Graflex.org

disemjg · Joined: 10 Jan 2002 Posts: 474 Location: Washington, DC

My latest addition to my Graflex fleet is a really nice 5X7 Speed, courtesy of Midwest (thanks, Jim). No RF, but for all I know they did not fit them to the big cameras.

The serial number is 188090; any luck on a date?

One interesting point is that the camera has two focusing scales. They appear to be thin ivory with the scales etched and painted. They are also marked "No. 5" and "No. 2", so the question is what focal length are they for? The No. 2 is positioned at approximately the right place to show infinity with the fitted lens, while the No. 5 is nearly all the way towards the front of the bed and is obviously for something long.

The lens on the camera is a Goerz 7" Dagor f6.8, series III No. 2, in Compound.

It will be fun to use a hand held 5X7; I will have to set my Korona aside for a bit while I try out the Graphic.

disemjg · Joined: 10 Jan 2002 Posts: 474 Location: Washington, DC

And for my own camera, Mckeown's gives a range of serials 183,298 through 229,310, for dates 1934 ~ 1937. So for my 5X7 I am guessing 1934 or maybe 1935. This is backed up by the details on my camera, such as the folding optical finder vice the later tube found on the late 5X7 Speeds. I think the tube finders came in 1939.

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

Congrats on your find! Mine is 229xxx, so probably around '37. It has had a second flip up finder added for vertical shots. It has a number 33 Kodak Anastigmat in a dial set Compur. These are an ominous sight to behold when hand held. BIG! Let us know how that works out for you.

_________________
Glenn

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

disemjg · Joined: 10 Jan 2002 Posts: 474 Location: Washington, DC

Glenn:

Having two of those neat flip-up optical finders is a nice touch. This camera has only one, with no provision for verticals except the sportsfinder. On another pre-Annie I have, the flip-up optical finder has etched outlines of both vertical and horizontal coverage, so maybe later they got wise and took care of that issue.

And yes, it is very big. When I took it out of the box all I could do was gawk at it. It almost looks like a gag prop. And its not every day you see a 5X7 focal plane shutter.

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

Actually, the second finder on mine looks like it was intended for a 4X5 camera. It looks like it was added when the camera was new. I sure hope I have the time and energy to use mine this summer. Contact prints is te basis for acquiring the thing and they should be awesome. Hope you enjoy yours.

Gandolf · Joined: 26 Dec 2001 Posts: 328 Location: middle earth