Crown Graphic Forward Tilt

**Ian Fields** · 8-Dec-2003, 11:02

If you use a crown graphic, you have probably figured this out by now, but I discovered this (probably not the first) and hope that it might help some others who use this camera.

Crown graphics have only a backwards tilt of about 20 degrees (on the front standard), but because I do mostly landscape photography, this is relatively useless, though forward tilt would be a great help to get things in focus. On the graflex site (www.graflex.org), it says that it is possible to "drop" the bed for use with wide lenses (bed gets in picture or something?). If you drop it while the bellows are extended though, it tilts the front standard forward and drops it down some (drop can be corrected by front rise). From there use the backward tilt to adjust the amount of forward tilt. Seems a little crazy but hopefully it can help.

Ian

**John Cook** · 8-Dec-2003, 11:25

Sounds like you have the crown graphic military version. Lots of their stuff works this way ;0)

**Don Wallace** · 8-Dec-2003, 11:42

It is also possible to remove the front standard and remount it backwards. It only takes about 5 minutes or less and it makes forward tilt MUCH easier to use. The drop bed method works but I find it a little bit of a pain. If anyone wants detailed instructions, email me.

**Darin Cozine** · 8-Dec-2003, 15:45

The drop-bed method works fine for wide and normal lenses. At about 210mm and longer, you have no rise left since the bed is so far below the camera.

If you reverse the front standard, you can use forward tilt on all lenses. However if you need to drop the bed then your use of wide-angle lenses is limited because it will force you to use the max forward tilt, which will probably be too much.

I've actually modified the front standard of my crown graphic to allow for both types of tilts. www.loneycamera.com Maybee someday I will update my webpage.