Graflex.org

EASmithV · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 20

I hope I'm posting this in the right place...

Well, My 4x5 Pacemaker Speed Graphic, unusually enough, never had a viewfinder tube or Kalart rangefinder, as the covering is perfectly intact with no holes. These are two things which I would really like to have, and if anyone has a spare viewfinder and Kalart for a 4x5 Pacemaker in good and working condition, please send an email to easmithv at gmail.com.

I have heard that the mounting pattern changed a little over the years, so In order to get one that fits, I am putting some pictures of my mounting holes below;

http://i28.tinypic.com/291don8.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/29xbx3s.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/x1ztcl.jpg

Thank you very much!
Eric Smith

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

An FP model Pacemaker without any range finder is INCREDIBLY RARE. ebay is littered with Pacemakers that have been stripped for guys that want to shave a few grams off of their camera because it's easier than shaving a few pounds off of themselves.

To find one that came this way from the factory only to add a Kalart RF is akin to making a sow's ear out of a silk purse.

Keep this one for use as a view camera, find a common one with a Kalart or Graphic RF and have fun.
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"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

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

I agree with Les; Pacemaker cameras that were never fitted with rangefinders are rare and should be left alone. I have a Crown 45 like this, and prize it because it never had the RF. Any collector would love to have it in its original state. There are plenty of RF equipped cameras for you to get.

troublemaker · Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Posts: 715 Location: So Cal

Yup, I've got bodies with Kalarts and finders....
Trade ya...

msswis · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Minnesota

Do you have any idea what percentage of cameras were/were not fitted with rangefinders?

Some time ago I stumbled on an Anniversary 3x4 Speed with a Graflex back; it had never been fitted with a RF, and was equipped with a 135mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar in dial Compur. This combination of features seemed very unusual to me. I bought it because I wanted the lens and also so I could use the Graflex back as an option for focussing my 3x4 Super D, but now I wonder what kind of rarity it must be.

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Range finders in the 30s and 40s were looked upon much like photographers looked at electronic shutter releases and auto focus lenses when they first came out.

"No self respecting photographer would have such a thing"

but then they did.

The Kalart RF came out in '36 or '37, so it's pretty common for a Pre Ann not to have an range finder.

Anniversary cameras, were often photographed for the Graflex catalog without rangefinders because they were an extra cost accessory. An exact percentage can't be calculated, but I would hazard a guess that somewhere around 5% or less of the Annies that were made left without rangefinders.

Pacemakers, on the other hand, switched the paradigm. With Annies you ordered the camera. The lens, flash, and rangefinder were all added cost optionson. With Pacemakers one catalog number was a complete camera with one specific lens and rangefinder. Yes you could order a camera without an RF, but since RF had become common and practically standard on all Pacemakers, you probably had to special order it. Particularly by the time the Model FP came out.
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"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

troublemaker · Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Posts: 715 Location: So Cal

Les my '53 catalog shows prices for bodies with optical finder, Kalart being additional option on Pacemakers and Century cameras. However, the price includes instalation.

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

It looks like all this hit the fan in '59. According to my '59 price list...

a C-93 was a Crown with a 135mm Optar in a full sync Graphex shutter
a CF-93 was the same camera with a Graphic rangefinder
a CF-93A was all of the above + a 3 cell Graflite w/5" reflector.
a CF93B was all of the above + a solenoid

My '58 catalog still shows both the Kalart and the Graphic RF as accessories.

The exception to his was the "Special Promotional Crown Graphic" which came out around '55. It included a Kalart RF and a Xenar lens in a Synchro-compur shutter but without a fresnel lens or optical viewfinder (the shoe was included) at a special price.
These were originally brought out to get rid of the leftover pre-top RF bodies but camera proved to be so popular it was continued as simply the the Crown Special. At one point it was coupled with a 2 cell Graflite Jr.
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

troublemaker · Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Posts: 715 Location: So Cal

And my Tydings guide to the Speed, Crown and Century shows all three on the cover less Kalarts. Kinda cool. By the way, that's one wierd book. Never seen a worse organized manual than that, but it does contain a bunch of info. What were they thinking?

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

I'm guessing the Tydings books ( he did books on voigtlander, leica, argus, and Kodak miniature cameras) are templates and the stuff gets plugged in. If it doesn't fit quite right, well.

They were cheap books to make and if they spent more than two weeks putting them together, I'd be surprised.
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison