Crown Graphic

For quite some time I have wanted a Crown Graphic to do some hand

held 4x5 work. I currently have a 4x5 She Hao for field work. I

have been searching ebay and other sites looking for a while and

have also checked the Graflex site as well.

 

So I'm about make a buy and want to know what are the important

questions to ask regarding condition and camera details.

 

Also some question I have for those who are familiar with these

cameras. See below:

 

Who is Fred Lustig? Is he a reputable technician?

 

Kalmart Range Finder, Good/bad? Is it important to have?

Is it simple to re-align the finder when changing lens?

 

How do you focus with out using the ground glass? By guessing

distance?

 

The crown graphic seems to have change appearance over the years.

sometimes the top of the camera looks different where the eye piece

would be.

 

Also some of the lenses I have seen on this camera have a

metal "barrel" cylinder below and off to the side of the lens..what

is this? Shutter release?

 

I appreciate any help you can give.

 

Thanks

 

 

dave

Who is Fred Lustig? Is he a reputable technician?

 

>>> Beats ms.

 

Kalmart Range Finder, Good/bad? Is it important to have? Is it simple to re-align the finder when changing lens?

 

>>> The rangefinder is a focusing gadget. It is a split-image prism device - you look through the rangefinder, and focus the camera until the two images in the rangefinder coincide. Whether you "need" one depends on how you plan to use the camera. I used my Graphic as a cheap view camera and focused on the ground glass, in which case I really didn't need the rangefinder.

 

>>> To use the rangefinder you need two things, both of which are hard to find. The first are focus cams for the len that you are using. When you buy a camera, it probably has cams for the lens that comes with it, but if you changes lenses, you will need to find cams for the new lens.

 

>>> The rangfinder contais a small light that is used to aid focusing at night. The light requires a battery. The battery should still be available, but you will have to search for it. Radio Shack can special order all kinds of orphan batteries and is probably the best place to try.

 

How do you focus with out using the ground glass? By guessing distance?

 

>>> With the rangefinder.

 

The crown graphic seems to have change appearance over the years. sometimes the top of the camera looks different where the eye piece would be.

 

>>> Older Crowns have the rangefinder on the right side, while later models had it on the top.

 

Also some of the lenses I have seen on this camera have a metal "barrel" cylinder below and off to the side of the lens..what is this? Shutter release?

 

>>> That's a shutter release solenoid - used to release the shutter remotely without a cable release.

The Crown Graphic is one of the best press cameras ever made.<p> You don't need

movements for that kind of photography, especially considering that you have the Shen

Hao for when you do and that you plan on using the rangefinder on the Crown.<p>If you

Google Fred Lustig you can find many glowing referrals on the internet.<p>The K-A-L-A-

R-T rangefinder is the side mounted rangefinder on some of the Crown Graphics. It needs

to be adjusted by a technician for ONE lens only, although it can be adjusted for a variety

of different focal length lenses.<p>The top mounted rangefinder on the later models do

have changeable cams for different focal length lenses, but each cam has to be hand filed

for each of the lenses you use. Many photographers these days seem to think that the

cams are hard to change. Don't forget that you need extra sets of infinity stops and focus

scales for each different focal length lens that you use.<p>Both the top mounted and the

side mounted rangefinders can project two beams of light which you can use to focus for

flash photography in low light situations by bringing the two spots they projected together

into one. It is built into the top mounted rangefinder. The side mounted rangefinder

requires the Kalart 'Focuspot' accessory system in order to do that.<p>The metal "barrel"

cylinder is a solenoid which was used in conjunction with the flash in order to achieve the

delay for flash synchronization with old fashioned flashbulbs which needed time to reach

full brightness. The camera was fired by a button on the flash and, when properly

adjusted, was a delight to use and made for less camera movement than the body release.

The problem was that they were difficult to adjust properly.<p>If you do buy the camera,

the book "Graphic, Graflex Photography" would be very helpful.<p>Try to find the latest

model camera, with the top mounted rangefinder and a properly filed cam for the lens

you'll be using most often.

