Graflex.org

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

hello, i bought a crown graphic in hong kong. it didn't show alot of signs of wear. i am a new user.

my first question is how do you close the metal focusing hood safely, without damaging the folds?

also how do you open the front?

there is a metal push button at the side, this feels a bit soggy in operation, but i can't get the front to open.

i also bought a 40cm magor tele with it, which is operated by cable release.

where do i buy a good cable release for the camera?

where is the 'normal shutter release for the camera?

the camera has limited tilt/shift. can this be used for simple adjustments ie, correcting the falling lines of tall buildings?

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

glennfromwy · Joined: 29 Nov 2001 Posts: 903 Location: S.W. Wyoming

One more very important thing you need to know - before you close up your camera, be sure the front standard is moved all the way back and the focus rail is racked all the way back. If everything isn't back as far as it will go, and you try to close the camera, you can and probably will break the short rail guides in the camera body. Those are very, very hard to come by. Enjoy your new camera!
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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

I have opened the front now. how do you successfully close the front? i opened it carefully until the click. is the the metal button on the side for the shutter release or the lens release? it seems to operate a linkage when i press it. lastly, how are the bellows opened? the tele i bought it superb, however the image circle might not be big enough for 4 x 5. no worries, i have a 6x7 film holder with winder.

the inside is generally in superb condition with the model serial number plate looking especially new.

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

perhaps the shutter release linkage can be made more smooth. will talk to a graflex user in the UK. it would be good to have another option to the cable release. as it is a leaf shutter, it can be handheld slower than a focal plane. i would prefer to handhold at lower speeds and use the release on the body. is it normal for a megor tele to have a max 100/s shutter speed? the lens is very old, and the optic is first rate. it would be nice to use a rodenstock or linhof or nikon for a tele, to use a faster shutter. this is my first 4x5 anyway. i have found all the images so far, compared to a D3 or 35mm to be mindbendingly sharp, when correctly exposed.

cblurton · Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Hong Kong

You can download a free manual for your camera from:

http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/pacemaker_crown.pdf

It will give you a lot of information on how to open, close and use it. I live in Hong Kong and I was interested that you bought your camera here. I never buy old gear here because it is so expensive. Did you get a pretty good deal? If so, where did you shop?

Best wishes,

Craig

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

i bought the body for $8000. one of the clips which hold the darkslide on the focusing hood is bent. is this easy to bend it flush with the hood again?

If alot of the metalwork inside the graphic looks bright, is this one well preserved? I definately want to use the body release alot, instead of the cable. is it fairly simple to service the linkage? it would make little sense to use the cable release on wide angle lenses.

Any users in London which post here?

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

I have looked around on the web, and encountered this site. http://stevecicchetti.com/SiteHistory/HistoryGraflex.htm Can I use the Graflex XL handgrip here, and plug a cable release into that?

"Wanting a better way to use the camera I purchased a used grip from a later camera made by Graflex - the Graflex XL. This grip has a cable release built into it and has a 1/4-20 mounting screw that fits the tripod socket on the side of the Speed Graphic. The only other step was to turn the lower loop for the belt around 180 degrees so it would engage the bottom of the grip mount."

Next question is the flash bulb and reflector on the site, are they hard to come by? I know alot of these are used for lightsabers. I can see this is going to take alot of searching around, though I have already found a grafmatic.

cblurton · Joined: 25 Aug 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Hong Kong

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

The handle that's shown in the website is for a Century or 2x3 Crown or Speed. They are hard to come by but not impossible. They are similar but not exactly like the handles for the XL.

These handles were designed for a camera that weighs about a kilo (what my 23 Crown weighs without a roll holder) They work well with a 2x3 camera because those little cameras are actually hard on the hands to grip. They also extend the weight out about an inch from your handle adding some strain on your wrist, but not more than say a Hasselblad 500cm or a Mamiya TLR set up with a flash.

My 4x5 Crown on the other hand weighs 2.5kg without a back or a flash. By sliding my hand between the leather strap and the body, and curling my fingers around the edge of the body I can hold the camera fairly steady and the weight is closest to my wrist.
With that handle I'll have extended the weight out, putting a tremendous amount of strain on the plastic handle, the tripod socket and my wrist.

To give you a rough idea, find a 2kg barbell or lifting weight and grab it by the middle handle and bring the weight up to your face like it was a camera with the weight above and below your hand. Now grab the same weight by the end and do the same.

You may be a whole lot younger than I am, but I certainly wouldn't want to hand-hold my Crown like that for any amount of time.

As for the flash, you'll want to look for a Graflite flash. It has a black plastic bottom and top, has a SQUARE red button near the top. Most will say Graflite, some will say Graflex. The scifi movie used the earlier flash that went with the Anniversary Speed. and will be brushed chrome over brass rather than matte brushed aluminum. The Scifi version has a round red button. The Graflite's should be fairly cheap unless you need one in mint condition. Also get a 5inch reflector. These use the bayonet based bulbs (press 25, press 5, etc) which are still reasonably priced.
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"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

ngonping · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 19 Location: London

if the handle places alot of pressure on the vertical tripod socket, i will not buy one. what is the cable release holder for the crown graphic you speak of, is there a part number?

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

The cable release holder that Graflex used was a standard electrical strain relief bushing very similar to what Heyco sells today. Here's an URL

http://www.heyco.com/products/sec_03/3-13.html

The bushing is essentially two parts. Graflex cut the second part off, added a couple of slits to give the bushing a bit of spring and drilled and counter sunk a small hole in the bushing for mounting it to the handle side of the camera. Back in the 50s these kinds of strain relief bushings could be found at any hardware store here in the States, and the cable release that just happened to fit them were very common too. Today you'll have to hunt a bit harder to find them but they are out there. I wish I could find my spare I'd photograph it for you. Graflex part numbers would be useless
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"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison