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Combat Graphic 127mm

 
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troublemaker



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

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:50 am    Post subject: Combat Graphic 127mm Reply with quote

I have one of these. Got it about a year ago and just opened the box it came in... Kodak Anastigmat Special 127mm 4.7 so they call it.
I guess special as it looks to me like it is made differently than the regular Anastigmat or Ektar 127 tessars. The outer element screws out to make focus, which makes it Special? The glass looks like it may be quite good after I clean tomorrow. The #2 shutter is in excellent like new condition once I pout it thru a good service.
Anyone know the range of focus with this set up on the Combat Graphic?
Just curious. I'll have it cleaned up tomorrow and can stick it on lens board and see what it tells me on a GG. The glass looks coated.
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Dan Fromm



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2119
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

See http://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/KA_KASIntr.htm

FWIW, I think he's mistaken and that some pre-1946 Anastigmat Specials are identical to later Ektars. I think the 127/4.7 is one of the lenses for which this is true. I could be wrong twice.
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troublemaker



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

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very informative Dan thanks, but I don't see this lens there.
Are there some other Kodak Anastigmats do you know that have this separated front element that is screwed in and out for focussing? I'm wondering maybe that is how the focus works on Kodak 35 that competed with Argus?
I just found it interesting, and I'll try it when I get home this evening.
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Les



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

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I"m not sure if they tweaked the Ektar for this job or just used Ektar glass. Remember that this is not a pre Ektar lens, It's entirely possible, even plausible that given the time constraints, they used Ektar glass and put it a focus mount. It's 'specialness' could be from the mount or that it's uncoated, which is why it couldn't carry the Ektar name.

The flash synchronizer is also unique to this and the C-4 camera (the Air Force's Mini Speed.

From everything I could find, they only made one batch of lenses, all tagged EE (1944) and Graflex used them for the entire production run, which certainly lasted through '46-'47.

From my repair manual it looks like the at least the RF version of the Kodak 35 used front cell focusing. So did the early Auto Graflex Jr
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troublemaker



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

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Les,
Yup, it's an EE date code. And yes the flash synch and release lever are unique. The lens came on the Combat board with the release. Wish I had the rest of the camera. I'm still looking for one worth refurbishing.
The glass doesn't look quite like standard Ektar 127 tessar elements, but I could be thrown off by the deep focus mount on the front, which I'll compare this evening when I clean it. It is only the very forward element of the front group which is in the focus screw mount. Nothing else moves. So I was wondering if they did triplet type with a supplemental magnifier type set up.
Also, I have a lot of Ektars and quite a few that have gone across my desk, and this one looks coated. Which this doesn't surprise me at all since I would expect lenses produced during '44 to be of the best quality available. I have a couple coated Ektars that are not marked with the Luminized L from about the same period. Everything post war is marked Luminized that I have seen.
Anyway, the focussing screw mount front element looks similar to me to the set up on the Early Kodak 35's with the gearing, so I was wondering about it. Like I said, I'll have it on a Pacemaker board shortly and see what it tells me.
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troublemaker



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

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks good. Glass cleaned up nicely. Images on GG are very sharp. As far as focus, it seems the thing is quite happy wherever I set it, and it focusses pretty close. I'll have to get it out in the daylight and set it up for infinity and take some measurements.
As far as what elements look like, it does look pretty similar to a 127 Ektar, so could be, and about equally sharp as a good one.
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bruiser



Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 260
Location: Northern NSW Australia

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all,

Just dragged out the Anastigmat Special equipped Combat 45 camera and it focuses down to around 4 feet.

I believe the Anastigmat Special was so called because if its focusing ability, not the lens coating, as the two EE date code ones I have are coated and two earlier EY date code ones are not. All are in Supermatic 2 shutters, either black for the Combat/Graphic 45 cameras or silver for the Kodak Monitor and Vigilant cameras.

Cheers,
Bruce
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pv17vv



Joined: 22 Dec 2001
Posts: 255
Location: The Ardennes, Belgium

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From the Kodak Reference Handbook ©1945

Kodak Anastigmat Specials are made in a variety of focal lengths and in relative apertures of f/3.5 and f/4.5 and are supplied in various Kodaks.They are highly corrected and made according to the most reliable optical formulas and to very exact specifications, taking full advantage of recent progress in the optical field.

[...]

LENSES ON KODAKS

Kodak Anastigmat Special f/3.5, 50 mm. (as used on Kodak 35)
Kodak Anastigmat Special f/4.5, 51 mm. (as used on Kodak 35)
Kodak Anastigmat Special f/4.5, 47 mm. (as used on Kodak Bantam)
Kodak Anastigmat Special f/4.5, 100 mm., 101 mm. and 127 mm. (as used on Kodak Monitors and Vigilants)

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

From the Kodak Handbook - Notebook News, May 1947

NEW NAMES FOR KODAK LENSES

Kodak Anastar Lenses. Those Kodak lenses formerly known as Kodak Anastigmat Special are being named Kodak Anastar Lenses. Designed for use on amateur cameras employing the convenience of front-element focusing, such as the Kodak 35 f/3.5 with rangefinder, the Kodak Bantam f/4.5, and the Kodak Monitor Six-20 with Flash supermatic Shutter, Kodak Anastar Lenses usually consist of four elements. They are unsurpassed in this field and approach Ektar lenses closely in definition and color correction at generally used lens-to-subject distances. In particular, Anastar lenses on Kodak 35 or Bantam cameras yield outstandingly sharp Kodachrome transparencies. These lenses are not available separately.
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