I posted a thread earlier about what turned out to be a miniature speed graphic I bought off ebay. First of all I'm happy I kept this camera as it is a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship and a bit cheaper to use than a 4x5. That said I'm probably eventually going to buy a 4x5 graphic off ebay so I can play with some alternative processes like cyanotype and such. The question now is how do I go about determining what it is I'm looking at? Is the rangefinder to body ratio a good or even reasonably indicator of format? Are there any other good indicators of format? I'm pretty sure with the pictures in the model section of this fine website I can identify the different models fairly closely but is there anything else I should look for? What would be a reasonable price for a pacemaker (top or side rangefinder) or anniversary around just barely acceptable to good condition?

Now that I have the 2x3 I find it fairly easy to differentiate them what do you use to tell if it is a 3x4 camera? And thanks for the advice.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250297132315

Opinion?

For Anniversary& Pre Ann Models:
The 3x4 Speed uses slide lock both top and bottom to hold the lens in There's also a radius cut into each of the sliders to clear the shutter. which isn't on the 4x5. Also the shutter speed table is usually on top since there isin't enough room to put it on the side like the 4x5.

The 4x5 uses only a top slider. In most cases the shutter table is on the side between the top and bottom Focal Plane controls.
Miniature speed: The lens takes up more than 3/4 of the lens board, and the lock on the front standard is opened by pinching two ears, rather than rotating a lever under the front standard.

Pacemaker Speeds
The focal plane shutter control panel has a bumped out section in the lower half. On 4x5 cameras that bump out or crease is straight across and above the bi-post socket for the flash. On 3x4 and 2x3 that crease has a curve in it.

Pacemaker Crowns (and SPeeds)
Watch ebay for photos. 4x5 cameras have decent distance between the ground and the body release and the release and the side rangefinder (if it has one) on the 3x4 things get cramped, and on 2x3 there's actually a cut out on the trim for the body release for the rangefinder.

Okay to see if I have this right. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=140268717723 this has some characteristics of the 3x4 camera (the shutter chart on the top) but seems to me like it might actually be a 4x5 camera (rangefinder seems to be too high off the ground to be a 3x4). What do you think?

What I did was to look at the spacing around the lens. And I was looking for the Graflock back.

monkeykoder wrote:

Okay to see if I have this right. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=140268717723 this has some characteristics of the 3x4 camera (the shutter chart on the top) but seems to me like it might actually be a 4x5 camera (rangefinder seems to be too high off the ground to be a 3x4). What do you think?

tis a 4x5. No bottom slider. No cut outs in the sliders. (that's about the only absolute I've found in the Graflex world--3x4 Annies have top and bottom sliders and there's a radius cut out of both.

Thanks for the help it makes this process a lot easier.

Is it just me or are prices at a temporary high?

They know I'm buying. Now when I go to sell, the price will drop faster than
AIG stock.

So YOU'RE the one driving up prices I just want a decent speed graphic for about $250-$275 with a lens and a couple film holders is that too much to ask?

A couple Xmas's ago I was getting 425.00 for nicely refurbished Speeds and 325.00 for my Crowns. Then prices dropped for a while, but they seem to be back for a few months. Maybe it's time to unload my extras.

Les, keep shopping for a few weeks until I get back from my Nevada-Utah backcountry tour. Thanks !

Here's a good example of the 3x4 Pacemaker Speed. Notice the thick part of the FP shutter cover moves around the bi-post shutter sync. On a 4x5 that's a straight line above the sync socket.

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRAFLEX-SPEED-GRAPHIC-Large-Format-Camera-Ektar-lenses_W0QQitemZ220290786763QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15247QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looking at Shutterfinger's "Not the Serial Number Book List, But..." it seems that the 75XXXX block of serial numbers were probably all 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 format cameras. Not a definite spotting factor but it might help you.

C. Henry

I think I looked at that exact camera earlier and decided not to buy it for that exact reason. This isn't as hard as I thought. Though I'm probably going to wait a while on the next speed graphic until money builds back up.