Hello all,

A while back I was given a long term loan of an Anniversary Speed Graphic. It's in rough shape, to put it nicely, but I've got it hacked together well enough to at least get recognizable images out of it. Over time, I expect to do some pretty serious work in cleaning it up (new bellows, either new leather or taking it to bare wood and refinishing it, etc).

It came to me with one lens board and three lenses. Mounted on the lens board is a 1943 127/4.7 Kodak Ektar in a #2 Kodak Supermatic. This shutter appears to at least be close enough for print film, though the press button is inop. The verner scale on the bed appears to my eyes to be correct for this lens. It has a soleniod synchronizer, but when I get my homebrew cord to fire it, it doesn't appear to pull the shutter release far enough 90% of the time. It is currently mounted and has the soleniod off so that I can use it with a cable release.

Then there is the 135/4.7 Graflex Optar in a totally hosed Graphex Full Synchromatic shutter (Made by Wollensak for Graflex Inc ) The only thing that works on this lens is the focus hold open. If the FP shutter were anywhere near correct this would be a viable option. This lens may well be the length of the original lens on this old WWII vet as that is what focal length the Hugo Meyer RF appears to made for.

Finally I have a Wollensak 101/4.5 Raptar in a terribly cute Alphax shutter. It appears to be fully functional, but my understanding is that it's really a lens for the Century Graphic and would be a) more than a bit wide for my 4x5 Speed Graphic and b) not necessarily have a large enough circle. As a result, it's really out of consideration unless someone here needs one...

My questions revolve around what are my best options for general use of this camera:

A) Continue to use the current 127 lens and focus via GG/scale. I'd need a different VF mask than the #3, but those aren't that hard to find. If this is the case, I'd probably remove the Hugo Meyer.

B) Have the 135's shutter overhauled (yes, I do believe it is beyond a CLA. Based on the shutter repair manual at the one good gentleman's site, I believe there is at least one part missing in the slow escarpment.) However if this is done the RF is usable. This is a big plus to my style of photography as I want to use it handheld about 85-90% of the time. OTOH, this is probably way out of my budget as at best I'd be hard pressed these days to scrounge even $40 - 50 for that purpose.

C) Buy a new to me shutter that may or may not need a CLA. The biggest problem with this solution is the budget once again.

D) Mount the 135 as a barrel lens. The problem with this is that the FP shutter is slow at the low end and fast at the high end and I have not been able to find any documentation on the web to show me how to adjust this shutter. Is there some that I have missed? In many ways this is potentially the cheapest/easiest solution. Potentially only as I have never tried to service a FP shutter, I have no clue what kind of trouble I'd be getting myself into.

Which of these solutions would you recommend me following? Or if I've missed something, PLEASE feel free to tell me. My preference is to get a lens and RF combination working; beyond that I have no real preconceptions.

Thank you all,

William

A lot of folks disagree with my solutions to problems, but if it were me, I would adjust the rangefinder to infinity....fold down the infinity stops and, using the ground glass, adjust the lens board so that the 127 lens in working shutter is properly focused and readjust the infinity stops at that point. I would move...or make a new one to stick on...the focusing scale to agree. I would check to see how far off the rangefinder is at other, closer distances. You may luck out and have it close enough. As far as the solenoid not pulling in the shutter release enough, you can either adjust the solenoid or loosen the retaining ring on the shutter and rotate it slightly so that the solenoid will trip every time. If you're using it for flash sync that gets a little more complex. Fred.

It's interesting that the camera is calibrated for a lens that is probably too new for it. Most Annys came with the 127.

Folmer Graflex became Graflex Inc. (the name on the shutter) in 1945. So there's only two years that Annies could have come with that shutter. (If the name on the front slider is in italics, then it's a post '45 model)

I like to keep things original and Hugo meyer RFs are very good when matched with their proper lens. They can be adjust over a small variation but I doubt you'll get it to match the 127. I'd find a 135 to fit.

The 101 won't cover the film, so it's a dust collector unless you' have a roll back for it.

As I noted in another thread that I have open about the Hugo Meyer, I was wrong about it. When I went to remove it (save a little handhold wieght) I discovered that it was marked as being for the 5"/127mm lens. I've downloaded the adjustment directions though I have not, as yet, succeeded in adjusting it.

Oh, and the scale on the bed does appear to be correct for the 127mm lens as well - which also points to the idea of it being the original lens as well.

There is no dataplate on the camera, though the plate telling the FP shutter speeds is labled Folmer Graflex and by the serial on the lens, it was made in 1943. Perhaps it was stuck in a newer shutter?

I'm thinking that I'll stick to the 127mm as it was the usual Anniversary lens. I'm not a big stickler for re-enactor level authenticity; I do want a fully usable camera though and that includes getting the RF adjusted and working correcctly.

Then comes the rest of the renovation...

Thank you for the information here. This place and my copy of the 8th edition (June 47) of Graphic Graflex Photography are my primary resources for this wonderful learning experiance. Unlike some here, this is all new to me and I'm enjoying the heck out of it.

William

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: wlewisiii on 2005-08-03 11:39 ]</font>