First, a little background on me: Until recently I’ve never handle a Graflex camera. My photographic experience is limited to Nikon 35mm film and digital SLR equipment. So understand that most things about this camera are totally unfamiliar to me. I’m posting here in hopes of learning anything about this equipment. If somebody could point me a source such as a PDF version of the manual I’d be really grateful.

Via estate liquidation I've come to possess a Graflex camera that looks as if it was never used. The bellows material is perfect – glossy and pliant without scratches or tears. The metal parts look new to the eye and every adjustment, rail, thumbscrew works smoothly. On its back is a pop-up hood from the focusing screen. It looks like it uses single frame film rather than roll film, but I can’t find any way to mount film or open the back. It has a side-mounted Kalart rangefinder (sn D59674), which I understand dates this camera to 1955 or earlier. The camera itself shows the serial number as 890184. The lens is a Graflex Optar F4.7 135mm (no. 923857). Underneath the lens it says “(X)Synchromatic made by Wollensak for Graflex, Inc.” Whether that refers to the lens or the shutter, I know not. The shutter speeds range from 1/400 to Bulb and Time. There are two brass or bronze nipple-like projections on the lens housing in the 4 o’clock position that look like they may comprise an electrical contact, an attachment point for a timer mechanism?

There is a little cylindrical “dohicky” that seems to coupled with the shutter release that is really mysterious to me. It’s attached to the lens mounting by a small bracket to the left of and slightly below the lens.

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On 2006-07-22 09:54, Cpl Punishment wrote: First, a little background on me: Until recently I’ve never handle a Graflex camera. My photographic experience is limited to Nikon 35mm film and digital SLR equipment. So understand that most things about this camera are totally unfamiliar to me. I’m posting here in hopes of learning anything about this equipment. If somebody could point me a source such as a PDF version of the manual I’d be really grateful. Via estate liquidation I've come to possess a Graflex camera that looks as if it was never used. The bellows material is perfect – glossy and pliant without scratches or tears. The metal parts look new to the eye and every adjustment, rail, thumbscrew works smoothly. On its back is a pop-up hood from the focusing screen. It looks like it uses single frame film rather than roll film, but I can’t find any way to mount film or open the back. It has a side-mounted Kalart rangefinder (sn D59674), which I understand dates this camera to 1955 or earlier. The camera itself shows the serial number as 890184. The lens is a Graflex Optar F4.7 135mm (no. 923857). Underneath the lens it says “(X)Synchromatic made by Wollensak for Graflex, Inc.” Whether that refers to the lens or the shutter, I know not. The shutter speeds range from 1/400 to Bulb and Time. There are two brass or bronze nipple-like projections on the lens housing in the 4 o’clock position that look like they may comprise an electrical contact, an attachment point for a timer mechanism? There is a little cylindrical “dohicky” that seems to coupled with the shutter release that is really mysterious to me. It’s attached to the lens mounting by a small bracket to the left of and slightly below the lens.

Welcome to the wonderful world of self-help. Go to the http://www.graflex.org welcome, find the link for the site map, and work your way down it. Its much, much easier for you to find what's already been entered than for anyone to type it again.

After you've done that, if you still have questions by all means come back and ask about what you couldn't figure out for yourself with the help of material already posted in more-or-less plain view.

With a serial number of 890184, it should be a Pacemaker model. you can get the manuals from:

http://www.southbristolviews.com

under Graflex Manuals.

All your questions will be answered by them or this forum. Just do some reading and searching through these forums...

Anything left over, feel free to ask...

I thought Pacemakers had the rangerfinder on top. This one has the side-mounted rangefinder. Did some Pacemakers have the earlier syle rangefinder?

I've read some of the PDFs referenced to earlier (many thanks, btw). From what I could gather the Pacemaker was a varient of the Speed model. Mine has the words "Crown Graphic" on the lens board. It has a leaf shutter behind the lens and there's no provision for a focal plane shutter. I also now know what the "dokickey" is: It's the flash sync! I'm still baffled by the two bronze projections from the lens housing.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Cpl Punishment on 2006-07-25 19:16 ]</font>

The two brass poles are the bi-pole flash syc, it was quite commong for a long time, I have several shutters with the brass bi-poles, I have an adapter cord that allows me to use my modern PC terminal flashes with it, very simple really.

Dave Parker

"Pacemaker" is the model name of both the Crown and Speed. See:
http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/graphic-models.html

The pdf manuals should reference both the Speeds and Crowns as do the repair manuals.

If it's any consolation, I've had more than a bit of "fun" finding very obviously available information here. Most recently, I wasn't able to find information on adjusting a flash synchronizer solenoid that was right in front of my nose. Perhaps I typo-ed the search? Shrug. No matter. The information you are looking for, as with what I tend to look for, is probably here somewhere. Use the search function wisely but don't forget that fact when some get curt about using said search & reading everything at South Bristol first.

6 of one; half a dozen of the other. Good luck & good light either way... I just want my #22 bulbs to get here...

William

The solenoid allows one to trip the shutter and fire a flash bulb via a Graflite or simular bulb flash while the bi-post on the lens allows for the lens to fire the flash. If the shutter has both M and X sync then flash bulbs (M) or strobe (X) can be used. Bi-post to Many styles of flash sync are readily available at good camera stores carrying large format cameras or studio lighting.
Pacemaker's came into being in 1947 with no, kalart, or hugo mayer side rangefinders. In 1955 they switched to Graflex top rangefinders but side rangefinder cameras dating thru 1956 do exist. Crowns only exist in the pacemaker series.
So figure out what control does what, verify that they work correctly, and go shoot something.
Charles

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On 2006-07-25 19:00, Cpl Punishment wrote: I thought Pacemakers had the rangerfinder on top. This one has the side-mounted rangefinder. Did some Pacemakers have the earlier syle rangefinder?

As I understand it (and I'm new to this world!), within the Pacemaker "era", until about 1955, the side-mounted rangefinder (usually Kalart) was used, whereas after that (still under the "Pacemaker" banner) the top-mounted Graflex rangefinder was used.

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I've read some of the PDFs referenced to earlier (many thanks, btw). From what I could gather the Pacemaker was a varient of the Speed model. Mine has the words "Crown Graphic" on the lens board.

Pacemaker was an "era", and both Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic models were made under that "banner". The Pacemaker name did not actually appear on the cameras.

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It has a leaf shutter behind the lens and there's no provision for a focal plane shutter.

The Speed Graphic had the focal-plane shutter, the Crown Graphic didn't. That is in fact the distinction between those two models.

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I also now know what the "dokickey" is: It's the flash sync!

That is probably the solenoid used to trip the shutter when the flash is the boss. This was mainly useful with shutters that did not have flash sync capability (even though yours does), or to allow operation with flash lamps with a shutter that only has sync foi electronic flash (yours is like that).

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I'm still baffled by the two bronze projections from the lens housing.

That sounds like the "bipost" flash sync connector, used for the mode when the shutter is the boss.

The "(x) Sychromatic" refers to the shutter, which is a Wollensak Rapax (often marked "Graphex" when made for use on a Graflex camera).. The "(x)" means that the only kind of flash sync it offers is "x sync", which is for triggering electrionic flash units only (does not have available theshutter delay possibilities needed to work with flash lamps.

The other flavor of that shutter line is marked "Full Synchromatic". It has a little selector for controlling the shutter delay. One position is "x", which means "no delay".

_________________
Best regards,

Doug


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Doug Kerr on 2006-07-27 06:37 ]</font>