always go in exactly the same spot.

So now Im considering what to do next, and would like some feedback an answers about different routes.

1. Buy another Crown Graphic, in good condition. Could I expect a Crown with decent rigidity/reliability/alignment? It does not need to be able to survive abuse or shooting in a thunderstorm, I just want to shoot wide lenses at F11 without focus issues on the GG or film.

2. Buy a Super Graphic. More movements, especially front tilt that I miss (not easily done with a wide lens on the Crown), rotating back. How does it otherwise compare to the Crown, build quality etc?

3. Buy another camera. I do not need a rangefinder, but Id want something around 2.5kg (or less) that can easily be carried and set up. Are there any such options at around 400$ or less? Bellows draw does not matter much, rather wide lens capabilities.

4. Soldier on with my train wreck camera. Despite all its faults, it still produces nice images, and Ive learnt a lot from it. I guess this option is more of a discussion between me and my thin wallet

[Frank Petronio]

A good Crown Graphic will be as sturdy, solid, and true as anything else you could buy that is less than $600 and folds into a box. They don't get any sturdier until you get into the Linhofs and other metal bodied field cameras. Many of the wooden folding cameras are worse than the Crown, and I wouldn't expect a Speed or a Super Graphic to be much different.

[Mark Woods]

I have my dad's Crown 2 1/4 x 2 3/4 camera he bought in 1938. It's wonderful. If yours is bent, someone dropped it. If the bends are constant, you could shoot with it. Look at the images, look at the wallet. One will win. ;-)

[Dan Fromm]

Mark, if he bought it in 1938 it is a Miniature Speed Graphic, not a 2x3 Crown. The Crown -- all sizes -- was introduced in 1947.

Visit www.graflex.org to learn what you have.

[Bill_1856]

Poor baby -- sounds like you really got screwed on your Crown. Just dropping it wouldn't have caused that kind of damage, it must have been run over by something.
I love my 4x5 Crown, less enthusiastic about 4x5 Super, find myself actually using my 4x5 Busch Pressman D for landscape where lens tilt is important. It weighs the same as the Crown, has metal body, and they sell for a lot less than a Super.

[engl]

Thanks for the replies!

Bill_1856, what about the Crown do you like? Or rather, what are the weaknesses of the Super?

Ill also look into that Busch Pressman D.

[ki6mf]

I have a Graphic with front and back shutters. If you are going to hand hold I would opt for one without the rear shutter and eliminate the extra weight! If hand hold is not going to happen you can also find rail view cameras in good condition for around $200. A view camera also gives you front and back movements!

[Brian Stein]

you got seriously stiffed on this one: a decent crown as frank p said is a solid square non-flexible beastie.

For me the trade off between crown and super is cheaper vs more expensive, lighter vs heavier, limited movements (front tilt) vs decent front movements. The deal breaker may be the front tilt: you can get sort of front tilt on a crown by dropping the bed and tilting backwards partway but its a pain. The crown does not have the focal plane shutter; as noted by ki6mf this makes it lighter than the speed which does and also gives it a little more wide angle capacity. All-in for me the crown won.

[Frank Petronio]

You can buy a Calumet monorail for under $100 and a decent Cambo or Toyo for $150 to $200. Sinar Fs go for $250. So if you want a studier, full movement camera the monorails are a steal.

[Dan Fromm]

engl, since no one mentioned it one of the major differences between the Crown and the Super is that the Crown's (also the Pacemaker Speed's) inner (inside the box) and outer (on the door) bed rails are linked and the Super's aren't. This makes focusing lenses that make infinity on the inner rails much easier with the Crown and Pacemaker Speed than with the Super. That is, the Crown is easier to use with short lenses than the Super.

Wally, removing a Speed's focal plane shutter is just plain dumb. Saves little weight, cripples the camera, reduces resale value. And it doesn't make the Speed any more usable with short lenses.