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

[anglophone1]

I use a Pacemaker speed and a Jolo board
with my aero Ektar set up.
Have swapped spring back for graflok so I can use grafmatics and polaback.
You can have a play with it if we ever meet!
C

[Jim C.]

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

Yeah, you can say that again ! :)

[IanG]

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

They aren't quite the same, I know I couldn't use a Pacemaker Graflok focus frame on my Super Graphic as the sliders wouldn't allow it so I had to keep using my Cambo focus frame until I found a proper SG back. There is a fair chance the Cambo will fit (I sold mine so can't check).

Ian

[rjmeyer314]

I put an 8" Dallmeyer Pentac on my Anniversary Speed Graphic, so I know that can be done. The problem was adjusting the rangefinder to function with that long a focal length lens. I think that I had reached the limits of adjustability of the rangefinder. The 7" Kodak Aero Ektar might be a better choice for an Aero lens. Note that the 5x7 Speed Graphic didn't come with a rangefinder. I suspect the reason was that they couldn't get a rangefinder to work with a 210mm normal focal length 5x7 lens.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Aside: on that big auction site there is an aero ektar lens board for Pacemaker.
Item number: 251335508117

[dimento]

thanks for all the help, have now acquired a nice pacemaker speed graphic, a pentac 2.9 and a Jo Lommen board is on the way, can anyone tell me how it's possible to use the cambo monocular reflex viewer with this set-up, I can use the viewer with my super graphic, via a cambo groundglass back, fitted to the graflok on the super,

will the cambo back fit the speed, or will the viewer need to be modified to fit directly to the speed back, any advice much appreciated, thanks, D

[Peter York]

The viewer will have to be modified. This can be a very expensive machine job or a relatively simple DIY fix. I screwed clips (actually, some kind of wall hanging clip) onto the sides of mine so they will "snap" into the Graflok of a Pacemaker (where the metal folding hood snaps into). This mod is not permanent. There is some light that enters through the minor space between the viewer and the camera back, though. I imagine one could easily mate the frame of a metal folding hood to the viewer so that it attaches to the Graflok back without any light leaks.

SK Grimes gave me a quote of a few hundred for a professional adaptation.

[EdSawyer]

Skip the reflex viewer. Calibrate the rangefinder, and use that and the viewfinder for focusing and composing.

[Peter York]

I agree with Ed. The viewer is just a bulky accessory that I rarely take and/or use and it is very cumbersome in portrait orientation.

[dimento]

Thanks for all the replies, I will be using the viewer and am interested in finding the easiest way of using it with this setup, I don't find it bulky and actually want to use it with this setup, so, can anyone tell me or perhaps give me drawings for the cheapest/easiest modification of the cambo viewer with the speed graphic. thanks