I am particularly interested in the idea of modifying the front standard for more movements. I hope you'll tell us all about this since I adding a good tilt capability would be a major improvement to a Crown.
I am particularly interested in the idea of modifying the front standard for more movements. I hope you'll tell us all about this since I adding a good tilt capability would be a major improvement to a Crown.
The major problem with Crown & Speed Graphics is the lack of forward tilt, I've tried reversing the front standard, this works well but you can't close the camera. So any useful tips would be greatly appreciated.
Like one or two others I bought a couple of Graphics to build one good one, sold together for just such a project the seller neglected to add one was pre-anniversary, the other post and and almost nothing was interchangeable. However both are now almost restored, and fully functional.
Ian
Forward tilt is not a problem with Crown or Pacemaker Speed Graphics. It just takes a little imagination and/or reading up on the subject. For forward tilt in landscape orientation, pull the standard out to the stops, drop the bed, raise the front and tilt back until you have the amount of forward tilt you want. Focus travel is limited with the bed dropped, so you may need to move the standard a bit to compensate. Don't force it! It's simple and can give you way more tilt than you can use. In portrait orientation, you're just out of luck for tilt. But then, these cameras were never meant to be field view cameras.
Glenn, forward tilt is a problem when using a 90mm lens hence the reason for a modification. I use a Crown Graphic in locations where no tripod is permitted and anything to improve versatility is useful.
Ian
I accomplish front tilt with my Speed by either mounting the tripod head on the side panel and flipping it 90 degrees effectively putting it upside down or just flipping my Bogen 3028 head over (have to move the head setscrew for more clearance so the camera doesn't hit the tripod). The base of the camera makes a good lens hood in this direction also. For forward tilt in the portrait position I simply use a big spring hand clamp after removing the standard from the front rail. Just a little forward tilt is all that's usually needed. I find that bed drop with my 135 Optar always puts the lens in a position that it interferes with the rear bed and just flipping the camera upside down works better. The limited coverage of the 90 Optar works good upside down also because one just needs to lower the lens as well as tilting it to keep the corners from vignetting. My Speed just has enough room to allow a little of both.
These modifications are interesting...but, I don't understand how they improve the use of the camera in the field? Perhaps a bit lighter? I use a graphic all the time, as a field camera on a tripod, and I have never found the "press" camera bits to get in the way at all.
In my case, I had no single working camera. The closest one had a bunch of non-working stuff on it and the leather covering was one step above sawdust. But removing the non-working stuff (shutter release mechanism, viewfinder, rangefinder) left gaping holes in the body. I use mine mostly hiking or bicycling to places, and my son's Crown, "as-issued" weighs 5 lbs 4 ozs, while my stripped version weighs 3 lbs 10 oz. I suppose that if all the press camera bits worked, I might have kept them, but when starting from a junker and a bag of parts, why keep stuff that doesn't work? Especially if you do not intend to use them...
Besides, at 54, I need it to be as light as possible... I'm getting too old to carry all this stuff... I'm thinking of taking my 120 film out of the boxes to save weight.
Camera formats tend to increase in size & weight as you get older so be thinking of switching to a 57 Graphic soon :-)Originally Posted by wclavey
Besides, at 54, I need it to be as light as possible... I'm getting too old to carry all this stuff... I'm thinking of taking my 120 film out of the boxes to save weight.
And in your old age a 108 . . . . . lmao. Yes we know what you mean but some of us have a long way to go to catch you up though, well . . . . in months, but a Crown Graphic, or a Speed Graphic stripped down is a great light weight camera, I do however find a lack of versatility compared to my Wista, restrictive moments, poor with wide angle lenses (useless with my 65mm SA) but with a saving grace Graphics are very usable hand-held.
Ian
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