How can one tell these three backs from each other by typical photos on auction sites (or up close for that matter)? Thanks heaps.

Well, you could first look through this site, then do a search. Took me less than 5 minutes to come up with:

http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?topic=1525&forum=1
and
http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?topic=2436&forum=1

and there's more...

On Graphic and Graflok backs, you must pull the ground glass away from the camera to slide the film holder in. To help the photographer do this, the ground glass assembly has "ears" on the right side (rangefinder side) that allow you to grab it.

With Graflex backs, the ground glass assembly must be removed completely before inserting a film holder.

Thus the Graflex back, if shown with a ground glass, does NOT have those ears on the right side but has a small leather tab to help you hold it.

In most ebay photographs those ears are visable in a front 3/4 photograph.

I found some expamples over on ebay. I'm going to claim this is under the fair use section of copyright law since its for educational purposes, but at the same time I won't keep them up for long.

The first example is of a Graflok back. It could just as easily be a Graphic or Spring back. The ears or horns are identified and you can clearly see them in the front shot.



The second if of a Top Handle with a Graflex back. You'll notice on the rear shot the Graflex does not have any springs and only one slider at the top. No ears either. They did make Pacemaker Graphics with Graflok backs but they are hard to find.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Les on 2005-07-06 19:22 ]</font>