Speed Graphic

[felix5616]

what is the shortest focal length that a speed or crown graphic 4x5 camera can take and still be rangefinder coupled?

[Neal Wydra]

Dear felix5616,

Graflex.org might be a better place for your question. Assuming you have the Kalart rangefinder the link to the manual is : http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/kalart-manual.html

I noticed that the manual only lists down to 127mm, but that might not be the limit. There are rangefinder cams listed down to 86mm (http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/top-rangefinder-cams.html) but I don't know if that is for the smaller models.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

[felix5616]

Thanks

[ki6mf]

I think the widest Ektar lens made for the graflex line was the 50mm f/2.0 Ektar - 828 Kodak Bantam Special - 6-element Gauss lens. This came from this URL at Graflex.org. http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/lenses.html. This may have been for one of the "Baby Graphics" with a 6X9 format. I think the 65MM was the widest used on the 4X5 graflex.

[healyzh]

I think the widest Ektar lens made for the graflex line was the 50mm f/2.0 Ektar - 828 Kodak Bantam Special - 6-element Gauss lens. This came from this URL at Graflex.org. http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/lenses.html. This may have been for one of the "Baby Graphics" with a 6X9 format. I think the 65MM was the widest used on the 4X5 graflex.

I believe this lens was intended to cover 828 roll film, just as I suspect that these two were to cover 620 roll film.
78mm f/3.5 Ektar - 620 Kodak Chevron - 4-element Tessar
100mm f/3.5 Ektar - 620 Kodak Medalist - 5-element Heliar

If this is true I believe the 620 lenses could cover 120 film, I'm not so sure about an 828 lens.

[venchka]

Made for and rangefinder coupling might be mutually exclusive. Not to mention totally inappropriate for sheet film.

[al olson]

what is the shortest focal length that a speed or crown graphic 4x5 camera can take and still be rangefinder coupled?

I have a 90mm Graflex Optar with rangefinder cam for my Super Graphic. There were some similarities between cammed rangefinders for the Super Graphic and the later model Crowns. It seems likely that there would be cammed 90mm lenses for the Crown as well.

[bbjorkum]

My Top Rangefinder Speed Graphic has a cam for my 90mm. Works flawlessly.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I have an early 65mm Super Angulon that I use on a 4X5 Pacemaker Speed. It doesn't leave much room behind the standard when focused at infinity.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Which one? Does the side-mount Kalart for the late top mount rangefinder focus with lenses on the inner rail of a Crown (or both)?

[IanG]

My pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic has a Kalart rangefinder set for a lens somewhere between 65mm and 75mm, it was modified from new for wide angle use, the top of the body is cut away to allow the wire finder to be used as well as some front rise.

The front & focus rails were also modified there bed is now fixed but shortened and the camera no longer folds up.

I've no idea what lens was originally used with the camera, but I can easily use a 65mm or 75mm SA.

Ian