Graflex.org

[owaite]

Hello everyone - Just acquired a PH - 47 - E Grayflex (I think its the anniversary model It has the Kodak Supermatic 4.7 400 lens. Its in really good shape for a camera from 1941.

I am struggling to understand the verner focus scales on the rails. it has two scales one on the outside the other on the inside rail, but no arrow to help determine the focus. What is the correct way to rad this? I assume the 8's line up the subject is 8 feet away, but what happens between the various numbers? thanks for any help and I look forward to reading all the material on the forum.
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Oliver Waite

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. The scale on the bed rail -- this is the one that moves -- should have an arrow at the front and markings for 50, 100 and infinity. The fixed scale should have markings for 4, 6, 8, ... , 50, 100, infinity. At any rate my 4 2x3 Pacemaker Graphics are like this.

If the RF is set up for the lens mounted and the scales for that focal length and the lens is at the infinity stops, when the infinity marks (fixed and moving scales) coincide the lens should be focused at infinity. Similarly for the 100 and 50 marks. For closer distances the arrow will point at the focused distance.

The arrow is at the front of the moving scale, just behind the mounting screw. I think it is painted on. It might have been rubbed off.

[William Hallett]

The Anniversary Speed Graphic does not have the arrow; it is a vernier sort of scale as you have described. You match up the lines with the same numbers to focus. For intermediate distances that are not on the scales you will just have to eyeball it. You do not have to be ultra-precise - remember that the whole purpose of this kind of scale is to magnify the distance between the different scale points. The actual distance the slide moves is much smaller.
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WilliamH