I'm working on a pre-anniversary camera with a Hugo-Meyer rangefinder. I thnk I've seen one once with a flash mount of some sort screwed to the top of the housing. I know the black Kalart finders would support the weight of the camera when held by the flash, being cast in one piece, but would a Hugo Meyer rangefinder housing be strong enough? Clearly once someone thought so. I don't know how much use/abuse this camera will eventually be getting, but I was curious. Also, I havn't investigated if this rangfinder is for the lens that came with the camera... focal lengths were printed on the bottom if the finders, right? Second question is about the Graflex backs: were they made for anniversary models (yes, a whole different camera; I'm a busy beaver)? If so, anyone have ideas on their availability out there, any place that I might look for one before I start modifying a spring back to accept my bag mag? Thanks.

jeff

Ooops, I should note that in both cases I'm looking to restore these cameras to a wwii or pre-wwii state, so a Graflock back won't work for the bag-mag... I'll just bite the bullet and screw on different backs when I need to go from bag mag to regular film holders. I'm a glutton for punishment.

jeff

Some cameras had a bracket over the rangefinder to better support the load. If your rangefinder doesn't but has a flat, raised bar to accept the older flash, it doesn't sound like it needs it.

I'll give my usual recommendation here to check the main Graflex.org site - lots of good info there, including this:

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/features.html#HugoMeyerRangeFinder

Someone else can more accurately address your other questions.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: alecj on 2003-03-01 14:05 ]</font>

Concerning the Hugo Meyers, I have several, and none have any way of attaching a flash bracket. What the cameras do have, is a bracket that attachs to the body, and the 2 screws on the non-removable viewfinder. There is a cutout in the bracket to look thru the rangefinder. Send me private mail, I can maybe help. Russ

The camera with the Hugo Meyer rangefinder was originally equipped with the pop-up viewfinder. I do have a bracket that will fit the camera over the rangefinder but it attaches to the shoe of a Kalart-type tube viewfinder (I've seen these on many pre-Pacemaker cameras). I'd rather not attach the the tube finder since the camera did not originally come with it... but then the camera was probably never used with a flash and has several modifications to accomodate the rangefinder, so maybe I will. Decisions, decisions. I've seen a few brackets that accomodate the rangefinder's viewing windows and even hold the focuscope, and would love to use one of those if I could attach it without needing to add the tube finder. Russ, I will contact you shortly... I have all sorts of ideas, just wanted to get some opinions from others. Thanks.

jeff

Sending you a photo of a bracket for the Hugo Meyer, but it still looks like it is attached to the body rather than the rangefinder.Russ