Gowlandflex- junkyard find

[cikaziva]

you find most interesting things wen there is not enough money! i always wanted Golandflex but i stop hoping long time ago. its a one trick pony but pony i love to ride! ant there it is it was looking at me form a pile of broken minoltas compact 35 cameras and worthless photo junk! its a small junk store in a flee market, guy has bunch of toaster ovens, old video games, baseball cards and cheep china... and this Goland! its in a good shape. belows is perfect and it has all the paint. no scratches anywhere, mirror is perfect and focus is smooth. he is missing a lens and no viewing hood. shutter is blocked and it needs repair... i asked a guy for a price he told me 550$! then he made a small drama brake and when i expected that he will say: but you can get it for 250; he told me: on ebay they sale over 1000$. this unusable Gowland is most expensive item he has in his little "shop" i spent next 45min trying to buy it off him for something more reasonable. he has a friend several spots from him that has several cameras and he is his main advisor. i offered his friend a Leica R3 in ok shape as a trade in and a guy wanted 250$ and R3. apparently camera is there year and a half now and some "hones hipster" schooled them on Peter Gowlands achievements. he rolled down to 450$ but not a cent under that. i was so pissed by all the experience that i pass. i really dont have money now to start new project but again i can say no to Golandflex just like that! what do you guys think?

[cikaziva]

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu96/nejad_ljemani/IMG_20140713_131416_zpsbfeb9695.jpg (http://s637.photobucket.com/user/nejad_ljemani/media/IMG_20140713_131416_zpsbfeb9695.jpg.html)

[cikaziva]

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu96/nejad_ljemani/IMG_20140713_131421_zpsed272553.jpg (http://s637.photobucket.com/user/nejad_ljemani/media/IMG_20140713_131421_zpsed272553.jpg.html)

[cikaziva]

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu96/nejad_ljemani/IMG_20140713_131438_zpsc72c2213.jpg (http://s637.photobucket.com/user/nejad_ljemani/media/IMG_20140713_131438_zpsc72c2213.jpg.html)

[cikaziva]

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu96/nejad_ljemani/IMG_20140713_131455_zps81143962.jpg (http://s637.photobucket.com/user/nejad_ljemani/media/IMG_20140713_131455_zps81143962.jpg.html)

[djdister]

Ultimately something used is worth whatever someone will pay for it. Passing on it was probably a wise move, given the problems with it. I might have given him a final cash offer of $300 and left my card, so he can think about this thing that has been sitting his shop unsold for a year and a half plus. Then if he counter-offered at $400, I would offer $350 and that's it. It is not worth buying as an "intrinsic" collector piece - either you would like to fix it up and use it, or don't get it.

[pierre506]

Buy it now for me😍😊.
There are a CE 12in lens, at least.

[ic-racer]

12" lens??? Is it a 4x5 ? Looks like someone just stuck a lens on there to make it look like a working camera. I don't see how that parallax correction could be suitable for that lens.

[cikaziva]

i think it can work with 12"" according to Peters website they can work up to 300mm. for 240mm close focus is 36" and the parallax cam looks proper size. i dont know, i dont know enough about Gowland's to make to tell and without viewing lens its really hard to say. my idea is to get the nikkor 210mm and i have one number 1 dead shutter that can be perfect as viewing mount; that will be perfect! i always wanted TLR 4x5 and i have my eye on Gowland for last 20 years. i will go next week with 300$ in a pocket and try to get it. if its siting there last year and a half probably it will be ok sitting till next friday

[jp]

modern 210mm lenses are cheap. If he doesn't take your cash, he'd be crazy or doesn't need the $. if this deal works out, it'd be potentially wise to give him a card and stay in contact.

[ic-racer]

I guess it is bigger than I thought. On closer look the lens looks professionally mounted on that board. Keep us posted if you get it.

[Drew Bedo]

So he has dropped his price by 20% now. Bring cash plus something to trade. . . ..

Gold is where you find it. You will never get this opportunity again.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Tracy Storer]

Don't be stupid, that 12" Commercial Ektar is worth money even if it's not the lens you choose to use.
Use your brain, search 12" CE on Ebay.
Buy the camera, sell the Ektar, buy different, more suitable lenses, and start shooting.

[Brassai]

I too would have bought it. Things like that don't come along very often. I've foolishly passed on a few things I really wanted in an attempt to save a small percentage, only to lose it to someone quicker.

[Jody_S]

I know the seller. I've bought a few interesting things off him, including my Kalart Press camera 2 years ago. If you can get him when he's a little flustered, or basically when he needs cash, he will come down a little more. Make sure his friend is out of earshot, he gets annoyed with the other guy telling him not to sell stuff when he needs to make a sale.

I promise I won't go and buy it this week-end. Though that commercial ektar looks pretty fine. I'm drooling a little.

