Speed Graphic Advice, Please

[Cindy Flood]

I would appreciate some help on this. I know nothing about large format.
An elderly gentleman has asked me to sell his Anniversary Speed Graphic. I believe that it has the Graphic back and is 3 1/4 x 4 1/4.
It has the flash pictured (but the power cord would need to be replaced). He hasn't used this camera in many years, but it has been stored inside in a case. There are 4 film holders included. The lens is a Kodak Ektar f/4.7 127mm. The bellows looks good.
Is there a market for this camera and would I have to put it on Ebay?

 

[Pablito]

There is a market, you could try to sell on RFF, but the far more desirable Speed Graphic is the 4x5. If the film is still available there will be a much smaller selection than 4x5...

 

[gdi]

It would sell here Cindy - but probably not for a lot. I just got one a couple months ago but it was a 4x5.

If he has a bunch of those flash bulbs they are probably worth more than the camera!

 

[kuzano]

Are you sure it's not 4x5...

Are you sure it's not 4x5...

I don't know much about the format you say it is, but it seems to me the 127mm lens implies it is a 4X5 camera. Measure the openings on the film holders and be sure they are the holders for the back.

 

[Cindy Flood]

Thanks for the help, everyone.
It is the Speed Graphic Anniversary 3 1/4 x 4 1/4. Read about this camera here: http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/anniversary-graphic.html

 

[BillBingham2]

Hi Ms C,

That's a hard one to sell as 4x5 is about the standard. Speed Graphics have a focal plane shutter that I am not really up to speed on. My father always said that the Crown Graphic as it used the between the lens shutter work a whole lot better more of the time. The cable you speak to is not the power cord but a sync cable that closes the circuit and fires the flash.

I have a 4x5 Graflex SLR i am trying to sell have a similar problem (where and how much is reasonable). APUG was the best place I found when looking for a home for other stuff, at least info-wise. Then EvilBay did the dirty work. Tried here but few no bites.

It would be a really fun camera for a student with a 120/220 back attached. Not a lot of swing or tilt, but enough to play with. Whole lot more than a Leica M2. For a kid who tinkers, it could be a world of fun.

Sorry I can not be of more help. Good luck.

B2 (;->

 

[Cindy Flood]

Thanks, B2.
The person who has owned this camera said that it has both a focal plane shutter and a leaf (in the lens) shutter. I read part of the manual (downloaded it) and this is true. You choose which one you want to use.
It is very interesting that it has rise/fall and tilts. It must have been quite the camera in its day.

 

[Ducky]

That's a beautiful camera. It does have the focal plane shutter since the tension knob can be seen near the bottom on the side. Unless the curtain is torn, the shutter will usually last a long time. The draw back on price is the film size. 3 1/4 x 4 /1/4 is hard to find. I'm not sure about roll film backs for that size either.
APUG.com may have some colleectors who would be interested. Ebay is a gamble on that size. A 4x5 usually goes in the $200 +/- range.
Ebay may be worth a shot if yoy play up the excellent condition, flash, etc.
You will need to answer:
Does the front shutter fire at all speeds.
Aperature blades clean.
Bellows light tight ( just run it out and look in the back as you shine a light on the bellows.)
Focal plane shutter fire.
A little research and a good writeup should sell it anywhere.

Good luck.

 

[Cindy Flood]

Ducky,
Thanks for all of the good advice.

 

[BillBingham2]

You know you might check over seas. Something about the size feels like a CM type of thing rather than inches.

The FP shutter thing never felt right to me. Flash bulbs have such a slow burn time, compared to electronic flash there's no way to stop motion. There's an adapter that attaches that controls the BTL shutter firing. You plug it in and when you fire the flash it fires the shutter. You do not have it, nothing to worry about.

I really think if you added a 120/220 back you will have a better chance of selling.

It was a way cool camera in it's day.

B2 (;->

 

[Cindy Flood]

B2, I think that roll film adapters for the graflex back are rare and hard to find, so I don't think adapting for 120/220 is probable.

 

[Pablito]

The focal plane shutter allows faster shutter speeds than are possible with a leaf shutter. You achieve different shutter speeds by setting various combinations of tension and width of the shutter slit. If you wind the shutter, you will see there are different width silts. (Take out the lensboard and wind the shutter, you can see the curtains and the slits move as you wind). There should be also a knob for setting the tension, and a chart that gives you the different shutter speeds that result when you choose "x" tension with "y" shutter slit. Play with it and you'll figure it out, it sounds more complicated than it is. The focal plane shutter is LOUD. 3 1/4 x 4 /1/4 was a very common size but film is hard to find today.

 

[wlewisiii]

I'll admit that there is a part of me that would love to buy it. But 1) I can't afford to offer a decent price and 2) I don't like having cameras that don't get used. My 4x5 & 2x3 Graphics get used but 3x4 film is limited (Freestyle does stock Efke 100 in 3x4. $33 for 50 sheets really isn't that bad.)

The parts, alas, are worth more than the whole. The flash will go for obscene money on ebay if a starwars fanboi sees it (one more faux light saber coming up 🙁 ) The lens might bring a bit of money (~$100) separately if the shutter is good. The holders will have some value if seen by someone who does still shoot 3x4.

If I could afford it, what I'd do is buy a 4x5 6x9 rollfilm back and shave the thing down till it was the right size & semi-permanently mount it in place of the spring back. Adjust the RF to match & then you'd have a usable camera.

