Crown Graphic - looking for a lens

[lxdesign]

Hi all,

I just got a new to me Crown Graphic 4x5 camera in good shape -- and it came with a 127mm lens which is stuck at f/4.7 --- the aperature is very stuck that is! So I am looking to get a new lens... and wondering if anyone knew of where I could get one.... I am in Toronto, Canada.

thanks!

[Dan Fromm]

Um, when Linnaeus set up the taxonomic system that's still in use, he decreed that every name should be referable to a type specimen. He followed this rule with all of the species he described -- gave scientific names -- except one. We're the exception, Homo sapiens. Instead of designating a particular human as the type, he simply wrote "Look around you."

Follow Linnaeus' advice. Look in the For sale/Wanted section. Post a want.

[lindy]

Right here on the for sale board, or on flea-bay. The shutter on your 127mm (Kodak Ektar?) lens may be salvageable if you were to send it off to S. K. Grimes (http://www.skgrimes.com/) not saying they're miracle workers, but they're close. Your 127mm is a decent lens but not really meant for 4x5 as the image circle will just barley cover 4x5 without movement. 127mm is a slight wide angle in 4x5 so you can do like the old press photographers did... Get more than you need and crop down. Which should take care of most of the short comings of that lens in 4x5.

[Douglas Henderson]

xdesign,

For starters, look for a clean 135mm or 150mm lens--Schneider, Caltar, Rodenstock, Fuijinon, etc.--modern or older versions Good ones turn up on Ebay all the time for modest prices (above or below $200.00).

Doug

[Bill_1856]

There's nothing wrong with the 127mm Ektar -- it's an excellent lens for the Crown Graphic.
Get the shutter repaired, it probably just needs cleaning. You don't have to send it to $$$Grimes$$$ -- any camera repair person should be able to fix it, usually around $50-$60 or less.

[Mark MacKenzie]

Dan, you crack me up!

You know, when they first put that 127mm lens on all of those gazillion cameras they made, they didn't do it without thinking about it. A 127mm Ektar is a fine lens capable of great photography.

[Professional]

I have a lens came with my Crown Graphic 4x5, 162 Wollensack, it is working fine, but i really want to clean it so it performs better, how can i do it without sending it for that cleaning or repairing?

[Bill_1856]

I have a lens came with my Crown Graphic 4x5, 162 Wollensack, it is working fine, but i really want to clean it so it performs better, how can i do it without sending it for that cleaning or repairing?

Although many people do it themselves, a lot of them screw up a perfectly good shutter.
Send it or take it to any established camera repair person. It's not very expensive, and that's what they are trained to do.

[Nathan Smith]

While it is possible to clean and lube a shutter yourself using Ronsonol and other favorite homebrew methods, it's also really likely you'll just redistribute the old grease and make it even worse.

There are several good repair folks out there that will do a proper clean lube & adjust (CLA) for a reasonable price. Search this site for Paul Ebel and Carol Flutot Miller. Both are great. Email them for a quote, you may be surprised.

Nathan

[toolbox]

Although many people do it themselves, a lot of them screw up a perfectly good shutter.
Send it or take it to any established camera repair person. It's not very expensive, and that's what they are trained to do.

If all you want to do is flush it out with some naptha, it's pretty straight forward...but if you tip it up and little parts fall out, you're going to learn the meaning of the word "patience" :D. Synchro-Compurs are the worst--they've got an amazing number of parts inside there. I have an ultrasonic machine that I use for cleaning camera parts (I overhaul a lot of lenses too), and I've put at least a dozen Compur style shutters though it...works wonders on getting old lube and crud out.

If you're not mechanically inclined though, I'd stay away from digging into them and just pay to have it done.

[dsphotog]

I'd get that lens fixed, the rangefinder is calibrated to it already....
Repairing shutters is akin to watch repair, it requires skill & proper tools.
Despite that it's generally priced quite low.