[pierre506]

good news, Jody~

[cikaziva]

i picked it up. it was a "war" but i finally got it for 300$. new project is about to start! :)
i always wanted gowlandflex and i never had a good opportunity to get one. this was perfect. over all its was super over the top dirty but it looks way better then i initially assumed. i already removed CE and serviced the shutter. lens is super clean and am really happy about that also. Lens is going to fellow forum member and i am about to decide on direction i am going to take regarding the lenses.
lens boards have 75.60mm hole with a tread, and i have no clue why is tis camera opened to ACME 5 size, when 4 is almost sucked in front standard.
also CE was mounted with a flange via 4 wood screws and lot of silicone. it was a mess to pull apart without making damage. normally i would just make two new lens boards but i would need to change the bellows then. original bellows are in fantastic condition and this would be stupid so i think i am going to make a adapter rings and mount it that way...

i will need some help form Golwlandflex owners on this project

[djdister]

Congrats!


i picked it up. it was a "war" but i finally got it for 300$. new project is about to start! :)
i always wanted gowlandflex and i never had a good opportunity to get one. this was perfect. over all its was super over the top dirty but it looks way better then i initially assumed. i already removed CE and serviced the shutter. lens is super clean and am really happy about that also. Lens is going to fellow forum member and i am about to decide on direction i am going to take regarding the lenses.
lens boards have 75.60mm hole with a tread, and i have no clue why is tis camera opened to ACME 5 size, when 4 is almost sucked in front standard.
also CE was mounted with a flange via 4 wood screws and lot of silicone. it was a mess to pull apart without making damage. normally i would just make two new lens boards but i would need to change the bellows then. original bellows are in fantastic condition and this would be stupid so i think i am going to make a adapter rings and mount it that way...

i will need some help form Golwlandflex owners on this project

[Howard Tanger]

Well to be picky, that is not a junkyard find but it is a "junk shop" find! Howard Tanger

[Drew Bedo]

cikaziva"

Congratulations. Hope you can restor it to near original condition. . . .or at least good working condition.

When you get it sone, please post a few pics in the Show Off Your LF Camera thread . . .?

[Tracy Storer]

Easy to have a machinist make a reducing adapter to fill up the big #5 hole in the front. Glad you got it !

[e]

Nice cam..!

[R. Peters]

I had an earlier model. If I recall correctly, these were cammed for one lens focal length. This later (than mine)model may have had interchangeable cams. The cam may have to do with parallax correction.

Mine had a 180mm Xenar in shutter for the taking lens and a matching 180mm Xenar in a barrel for the viewing lens. The first model didn't have interchangeable lensboards or cams. Before I would buy it, I'd want to know that the cam and focal length match. I doubt there is any ready source for a replacement cam, and if the cam doesn't match the lens, then there'd be no point in repairing the lens on the camera.

Making a focusing hood really isn't a big deal. I believe most of them were sold without a focusing hood. It would be easy to make a viewing "hood" out of cardboard, but you should have a magnifier to focus. Most of these were sold for studio use. I wouldn't let that issue enter into the decision.

First thing to check is the cam because if it doesn't match the lens, you'll be buying two lenses. If that doesn't set you back, then not a problem. I believe the Gowlandflex used a revolving Graflok back same as used on the Super Graphic. If you want a Gowlandflex, by the time you are done with this one, you MIGHT have as much invested in it as you'd have buying one off the auction site ready to use, and less chance of unanticipated problems.
--bob.

[Tin Can]

I had an earlier model. If I recall correctly, these were cammed for one lens focal length. This later (than mine)model may have had interchangeable cams. The cam may have to do with parallax correction.

Mine had a 180mm Xenar in shutter for the taking lens and a matching 180mm Xenar in a barrel for the viewing lens. The first model didn't have interchangeable lensboards or cams. Before I would buy it, I'd want to know that the cam and focal length match. I doubt there is any ready source for a replacement cam, and if the cam doesn't match the lens, then there'd be no point in repairing the lens on the camera.

Making a focusing hood really isn't a big deal. I believe most of them were sold without a focusing hood. It would be easy to make a viewing "hood" out of cardboard, but you should have a magnifier to focus. Most of these were sold for studio use. I wouldn't let that issue enter into the decision.

First thing to check is the cam because if it doesn't match the lens, you'll be buying two lenses. If that doesn't set you back, then not a problem. I believe the Gowlandflex used a revolving Graflok back same as used on the Super Graphic. If you want a Gowlandflex, by the time you are done with this one, you MIGHT have as much invested in it as you'd have buying one off the auction site ready to use, and less chance of unanticipated problems.
--bob.

Old thread. I bought this camera a little while ago without a lens or lens boards. I have since learned a lot about it and have installed 2 lenses and a viewing hood. In a couple days I will present it on the "LF show off your camera" thread. I will supply all I know know about this one camera. Soon!

[Tin Can]

I have posted the revival of this camera.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?36782-Show-off-your-Large-Format-camera!&p=1200607#post1200607