OTOH, buying some of that Efke could be fun - the 127/4.7 Ektar was actually designed for the 3x4 format. You can actually use what movements the Graphic has with it unlike on a 4x5. The PJ's always liked the 127 on 4x5 because of the wider angle and they didn't need movements anyway.

Dang that's a pretty camera... If you do try to sell it here, let me know. Maybe I can scrounge a bit harder 😉

William

 

[venchka]

Ilford added 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" film to their Special Order list. You can order Hp5+ & FP4 for this camera. It doesn't get much better than that.

You will have to wait 30 days after joining, but the Large Format Photography Forum seems like a natural place to offer this camera.

The Ektar 127mm lens is SWEEEEEEEEEEET!

 

[robertdfeinman]

Freestyle film carries 3x4 film:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/191134-Efke-PL-100-M-iso-100-3.25-x-4.25-inches-50-sheets?cat_id=404

One can buy 4x5 and cut it down in the darkroom. It's not that hard. You set up a paper cutter with some stops fastened on at the right distance from the blade and just keep your fingers away (or use a rotary cutter).

Many of the daylight developing tanks are adjustable and will take sizes from 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 up to 4x5 and the metric equivalents.

I'd guess you might be lucky to get $100 for it. You could check on ebay to see if there have been any sales recently. Graflex made a roll film adaptor for 120 film in this size, but it didn't hold the film very flat and you would have a hard time finding it.

I'd put it on the shelf as a decorative piece of technological history.

 

[newspaperguy]

FWIW - you might sell the flash gun on *bay as a starwars light sabre base.

The focal plane shutter, in addition to it's unheard of for the time speed, allows use of a vast array of non-shuttered lenses. Back-in-the-day, we used 200/400mm "Big Bertha" lenses for for daylight football games and such.

 

[kuzano]

I agree... sell flash separately

I agree... sell flash separately

FWIW - you might sell the flash gun on *bay as a starwars light sabre base.

The focal plane shutter, in addition to it's unheard of for the time speed, allows use of a vast array of non-shuttered lenses. Back-in-the-day, we used 200/400mm "Big Bertha" lenses for for daylight football games and such.

Somebody from the star wars crowd paid me $175 for just that same flash in good clean, non corroded condition.

I also agree with offering it up on large format photography forum after a 30 day free membership (the camera, or the package).

It's likely no one in the photo field will give you the equivalent of the value of the flash alone as a part of a package.

The camera with a roll film back (perhaps modified) would make it a usable contemporary camera. It's true about the film flatness of the early roll film Graflex adaptors. HOWEVER, Singer and Graflex addressed that problem quite well with two pin rollers, one placed at each end of the frame opening in the back. The pin roller roll film graflex backs held film as flat as most other later roll film holders in the market. And contrary to popular opinion, the pin rollers were added before the holders switched from knob to lever wind. I've owned about four of the knob wind holders with the pin rollers fitted at factory.

TO THE ORIGINAL POSTER...

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GET FOR THE PACKAGE. Perhaps the help you are looking for could be a little more informativel, if we knew where you wanted to be on price.

 

[Cindy Flood]

I have no price in mind. I am doing this for an elderly friend.
I have already learned a lot by reading the Anniversary Speed Graphic manual online and trying out all of the bells and whistles. My friend was hoping that I would want to use the Speed Graphic, but I am satisfied with my 35mm film and digital and my medium format Rollei and Mamiya. I'm hoping to find someone who would use the camera and put a little something in my friends pocket.
I do appreciate every one of you that answered and got me pointed in the right direction.

 

[BillBingham2]

The focal plane shutter, in addition to it's unheard of for the time speed, allows use of a vast array of non-shuttered lenses. Back-in-the-day, we used 200/400mm "Big Bertha" lenses for for daylight football games and such.

Now I understand the reason for it. Practice focus so many yards out, point and pray?

B2 (;->

 

[dave61]

Ms. Flood--I'm a Graflex/Graphic user. 1st Speed Graphic (in '75) was a 3x4 Anny just like yours. I put a 120 rollfilm back on it and went out and shot news and yearbook photos with it. I was 14.
They're still quite useful cameras, although Kodak stopped making 3x4 sheetfilm, which makes the format less saleable. HOWEVER, if you max the positive aspects + play them up, a complete outfit with flashgun and case should bring min ~$225 to max ~$350. Camera alone, with lens, maybe ~$125 to ~$150, max. Spring-early summer is a good time to sell. I'd start off with a reserve price of ~$175 for the whole outfit. Do not sell the gun to star warts creeps. These guns are getting scarce, prices for them are rising.
I have advice for you as someone who collects/uses Graflex/Graphic cameras, knows their details, and buys cameras on eBay. It's detailed + lengthy. Do you mind if it's sent as PM so as not to clutter up this thread with a lot of info most folks don't want to know? It'll help you sell the camera for more money. You can reply in forum or as PM. Good luck.
BTW, camera in my signature is c.1946 3x4 Anniversary Speed Graphic w/ Graflex back. I use it with Graflex 23 rollholder that I also use on my 3x4 RB Series D + 3x4 RB Auto Graflex cameras. It has a 127 Kodak Ektar in Kodak Supermatic-X shutter. I paid ~$65 for it last winter, just after New Years (when prices are lowest) and was the high bider. No one wanted it because it had the Graflex (not Graphic or Grafloc) back. I have rollfilm back for it, it's what i needed. I use it freqquently, shooting portraits and landscapes.