Graflex.org

[kokoprill]

I have acquired a vintage camera that appears to be in working order. Can't find any information on it. Can someone help?
It is:
5x7 Speed Graphic mfg. by The Folmer Graflex Corporation, Rochester, NY

Folded up it measures: 9 x 10 x 4 inches.

It has a rolling blind shutter with speeds of T, 1-1/2, 3/4, 3/8, 1/8. There is a tension control from 1 - 6. The only tag on camera is a metal chart converting Curtain Aperature and Tension number to "speeds" from 10 to 1000. This tag has the words Speed Graphic and the manufacturer info above.
Ground glass focusing screen (removable)
Several double sheet 5x7 film holders with dark slides.
Front opens with bellows in great shape. Once extended, there is an adjustment which moves the bellow out to focus from 100 to 6. Also an up/down adjustment of about 1-1/2 inches.
Lens is: Voigtlander Braunschweig Helier 1:4.5, F=21 cm., No.999982.
Shutter speed/control is adjustable from 1 sec. to 1/100th sec. and marked D.R.G.M. No. 371939
The f/stop is adjustable from f/4.5 to f/36.
The shutter release is manual or it can be hooked onto a loop from a chrome cylinder that has a couple of pins that appears to be a remote electric release.
The body of the lens/shutter release is marked "676652"
The entire lens body can be removed.
The back of the lens has a removeable lens that is marked with the same number as the front lens - 999982.

No where on the camera is a model or serial number other than those mentioned above.

What can I learn about this camera. Have most recently used Mimaya 645 medium format, but this one intrigues me to do some large format.

Kokoprill in Arizona

[Les]

A 5x7 Speed Graphic is a scarce item and I know several people on this list that are green with envy with your new find. Including me!
a210m m Heliar is a VERY nice lens to boot !

The camera has two shutters a focal plane shutter in the body of the camera and an iris shutter around the lens, that is probably a Compur or a compound (DRGM means "Germany") One thing to be carefull of. The dial goes from 1 second up and you have to cock the shutter (at 3 o'clock) to fire it. There should be another dial or switch that says either IBT or MBT for Instantaneous, Bulb and Time. Set it for I for normal.

HOWEVER DO NOT TRY TO COCK THE SHUTTER when using B or T. These are used without the gear train.

the Focal Plane shutter inthe back is controled by using one of the 5 apertures 1/8,1/4, etc and one of the tension numbers 1-6. find a shuter speed on the table and read the corresponding settings.

Check out the rest of the site, particularly stuff on Pre-Anniversary Speed Graphics.

The fact that this was made by the Folmer Graflex Corp and not the Folmer & Schwing Div means that it was built after 1928.

The serial number is located inside the body--wee photo. Gandolf can help date this better.






[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-08-17 06:00 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-08-17 06:06 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-08-17 06:15 ]
dam hyper link!

[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-08-17 08:33 ]

[kokoprill]

Les, Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the serial number was there, very hard to see and overlooked it. S/N is 232898.
The lens is a "compound" as you said is likely was.
Can not find that other dial or switch labeled IBT or MBT. Doesn't seem to have one.
You mentioned "Gandolf can help date this better". ? Gandolf ???

Following are a few photos :

Not very good at posting photos, so hope they go through okay.
Thanks again Les for the info.
Bill

[kokoprill]

Les,
Sorry, I did find the switch I think you were talking about.
It is below the lens above the f-stop ring. It is labeled M - B - Z with an indent for each. Guess I don't understand how B and Z are used. The shutter will only cock in M.

On the outer ring at 11 o'clock is what appears to me a connection for a cable release.

I guess what is throwing me is how to use the rolling blind shutter with the focal plane lens in place. Seems like there are really two shutters in one camera. Thought I was somewhat familar with lenses but can't seem to fully open the focal plane shutter, which seems logical to me in order to use the rolling blind shutter.
Am I really making any sense??

Here is a closeup I found of the lens itself.

Thanks again.
Bill

[Les]

Okay the front shutter is the iris shutter, the rear shutter is the rolling blind/focal plane shutter.

Yes you do have two shutters here. and you've noticed you can't cock the shutter on B&Z which is good, if your force it it will break.
On B&Z just trip the shutter lever, On B it will open as long as you hold it down, on Z it will open on the first trip, close on the second.

That's how you set up the front shutter to use the rear shutter.

