Basic cleaning

[Matt Erck]

My friend inherited an old Graphic View that I believe is a Graphic View II. The serial # is 466xxx.

The lens is a Kodak Ectar 203mm f/7.7 serial #107xxx.


I'm interested in perhaps buying this camera off her and starting the adventure that is LF.


I have a few questions:
#1 - what would be a fair price to offer? Everything looks to be in decent working condition. There are no visible cracks or holes in the bellows. The frame is over all pretty clean with no visible rust or major chips. The lens appears to work, although I dont know how well the shutter works. It seems to click pretty adequately for me, but I'm not sure how to assess this.

#2 - I would like to clean and tidy it up a bit. What is used to clean the bellows (inside and out).


Any help or advice would be appreciated. I'm scouring the net trying to find as much info as I can. I'm ordering one of the recommended books, but at this point, I'm just trying to assess the functionality of the camera to see if it is still in functioning condition.

Im located in the Northern Panhandle of WV.

Thanks,
Matt

[Vaughn]

One can check the bellows with a flashlight -- a minimaglite works the best (with the top removed so it is like a torch/candle). 1) Extend bellows all the way out. 2) Insert a film holder in the back 3)Remove the lens/lensboard. 4)Turn off room lights -- you want complete darkness. 5) Insert flashlight into camera -- hopefully one does not see a planetarium effect. 6) Also check the back of the camera for light...with the holder in both hort and vert positions.

Clean outside of bellows with a damp rag. Inside with a vacumm cleaner. Both with the bellows all the way extended.

The Graphic View II has longer bellows than the Graphic View. They are great work horses -- we still have one that we check out to students. If it is light-tight and everything moves the way it is suppose to -- and locks down tight so it doesn't move when one doesn't want it to...it is fully functional.

The lens is also nice -- a good all-around focal length and plenty of coverage for 4x5. If the shutter sounds good, I would assume that it is close enough -- unless one is shooting chromes -- color transparency (positive) film. Eventually, you might send it in for a CLA and usually you'll be given a chart of the exact speeds. Actually, 99 out of 100 of my negs are exposed at greater than a few seconds...that will depend on what and where you photograph.

Price will depend on you and your friend. Check ebay prices and go from there. There is one (w/o lens) that is listed for $99 without any bids. I would say $200 to $300. If she has plenty of money and you don't than $200. If the other way around, then $300. It also depends on the other assesories available with it (film holders, tripod, meter, et al that one usually has with a 4x5 set-up). The demand for rail cameras such as this is not as high as the demand for field cameras.

Best of luck!

PS...the tripod head is usually intragal with the rest of the camera -- it should be present, or it will be difficult to mount on a tripod. It clamps to the triangular rail.

[Matt Erck]

Thanks so much for the information. Forums like this make information gathering much easier.

I believe the bellows to be intact. There is the associated tripod mount. Everything appears as it should be.

I am no trying to determine which back it has. Ive again looked online to try and determine this and am still confused. As I have never seen these backs before, it is a bit difficult to distinguish. I have read that the Grafloc (Graflok sp?) back is most desirable. In the description of the Grafloc I see that it has "locks" for various film backs (http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/features.html#GraflokBack).

My back has two upper springs that when lifted allow the whole back to be removed. There are some "leaf-like" springs on the upper and lower part that I believe allow on to slide in a film holder. Is this the correct set-up that will allow me to shoot with todays film?

[Jim Noel]

Either back will work for you. Your description sounds like a Graflok back which allows removal so you may use a roll film back when desired.

[Vaughn]

You might have already been to this site, but I thought I'd toss it in t he ring.

http://graflex.org/articles/graphic-view/index.html

vaughn

[Matt Erck]

Ok, I'm pretty sure the camera has a spring back.

Are there any good tutorials online about how to manage the film? I THINK ive figured out how to load the "cartidges" and have ordered a box of 25 B&W. But once I get the shot, what is the best way to get the film developed. I need to send it out, as I have no experience with developing or any equipment.

[vann webb]

I've used baby wipes to clean bellows on the outside, very gently, very carefully. Works great and I have seen no ill effects after several years.