Dave, if you had read at the Graflex.org web site you would have answered most of your questions. Now that you are feeling put off:

 

1).Who is Fred Lustig? Is he a reputable technician? NO. He is a retired engineer that purchased the bulk of the Graflex repair parts when Graflex folded and or Midwest Camera quit being the primer supplier of Graflex parts. He has a reputation of being as good as factory new.

 

2).Kalmart Range Finder, Good/bad? Is it important to have? Is it simple to re-align the finder when changing lens? I have never heard of a Kalmart rangefinder. Did you mean the Kalart rangefinder? If so its is much better than a Hugo Mayer which also was available for Pacemaker Crown/Speed cameras. http://www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/kalart-adjustment.html is all the information you need to adjust a Kalart range finder. Only problem not covered is replacing the front surface mirror which go bad over the years but the information is available at the graflex help board. Is it easy? Depends on how many thumbs you have and whether you can use small jeweler type screwdrivers and make hair fine adjustments(sliders).

 

 

3).How do you focus with out using the ground glass? By guessing distance? By using a calibrated rangefinder or using calibrated distance scales.

 

4).The crown graphic seems to have change appearance over the years. sometimes the top of the camera looks different where the eye piece would be. The Crown press cmarea first came into being with the introduction of the Pacemaker series of cameras in 1947. The early versions will have a spring back, called a graphic back, that takes standard two sided film holders and may or may not have either of the Kalart or Hugo Mayer rangefinders on the right, as you shoot, side of the camera. The optical view finder is a accessory that is usually mounted on the top right corner of the camera for framing ease when using the rangefinder or focus scales for focusing. The next change was the introduction of the Graflok back in the early '50's. The next change was the replacement of the side rangefinders with the Graflex Top rangefinder which requires cams in 1956. The last of the crowns were made in 1973 or 1974. The Crown "Special's" that come up on ebay are less costly when new versions of the basic Crown but with lower quality lens. Complete user manual and service manual available at http://www.southbristolviews.com/ . Graflex would measure the focal length of each lens and make cams for their top rangefinders and engrave focus scales for each lens also. Calibrated means that the lens is in tack sharp focus on the ground glass / film plane with the rangefinder or focus scales indicating correct focus.

 

5).Also some of the lenses I have seen on this camera have a metal "barrel" cylinder below and off to the side of the lens..what is this? Shutter release? In the days before flash sync was built into the shutter flash sync was accomplished by triping the shutter a few miliseconds after the flash bulb was fired via a solenoid attached to the lens board. If a solenoid is present then a two cell or 3 cell flash handle can be attached to the camera and the solenoid and used as an electronic shutter release.

I think you've received answers to most of your questions. The Kalart (side) rangefinders aren't too difficult to adjust if in good condition, but it's an iterative/tedious process that does take time. Instructions available at graflex.org. I would recommend setting it for your main hand-holdable lens and leaving it there. Things I would ask about before purchasing:

 

Are the bellows light tight and otherwise in good shape?

 

Are the focusing rails inside the box intact and unbroken (can be snapped if closed improperly)?

 

Is the rangefinder bright, with two clear superimposed images?

 

What kind of back is on it - Graflok, spring...

 

Are both the ground glass and fresnel intact (stuff gets lost or rearranged over the years, changing the ground glass alignment)?

 

What mask is on the viewfinder (kind of nitpicky - masks for different focal lengths were available for the top mounted viewfinder)

 

All the normal questions about any lens that might come with it....

 

Best of luck, they are fun cameras.

Ok I read it but its been awhile since I was on the Graflex site. a few more question, if I may:

 

Would I be able to use a modern Metz 45-CL-4 Flash?

If there is no solenoid, how do you trip the shutter?

How easy is the camera to use for hand held portrait work(nice Candids)

 

Thanks all for your responses.