For the slower setting on this lens a moving cylinder is used as an escapement (or is that escarpment?) Having used several of these, it's best to run the shutter a couple of times with the darkslide in place, then cock the shutter pull the darkslide and trip the shutter. this gives the most consistant exposures.

But you do have the unfortunate Graflex back.
The names will confuse but I'll try to be clear.
Graflex the company, made two types of cameras, Graphic cameras, like the Speed and Crown, and Graflex cameras. These are big boxes with a moveable mirror just like your SLR 35mm camera.

They used special film holders that didn't need a ground glass to hold them in place.

Some Speed Graphic cameras have this same back so that a photographer could use the same holders on both cameras.

In order to see the image on the Speed, they made a ground glass insert. The ground glass must be removed before the film holder can be mounted. If you got film holders with it great. If not you'll have to scrounge for them, they aren't easy to find, particularly in 5x7.

the silver thing near the bottom of the lens is a solenoid for using flash, the metal thing near the handle was to mount the flash (probably a Heiland)

From the folding viewfinder, It's pre-39.




[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2002-08-23 20:27 ]

[Gandolf]

Cameras were made in batches, most batches ranged from 100-3500, the average around 500. Occasionally there would be small batches.

yours was 3rd in a batch of 6 made in late the fall and winter of 1938.

[Les]

theare aren't any offical serial number dates for Zeiss of Jena, but there are a couple of employee constructed ones. Mine shows the 1 milliionth lens being made in Sept '29.

so I would confidently say your lens was made in from Jan-Sep of '29.

Is it original? mmm hard to say. a nine year gap is unusually large. I could make a case for either side.

A. It had a barrel lens on it originally and he wanted flash capability, so he put that on, and with it being a Heiliar, he didn't give up the speed of his old barrel lens (typicaly a tessar at f4.5)

or B. This is the original lens. The camera was made in '38 when flash was all the rage, they were having a difficult time getting lenses out of Germany with all of their polictical maneuverings and he got an older, but respectable lens. And since this was before coated lenses, This lens would be identical to one made in '38. Since most people didn't follow serial numbers, he wounldn't have been the wiser.

[kokoprill]

Boy that was a fast posting.
Appreciate all the info and advice Les.
I did get five double sheet film holders with all the darkslides with it, so don't have to search for those.
This does have the flip up back with ground glass focus screen. That then can be released to attach the film holders.

Could be fun if I can muster up the patience of the old photographers. Nowadays, everyone wants to pick up the digital, shoot and look. Where have the good ole days gone?
Thanks.
Bill

[Les]

They went that a way....along with that masked man, the guy in the cape with the S on his chest and the belief that In God we trust.

_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[womax]

Hi there,
Only some stupid question for the experts:
I just "ebayed" a Sp.Gr.5x7 and would
like to know about the approx.date of production. The speed-plate on the right
indicates "Folmer & Schwing Div./Eastman
Kodak Co."
That means: Not after '27,right?
The Ser.Nr.on the inside of the drop bed:
87794.
What about the Cooke Aviar 4,5 -8 1/4#?
Triplet? Soft Lens? Tessar-type?
Anyway-an absolutely outstanding piece of
U.S.craftmanship! Very interesting the
contrast to a contemp.Tech 13x18-
Robust,simple,lightweight-and,thanks to the
spring back:You can use the actual filmholders!With a cam older than my '46
Harley-D. WL!
Thank You in advance Wolfgang

[Les]

the "Division" nameplate went from '07 to around '17. The 'Around" part comes from the fact that while they officially changed their name from "division" To "department" in '17, they used all of the old name plates first. On low production cameras or ones with a high back log of name plates, the division name can be seen as late as the mid 20s. High production or low stock caused the switch much faster. In 1926 they went from "Folmer & Schwing Department of Eastman Kodak Co." to "Folmer Graflex Corp" Which saved a lot of space on the stationery I'm sure.

The Aviar is a symetrical 4 element lens, like the Dogmar, Celor, and Artar. Which means you can remove the front element, stop down and you'll get a good second focal lens about 1.7times normal. You lose 2 stops.

does this camera have a rather large lower plate in roughly the shape of a cross? There was a 5x7 Speed on ebay based in England I think that had this unusual plate with two knobs at the bottom to adjust the tension. i was wondering if you got this one.

[womax]

Hi Les,
Nope,no cross-shaped plate with 2 knobs.
The offer came from Germany.
Thanks for Your hints!
So long - Wolfgang

[Gandolf]

1918-1919