Graflex.org

[karnopp]

I just picked up a speed graphic with a side mounted rangefinder (4X5). I asked the fellow who sold it to me if the cam(s) were with it.
He said that side mounted Kalarts did not use cams, but that these could be adjusted for different focal length lenses.

Is there any details on how I might adjust the rangefinder?

Also, there is a distance scale on the bed. My guess is that this has to be changed for different lenses as well.

Any and all help will be deeply appreciated.

Bruce Karnopp

_________________
Bruce Karnopp
Arthur Thurnau Professor
Mechanical Engineering
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
bkarnopp@sbcglobal.net
karnopp@umich.edu

[alecj]

Bruce, the information you seek about the rangefinder may be found by researching the main Graflex.org board. He was right, the SR does not have cams.

If you want to change the lens on the camera, but keep the settings for your present lens, for scale focusing you will need another scale, and they are not easy to find since they were very carefully measured for specific focal lengths by Graflex. In addition, you would need another set of infinity stops for the bed. Finally, you'll need another viewfinder mask for the optical viewfinder.

Hope that helps.

[karnopp]

Thanks for the quick response. New lenses etc are not a huge deal for me since I have a Super Graphic. I wanted this Speed graphic to show students how neat these beasts are and were. And I have a barrel macro lens that I will use on this camera because of the focal plane shutter.

Bruce

_________________
Bruce Karnopp
Arthur Thurnau Professor
Mechanical Engineering
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
bkarnopp@sbcglobal.net
karnopp@umich.edu

[troublemaker]

Why would you want to set up the Kalart for a Macro Lens? And what is the focal length by the way. These Kalarts can range from being really nice to junk even for the standard focal length lenses, and can take anywhere from an hour to four or five depending on how much of a perfectionist one is. Forshort lenses like a 90mm, best close focus is about 3ft. I have a 80mm xenotar set up on a Century 2x3 that I fussed with with for at least four hours and it is dead on from infinity to four ft,and that is as good as it canbe sometimes. Generally, the longer the lens, the harder to adjust the RF. They get pretty uncooperative at about a 7" lens. It also depends greatly on the condition of the equipment.