Identifying a Speed Graphic Model

My Father in law has an press camera, Speed or Crown Graphic, I was

tinkering with it this evening but cannot remember now off hand

which. I was wondering if there was a site that I could go to to

compare serial numbers to try to figure out when it was produced.

It has a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 back on it, and it had I believe a 101mm

Ektar lens. It looks as if it just came out of the box from the

factory. I cannot wait to take it out to play.

 

Any direction would be great, I am just venturing into medium format

with my "new" autocord and am looking forward to tinkering with this

great camera as well.

Try www.graflex.org. I don't know about identifying the camera year, but luckily the lens year of manufacture is easily identified by the serial number.

Brian

 

C-A-M-E-R-O-S-I-T-Y = 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0

 

The Ektar lens has two letters in the serial number. Convert the letters to numbers and that will tell you the year of manufacture(for the lens anyway).

EE = 1944; RR= 1955; EC = 1941; EY = 1949; etc etc

The body serial number is inside the cameras box frame; top piece; side piece; sometimes on the front rack. The numbers published go from 47,000 for 1912 to 457,139 in 1947; in McKeown's camera guide I have here of 1990/1991. WW2 models have little chrome; more black paint. The type and location of rangefinder helps date the camera; plus whether the camera has a wooden or metal lens board. Speed models have a focal plane shutter. Older models have a speed matrix plate. The Speed model 2x3 camera was made from 1938 to about 1958; in three different types; minature to 1947; Anniversary from 1940 to 1947; pacemaker from 1947 to 1958. The Chrown model has no focal plane shutter; and was made from 1947 to 1958 in the 2x3 model.

The body serial numbers are sometimes hard to see; you can use a small flashlight; held at a grazing angle; to make the number easier to see.