[LargeFormat] Re: Crown Graflex 4x5 camera

[Les Newcomer]

I use a 6.8 90mm Angulon all the time on my Crown.  I've found that if I 
drop the bed, then pull the standard outon the rails until it stops, 
that's pretty close to infinity. Ground glass focusing is a must in this 
situation. If you remove the lensboard and look at the hole in the front 
standard available for lenses, you can quickly see there's no room for a 
recessed board. Richard is correct in that the shortest focal length 
usable on a crown is limited to the thickness of the collapsed bellows 
plus a bit.  I've used a 58mm Grandagon successfully. a 90 is the widest 
you can get and still get some rise, shorter than this and the lens 
resides in the body and the wire frame hits the top.

Les
On Tuesday, August 13, 2002, at 03:01 PM, Richard Knoppow wrote:

> At 03:53 PM 08/13/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I just purchase a very clean Crown Graflex 4x5 w/ 135mm lens.  
>> Questions I
>> have is the Crown Graflex limited to the types of lens it can use.  I 
>> have
>> Caltar II N 90mm 6.8 lens and I use that for my Toyo view.  Can I use 
>> this
>> lens for the Crown without a recessed lens board?  Or do they make a
>> recessed lens board for the Crown?  Also, the 135mm lens has a bi-post
>> connection for strobe use.  I have a bi-post to household adapter.  I 
>> tried
>> a test shoot and it didn't fire.  I jiggled the adapter it fired and 
>> didn't
>> fire.  Do I need to clean the bi-post contact, it does have some 
>> blacking on
>> the posts.  Or should have looked at by a service center.  I tested 
>> the lens
>> using polaroid film and there was no problem with available light.
>> Exposures was perfect.  All the shutter speeds work and the aperature 
>> blades
>> are clean.  Thanks for your help.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Frank L.
>>
>   Crown and Speed Graphics do not need recessed lens boards. The 
> standard
> is used on the inside part of the focus track. You will have to find the
> approximate infinity position wiht the aid of the ground glass. You may 
> or
> may not have to use the drop bed for 90mm but you definitely will for
> shorter lenses. My Speed Graphics (four of various ages and models) will
> take a 65mm Super Angulon  without trouble.
>   Clean the bipost prongs with some contact cleaner to get the oxidation
> off. You can also polish then using a bit of ordinary bond writing 
> paper.
> Don't use abrasive, its not necessary.
>   Its also possible that the contact inside the shutter is oxidized. 
> This
> is almost certainly a synch Graphex shutter. They are identical to the
> Wollensak Rapax, a good shutter capable of being quite accurate when
> serviced by someone who knows them. Make sure the delay lever is on X-F
> position and not in OFF, which is next to it.
>   The Crown Graphic is essentially unlimited in how short a focal length
> lens it can take but is limited on the long lens side by the 12-1/2"
> bellows draw. For FL of greater than about ten inches you need to use a
> telephoto lens.
>  There are reprint owner's manuals and repair manuals available. Check 
> John
> S. Craig at http://www.craigcameras.com or Petra Keller at
> http://www.camerabooks.com
>   Make sure you get a book for the right model.
> The first Pacemaker Crown Graphics came with a side rangefinder. This 
> was
> changed in about 1955 to a top rangfinder model.
>   See http://www.graflex.org for lots more.
> ----
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles, CA, USA
> dickburk@ix.netcom.com
>
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