I really enjoyed the video. In 1958, I became an RCAF military photographer and it’s all that we had to work with; the 6x6 (2 1/4) and 35mm cameras came later, also the strobes, we used flashbulbs, mostly #5, but also #11 and #31, this one with the focal plane shutter for large interiors (usually bare bulb. My only failing with it has been to shoot an aerial from an open cockpit, the front standard will vibrate. I used the Pacemaker Speed Graphic on the job exclusively until about 1965, for PR and technical stuff; it was more versatile than any digital camera today - “technique” was the watchword. In my lifetime ( now 84)
Without a doubt the best instruction video I have ever seen on the web. I immediately followed. I have this camera coming in a few days and you have saved me months of study. Great job!
I winced a little bit when you explained the focusing and the sights. Obviously, press photographers didn’t focus through the ground glass to get the shot rapidly, they used the rangefinder, then the front and rear sight, with the parallax correction that you did not quite cover. In most cases, the camera was pre-focused around 10 ft for a quick shot of someone out of a door and around 15 ft for a group, where more accurate focusing could be done. And, except in that case or in portraiture or landscape or technical shot, it was a newbie sin to use a Speed Graphic on a tripod; it was made to be hand held (by the strap - never by the flash!!! Again, great demo
Thank you for helping me out :-) and for good extra information. I try to do my best to help out people who just getting into 4x5 press cameras but I am learning also.
wait!!, before you extend the front standard, you must retract the focus bed/ track all the way, otherwise the standard "car" will fall off the track- there is a gap in the hinge area!!, at least in most of this style of camera, like Linhof Technika.Some of these have a "focus stage" in the body area, to store the standard, but in those which have another knob on the left side, this is used to focus the
This is the first camera I've seen with the FOCUSPOT in a long time...I had one on mine, but I was curious about how the camera worked, and I took it apart, and was not able to put it back together again...Humpty Dumpty, etc.
Hello there, i have just aquired a speed graphic this week and have been experimenting with al the movements. However, i can't get the camera body back into the case as the rails inside the camera are not aligned. Have i done something wrong here? There is a lever inside the left side of the camera that is not connected to anything apart from the rangefinder. Can you help us please?
Hi. Front lens standard lives on two little metal rails mounted on the bottom of the camera casing. The lever mounted on the standard itself keeps it in place. When lever is pressed, it allows the front standard to slide freely on the rails. If, however, you go too far, it will derail and sort of dangle because it is not on the little rails. I think that is your issue. To fix, press the little lever on the standard, and while holding it pressed, align the standard with the rails, mount on the rails and push in. Release the lever to lock. Hard to explain, easier to do. :-)
@@stevantontichphotographyvi9358 Hi and thanks for your speedy reply. The front standard slides quite freely along the rails and locks into place as it should. However, the problem is putting the front standard BACK into the camera body. The rails inside the camera body are not aligned on the right habd side as you look at the front of the camera. Should the lever connected to the rangefinder be connect to the front standard for focusing Please?
@@pixsellpix so, the front standard can be on the rails which are part of the lid, or on the rails in the camera. To put it back, it has to go from the rails on the lid to the ones in the camera. These have to be aligned for it to work. It sounds like they are not? If they are not, maybe some adjustment is needed (not sure if there are screws or similar to do that). they have to align - the big idea is that one should be able to slide the standard "seamlessly" from inside rails to ones on the lid. If that is not possible because rails are not aligned then ...maybe an issue.
@@stevantontichphotographyvi9358 Yeah the rails inside the body of the camera appear to "likt" up on the right side so they do not align. Do you think it will be o.k. to take the front standard off the rails to get inside the camera to work out what is happening?
@@pixsellpix Yeah, sounds like some work is needed. I work on cameras some, and I would be ok with doing it on mine - but I cannot say for you - it depends on your skill level and tools used. For most part, these are pretty simple, mechanically speaking.
A friend of mine has 3 old cameras that belonged to her late husband. One of them is this Graphlex Speed Graphic with build in Range Finder. We have no idea it if even works. She would like to sell them. A camera shop suggested eBay but we have no idea what to price it at. Any suggestions?
Hi there. Tough to tell without seeing it / knowing the condition. A body in need or repair without the lens - around $50. In excellent condition, without a lens, $150. The lenses will vary greatly and the shutter working on the lens or not also makes a huge difference. A broken shutter with 135mm messy lens would not add more than $20 to the total price. An excellent lens with a rebuilt shutter (standard 127mm or 135mm would be around $150). So ...the range, depending on the condition would be $70 for the worst terrible version possible all the way to $300+. That would be my best guess, others may disagree.
