Just took delivery of my nifty new (to me) 2x3 Crown graphic. Here are my questions:
1. On the top of the camera opposite the view finder and behind the little Graflex emblem is a small "U" shaped bracket. What is the function of the bracket? It doesn't look like an after market "add-on", and why is it aimed at a 45 degree angle to the center.
2. the serial number is 731262 - can anyone date the camera from that?
3. finally, the camera is equipped with a 65mm Angulon and has two distance scales - one on either side of the bed. Am I safe in assuming that one is for the wide angle and the other for a 101mm "normal" lens. Was it common for this 65mm lens to be ordered on a new camera?
thanks,
Wayne

I can help some. Re: #1, that bracket is for a cloth-covered cable release which came standard on the Century. If you have a Pacemaker Crown 23 Graflex with a right-hand, built in body release, then this bracket was added at a later time as it wasn't standard on that camera. There is a slot in it into which is inserted the screw near the plunger of the release. You've probably seen those releases - they are short. The other end was [naturally] attached to the lens. The purpose was for the user to use that release as a left-hand release [using the left thumb - it worked great for me]. If yours is at an angle, it can be straightened, since it is attached by only one screw through the center. Normally it was set parallel with the direction the camera faced. When Graflex later issued the XL camera, with a neat left-handed grip with a built-in cable release, somebody had the bright idea to make a version for the 23 sized cameras [they won't fit the 45 series]. For those who had those handles, these brackets were removed. Assuming you have a builtl-in release as well, maybe it didn't work, or a prior owner just wanted to trip the camera with his left hand. That's what I did too, especially when using flash, as there is only so much you can do with the right hand, like holding the camera, focusing, film changing, etc. This gives the left hand something to do!

Can't answer #2. Les or somebody else will.

Re: #3, you could order the camera with any lens, or combination of lenses you wanted [and could pay for], or it was easy enough to have the proper focus scale and infinity stops [there are two sets of those to, aren't they?] added. If you'll take them off the body [not the part inside the track, but the outside part that's held on w/2 screws, and post the numbers on the back, we can tell you which lens they were made for. I hope your 65mm lens is as good as the one I had. Made great negatives!



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: alecj on 2002-01-24 21:09 ]</font>

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