Frontman
Well-known
It depends. The Speed Graphic comes with a focal plane shutter in addition to the Copal type shutter mounted in the lens, so you can use it with older lenses that don't have their own shutters.
The Crown Graphic is similar, but without the focal plane shutter. There are is also later models, like the Super Graphic, or Super Speed Graphic.
Your best bet is to look for a complete kit on eBay, they come up quite often. The kit will include the camera, the lens (sometimes 2), assorted film backs, and the flash kit. These kits are not expensive as these cameras were carried by most reporters from the '40's to the '60's.
These old Crown Graphics and Speed Graphics are made of wood, which is covered by a leatherette material. If you are shopping for one, try to find one which has decent leatherette, and the later Grafloc back.
The later Super Graphics/Super Speed Graphics were made of metal.
Avoid the "baby Graphics" which used smaller 2x3 sheet film (the film, holders, and such are harder to find nowadays).
Operation of the Graflex cameras is simple enough, but you'll need some practice with the film holders. You have to focus, pull out the film holder slide, take the picture, push the slide back in, and then pull out and flip the holder over to take a second shot. With enough practice this can be done quickly. You can also get a Grafmatic 6 shot film back which holds 6 sheets of film. Operation is not that difficult, but it takes practice to load and unload.
These cameras are fun to use, and you can get an idea what the press photographers of the old days had to go through to get pictures.