I really enjoyed the video. In 1958, I became an RCAF military photographer and it’s all that we had to work with; the 6x6 (2 1/4) and 35mm cameras came later, also the strobes, we used flashbulbs, mostly #5, but also #11 and #31, this one with the focal plane shutter for large interiors (usually bare bulb. My only failing with it has been to shoot an aerial from an open cockpit, the front standard will vibrate. I used the Pacemaker Speed Graphic on the job exclusively until about 1965, for PR and technical stuff; it was more versatile than any digital camera today - “technique” was the watchword. In my lifetime ( now 84)
Thanks Massey! It is fun to be able to interact with old cameras...I still enjoy it!
Without a doubt the best instruction video I have ever seen on the web. I immediately followed. I have this camera coming in a few days and you have saved me months of study. Great job!
I winced a little bit when you explained the focusing and the sights. Obviously, press photographers didn’t focus through the ground glass to get the shot rapidly, they used the rangefinder, then the front and rear sight, with the parallax correction that you did not quite cover. In most cases, the camera was pre-focused around 10 ft for a quick shot of someone out of a door and around 15 ft for a group, where more accurate focusing could be done. And, except in that case or in portraiture or landscape or technical shot, it was a newbie sin to use a Speed Graphic on a tripod; it was made to be hand held (by the strap - never by the flash!!! Again, great demo
Thank you for helping me out :-) and for good extra information.
I try to do my best to help out people who just getting into 4x5 press cameras but I am learning also.
I hold you responsible for the fact that ... I really want one of these now!! 😀
Lol. Thanks....and...I am sorry, I guess? :-)
Mine arrived on Friday ! Shot few test sheets yesterday to see if there’s any light leak, enjoyed the slow process so far.
Great! Hope you like it!
Thank You a lot !
Very good tutorial!
wait!!, before you extend the front standard, you must retract the focus bed/ track all the way, otherwise the standard "car" will fall off the track- there is a gap in the hinge area!!, at least in most of this style of camera, like Linhof Technika.Some of these have a "focus stage" in the body area, to store the standard, but in those which have another knob on the left side, this is used to focus the
Thanks for the comments and the additionally good information.
This is the first camera I've seen with the FOCUSPOT in a long time...I had one on mine, but I was curious about how the camera worked, and I took it apart, and was not able to put it back together again...Humpty Dumpty, etc.
Hello there, i have just aquired a speed graphic this week and have been experimenting with al the movements. However, i can't get the camera body back into the case as the rails inside the camera are not aligned. Have i done something wrong here? There is a lever inside the left side of the camera that is not connected to anything apart from the rangefinder. Can you help us please?
Hi. Front lens standard lives on two little metal rails mounted on the bottom of the camera casing. The lever mounted on the standard itself keeps it in place. When lever is pressed, it allows the front standard to slide freely on the rails. If, however, you go too far, it will derail and sort of dangle because it is not on the little rails. I think that is your issue. To fix, press the little lever on the standard, and while holding it pressed, align the standard with the rails, mount on the rails and push in. Release the lever to lock. Hard to explain, easier to do. :-)
@@stevantontichphotographyvi9358 Hi and thanks for your speedy reply. The front standard slides quite freely along the rails and locks into place as it should. However, the problem is putting the front standard BACK into the camera body. The rails inside the camera body are not aligned on the right habd side as you look at the front of the camera. Should the lever connected to the rangefinder be connect to the front standard for focusing Please?
@@pixsellpix so, the front standard can be on the rails which are part of the lid, or on the rails in the camera. To put it back, it has to go from the rails on the lid to the ones in the camera. These have to be aligned for it to work. It sounds like they are not? If they are not, maybe some adjustment is needed (not sure if there are screws or similar to do that). they have to align - the big idea is that one should be able to slide the standard "seamlessly" from inside rails to ones on the lid. If that is not possible because rails are not aligned then ...maybe an issue.
@@stevantontichphotographyvi9358 Yeah the rails inside the body of the camera appear to "likt" up on the right side so they do not align. Do you think it will be o.k. to take the front standard off the rails to get inside the camera to work out what is happening?
@@pixsellpix Yeah, sounds like some work is needed. I work on cameras some, and I would be ok with doing it on mine - but I cannot say for you - it depends on your skill level and tools used. For most part, these are pretty simple, mechanically speaking.
A friend of mine has 3 old cameras that belonged to her late husband. One of them is this Graphlex Speed Graphic with build in Range Finder. We have no idea it if even works. She would like to sell them. A camera shop suggested eBay but we have no idea what to price it at. Any suggestions?
Hi there. Tough to tell without seeing it / knowing the condition. A body in need or repair without the lens - around $50. In excellent condition, without a lens, $150. The lenses will vary greatly and the shutter working on the lens or not also makes a huge difference. A broken shutter with 135mm messy lens would not add more than $20 to the total price. An excellent lens with a rebuilt shutter (standard 127mm or 135mm would be around $150). So ...the range, depending on the condition would be $70 for the worst terrible version possible all the way to $300+. That would be my best guess, others may disagree.
Thank you for the prompt reply. Appreciate your knowledgeable input. I will pass it on to her.