Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 Top Viewfinder Question

[nelly001]

Hi I am hoping for some advice.
I have a Anniversary Speed Graphic 4x5 and the Top Viewfinder is missing the lens from the back so the view through it is blurry
Is this part replaceable? Your input is appreciated. Thanks Nelly

[Dugan]

Your best bet might be to find a complete used finder. They show up on Ebay occasionally, when someone strips a Graphic down for a field camera, or parts one out.
You might put a WTB ad posting here, there are some Speed/Crown Graphic users here.
Good luck

[nelly001]

Thanks any idea how to remove the Finder from top of camera if I can find a replacement?
If anyone has a spare one please let me know. Or any other fix tips for my one missing the lens
Much appreciated, Nelly

[LabRat]

To remove finder, first remove front mask by finding the small nubs on the front metal frame and pulling up on these...

Then remove front metal frame by removing the two screws on the sides of the mask, then carefully pulling frame towards front of camera... Might be a little sticky, so slightly wiggle and pull forward... The front lens window might want to fall out, so note where it sits in the front of finder...

The viewfinder body is removed by unscrewing the 4 small screws on the bottom/sides of body, then lifting straight up... Careful that the plastic body is a little brittle, so go easy and don't over tighten anything... You can leave the bottom attached to the camera...

You can try taking a piece of foil or thin dot of material with a very small pinhole in the center and put it where the rear lens element was... Or a little lens from some cheap toy veiwer etc would work if you can find something (not critical)...

Entire finders do show up for not much $$$, so you can look around... But much better to get into the habit of getting camera on tripod and using the Ground Glass on the back to learn how the camera actually sees...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[Jimi]

Another resource to have a look at is www.graflex.org - maybe you can find something useful there.

[reddesert]

I opened mine up to look (Pacemaker Crown, but I'm sure the finder is similar). To get at where the rear lens should be, there are two screws in the side of the rotating collar that has the distance marks for parallax correction. Remove these screws and the collar comes off, revealing a small slide with a pin that indexes into a groove in the rotating collar to move the lens when you turn the collar. The lens is set into this slide.

The lens itself is a small convex lens with diameter about 6mm and focal length about 125mm (I measured it, roughly). If you're lucky, maybe the lens is just loose inside the finder and will show up once you open it. If not, try to find a small convex lens with roughly the right focal length. To understand how these "reverse Galilean" finders work, see https://www.panomicron.com/viewfinders-rangefinders/2019/8/14/the-mathematics-of-galilean-viewfinders-and-how-to-design-them-1

[nelly001]

Thank you.
If anyone knows of any pictures to go with the instructions of removing the finder that would be great
I am an artist so anything visual always is a big help :)

[nelly001]

Thanks LabRat Very helpful
I found a replacement top viewfinder now just have to fit it correctly