Sunday, July 22, 2012

4x5 Speed Graphic For Sale - $450 OBO

Vintage 1940's Speed Graphic press camera and accessories for sale.  From the serial number of the Kodak Ektar lens, it dates from 1945 - making it the last of the WWII  Speed Graphics (you can tell by the blacked-out lensboard and other surfaces) 

The camera is in great condition with a little wear given the age.  Kodak Ektar 127mm f.4.7 lens mounted on a Graphex leaf shutter with a bi-post flash terminal.  It has a Kalart synchronized rangefinder, and one of those aperture and wire framing devices where the front wire pops up from the lens stage, and the rear sight rotates up from over the film back.  It does not have the removable graflok back, nor a tubular viewfinder.  

It does have a rear-curtain Folmer Graphic Shutter - you have to set both the tension of the spring and the curtain aperture from 1/10 to 1/1000 second - don't know how accurate those shutter speeds are.  

One very like it sold just the other day for $325 in a "buy it now" situation.  While that camera had a tubular viewfinder, this one comes with a Speed Graphic vulcanite case for the camera which go for $40. 

It also includes a Graflite 2773 bulb flash, 7" Graflex#2743 7" reflector, and Graflex #2745 90-degree adapter for smaller bulbs.  Flashes have been selling for up to $100 because these are the models for the Star Wars light-sabers.   Bulbs are getting harder to find, so I'd plan to use an electronic flash with this camera.  You can buy almost any flash (side mount potato-masher or even a hot-shoe mount on a frame) with a bi-post Paramount synch cord (available from some larger camera stores in Raleigh, or via B&H or any good catalog camera store. 
So I will price it at $450 or reasonable offer.  That means you make me an offer - not ask me how much I'll sell it for.  

Cash or paypal - you pay shipping.  If local to me, I'll deliver within 50 miles.   E-mail me at telephotonc@earthlink.net
Camera and flash gun


ground glass and flip-up cover

Back of camera showing wire viewfinder and Kalart rangefinder.  I recommend ground glass focusing

Bottom of camera showing 1/2-20" tripod socket

case showing positioning of camera, 120 roll-film holder and polaroid back (both holders not included in price)

camera with wire viewfinder 

back of camera - leather is in GREAT shape!

Kodak Ektar lens mounted in Graphex len with bi-pole flash contact and M (bulb) shutter delay.  Set to off for electronic flash.  Can trip shutter with finger release or using cable 

side view showing hand strap


shutter release button and cable release socket (between 1 and B on shutter speed dial)

Controls for rubber focal plane shutter.  I have no need for this, and haven't used it.  I would just lock it open and use the leaf shutter on the lens.

View of the top of the lens

Top view of the camera

Front view showing front bed lowered for use, lens standard, wire viewfinder, and rangefinder

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