 

Thanks

 

david

This ebay auction is one of the camera I'm considering. Any thoughts?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7559955801

 

I really appreciate everyone help, once again thanks

 

dave

You don't need the solenoid for the Metz flash because the flash will sync with the shutter on

it's own.<p>You should actually probably avoid buying a camera that has a solenoid on it

because that would imply that it's an older model, designed for use with flashbulbs.

Starting somewhere in the late '30's or early 40's flash sync was built into the shutter and usually connected to flash equipement by two pins and is refered to as a Bi-Post connector. Later on in the '50's regular PC sync connectors were used in place of the bi post. Paramount Cords makes a vierity of sync cables and adaptors so any flash or studio system can be used with any lens whose shutter has a working flash sync.

 

 

Now about the auction you linked: Pacemaker from 1950? to 1955? version. If as clean as stated and with the accessories it is getting close to the top limit of value. Adverage price for a Crown in good condition $250. 90mm f6.8 Angulon $75-$125. Vulcanoid fiber case $35-$40. Graflex 2373 flash with 5" and 7" reflectors $25. Polaroid 500 back $10, item is way out of date but may be useable. 12 film holders $3 to $5 each? not sure of going prices on these. Schneider Xenar 135mm f 4.7 common lens found on the closeout Crown Specials.

 

Charles

use your 6x6 for candid portrait work, you loose too much speed with the film normally encountered with 4x5's slower lenses.. , thus making any camera movement giveing you a blurred shot.. in my oppinion the slowness of the crown will give you less shots, and less opportunity for a good candid.. sorry i cant put it better. all the original type lenses that came with my crown would trip a regular flash, you may need to make a bracket to hold the flash.. that is it fits into the tripod hole and has a flash mount on the other end of apiece of flat stock.. .. i use a cord from the lens going into the flash on a tripod close to the camera and then slaves on the other flashes that will trip them when the closer connected camera flash goes off.. wire in lampcord ends between the lens and flash so you can use a regular extension cord on your flash.. you can also trip multiple flashes with a mutliple outlet end.. for heavens sake dont let anyone plug it into a house outlet...

there is a shutter tripping device on the right side of the crown if it hasnt been disabled.. ..

some plusses of the crown.. you can get a polaroid back, and they are fun, you can hand out the shots as you take them, you may get more willing subjects this way.. give them a polaroid, this will comfirm your focus, exposure, flash position crooked tie etc, and then take your own shot.. works for me.. another plus is a 6x9 back, shooting 120 film, withlots of room for movement. you can get this film in faster varieties than 4x5... i got a new 135 rodenstock sironar s (?) ,now years ago.. it closes in the camera, and its a fantastic camera for vacations,scenics, packing around, etc.. its relativly light, and easy to use.. a good meter will probably cost more than your camera, and in my opinion be needed to be able to get the full use of the camera so you can get perfect exposure to make large prints.. my opinion only. dave..

Dave I'm a little surprised you would say that since I thought these cameras were made for hand held use. Blur with 400 asa 250/sec and fill flash, outside?

 

dave

One thing to note if you plan on using a Copal shuttered lens with the body release: the stroke required to fire the modern shutter is pretty long and the body release may not work, or at least may not be plug(mount?)-and-play. When I put on a 150 mm Apo-Sironar-S in Copal, I couldn't get the body release to fire the lens with a few minutes of fiddling, so I just resorted to a cable release. Works perfectly with the Optar that came with the camera, though. Maybe someone else has figured out a way to make it work (I'd be interested in hearing if so).

Rick, make sure the cable release is working properly, such as lubricated, attached properly in the body where it connects to the body release, helper spring working, unbroken throughout its length, etc, etc.

 

I replaced my broken one.

Just a note about Fred Lustig -- I think he is no longer repairing/making stuff, if anyone happens to know any different -- I'd like to know about it.

Fred is still repairing graphic cameras.