I believe I have found a Speed Graphic 4x5 (based upon the film holders' size) cleaning out an attic. It has a side-mounted rangefinder and there is no significant corrosion. I was hoping that I could clean it up and have my passport to a "larger format obession". Embarrassing, but it is not obvious to me how to open it.

This question has come up here many times...
On the opposite side from the rangefinder where the leather handle is:
Just above the handle towards the front of the cameras, there should be a small bump in the leather covering. Push that bump in and the front should pop open. If you can't see a bump, you should be able to feel something there...

On some of those side rf models the bump to push is on the top, in line with the graflex label in the chrome rim on the front.

Thanks for the help.

Now that I have opened it, I believe that this is a pre-55 Pacemaker Speed Graphic (side mount Kalart and a focal plan shutter). It has an Ektar 127mm f4.7 lens in a Graphic Supermatic X shutter. Serial # 75xxxx.

The ground glass cleaned up very nicely and the lens and shutter appear in good shape. However, most of the cast aluminum pieces have a fair amount of oxidation. I have some work to do.

Questions! Is the eyepiece of the Focuscope supposed to rotate? If so, it is frozen. Suggestions as to how to unfreeze. Also, there is green material on many of the screws, especially holding the flash bracket and Kalart on. Did Graflex use a screw setting material, or is there copper hardware?

Thanks again. I haven't been this enthused for years. I'll keep you all posted on my discoveries.

Re: the focuscope, if it is the collapsable model, the one that telescopes into itself, then Yes the outside portion [toward eyepiece, away from camera] will rotate. If it is the fixed model, then there's no rotation without you screwing it on or off the rangefinder.

Brass is the underlaying metal of many parts. I have not seen any threadlocker used on any the 3 or 4 cameras I have worked on. I suspect the green you see on screws to be corrision.

_________________
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a quality photograph is worth a million.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2002-12-01 22:11 ]</font>

Reading your question about the focuscope again, I saw a new issue which I didn't address. If you are assuming that you turn the eyepiece to accomplish the focusing, that is wrong - the focus of the focuscope is fixed [hope that makes sense]. Although the eyepiece end of one model turns, that provides no demonstratable function.

In real terms, the focuscope is just a magnifier of the image being produced by the rangefinder. You cannot change that magnification on the focuscope. Don't know if that was your question, but that's MY answer to My interpretation of YOUR question.

My question derives from the eyepiece itself. When removed, there is the objective lens in its oversized carrier which in turn slides in a box channel. On one end of the carrier there is a brass pin that seats in a milled, eccentric - somewhat elliptical - groove in the eyepiece. My guess is that it is a contrivance to compensate for the parallax changes as the photographic subject becomes closer. The objective lens is most centered at infinity and rises in a slight counterclockwise arc (moves slightly to the right as it rises) as the eyepiece settings are changed for progressively closer subject viewing. The box channel piece appears as though it could/should rotate as the settings are changed, thereby allowing the lens to slide as pulled by the pin. ???

after reading your last explaination I believe you are talking about the viewfinder and not the rangefinder. You are correct, it is a parallax adjustment.
Keith

Quote:

On 2002-12-02 15:12, 35mmto4x5 wrote: My question derives from the eyepiece itself. When removed, there is the objective lens in its oversized carrier which in turn slides in a box channel. On one end of the carrier there is a brass pin that seats in a milled, eccentric - somewhat elliptical - groove in the eyepiece. My guess is that it is a contrivance to compensate for the parallax changes as the photographic subject becomes closer. The objective lens is most centered at infinity and rises in a slight counterclockwise arc (moves slightly to the right as it rises) as the eyepiece settings are changed for progressively closer subject viewing. The box channel piece appears as though it could/should rotate as the settings are changed, thereby allowing the lens to slide as pulled by the pin. ???

And this assembly sits on the top right (as viewed from behind) of the camera? If so it is the tubular viewfinder, and has nothing to do with the rangefinder.

The focuscope screws into the eyepiece of the Kalart Rangefinder on the side-rangefinder model of Graphic cameras.

Thanks for the clarification and sorry for the confusion. Does the eyepiece for the tubular viewfinder rotate (I seem to have rediscovered square one)?

Quote:

On 2002-12-02 19:50, 35mmto4x5 wrote: Thanks for the clarification and sorry for the confusion. Does the eyepiece for the tubular viewfinder rotate (I seem to have rediscovered square one)?

Yes, it rotates for parallax compensation. About the confusion, it comes with the territory. Graflex-speak and the common language don't have that much in common, the terminology used by Graflex confuses everyone.