Well, here is the first of many questions...
I have a Speed Graphic that I guess is early 1950's, (#828780), with a Graphex "X" shutter and Optar 135mm lens.
The camera has a square shaped viewfinder on the top, and a Hugo Meyer rangefinder mounted on the right side.

Now my questions - The 'viewfinder' on top has a rear lens that turns, and is marked 6,8,15 and infinity. What is this for? It does nothing as far as I can tell.

With the side (Hugo Meyer) rangefinder - I've found the instruction page for how to adjust it, but what the heck am I looking for when I look through this rangefinder? Does it need batteries? I basically see a sorta blurred image with some reddish tint to it.

Thanks for any input you may have!

john

the rear dial adjust for parallax. as you dial it to smaller numbers (closer subject disance) the pupil moves up so you look more down on the subject. It's crude, mine's been set at inf for years.

For the RF, you should see two super-imposed images, as you move the focus knob these images should move as well. For a given distance they should come together and make one image. Occasionally the images are off side to side which makes accurate focus a bit more difficult.

to check the accuracy of the RF focus on a spot at about 50 ft. Then look at the RF. Does it coinside? Check it again at 25, 12 and maybe 6.
If you get all of them to agree, go buy a lottery ticket, cuz you are one lucky man!!!

Welcome to Graflex, John. If you'll look carefully at the image as you turn that scale, you'll see you have to move your eye to keep it centered throughout the movement. That represents the change in image seen by the lens from far to near, also called parallax. Put another way, for your pics taken of a subject at infinity, use the infinity setting. As your subject comes closer, choose the appropriate setting, in feet. The viewfinder won't adjust for a subject closer than 6 ft.

The rangefinder is designed to project two images. When you focus the camera, those images are supposed to coincide when the lens is in focus of that subject. In older cameras, the silvered mirror becomes dim over time. Look carefully and see if you don't see that second image coming onto the first.

Your questions are always welcome.

Thanks for the info folks!
After looking a bit closer at things, I can see that the viewfinder does indeed change (very slightly) when the adjustment is turned!

I can finally see the rangefinder working also, at least at infinity and about 25 feet I can see the images line up.

Thanks for the assistance!

You will also find a parallax adjustment on the wire frame "sport finder". It has click stops for the upper section at the same distances (marked on the side) as the optical finder. Adjusting either finder forces you to raise the camera slightly at closer distances to compensate for the distance between the center of the lens and the view finder.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Daryl J on 2002-10-20 18:40 ]</font>