mich8261
Well-known
Found this beauty at a stoop sale in Brooklyn today. It's an Auto Graflex from the Folmer & Schwing division of Kodak. Comes with a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 4.5 lens. I paid $5 for it
. The lens seems to have some haze in it and one of the aperture blades is detached from the outside of the opening. The bellows seem in great shape. Is this worth fixing? And can anyone recommend a repair facility?
I would be pretty excited about shooting some 4x5!!!
I would be pretty excited about shooting some 4x5!!!

kmack
do your job, then let go
For repair of the lens try Carol at Flutoto's camera repair.. They have a good rep in vintage shutter repair.
I shoot a lot of 4x5 and 5x7 lately and my opinion is "bigger is better".
Nice find, it may never be "worth" fixing, but cleaned up and working it will give you untold hours of enjoyment. Looks like it could be a fun camera to shoot.
I shoot a lot of 4x5 and 5x7 lately and my opinion is "bigger is better".
Nice find, it may never be "worth" fixing, but cleaned up and working it will give you untold hours of enjoyment. Looks like it could be a fun camera to shoot.
somecanuckchick
Tundra Gypsy
mich8261 said:Found this beauty at a stoop sale in Brooklyn today. It's an Auto Graflex from the Folmer & Schwing division of Kodak. Comes with a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 4.5 lens. I paid $5 for it. The lens seems to have some haze in it and one of the aperture blades is detached from the outside of the opening. The bellows seem in great shape. Is this worth fixing? And can anyone recommend a repair facility?
I would be pretty excited about shooting some 4x5!!!
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oooooh that is totally worth fixing. I cannot wait to see the fruits of your labour.
mich8261
Well-known
kmack, thanks for the link. I will contact them. I would like to get it in working order, I don't really care if it's not pristine. I have never shot 4x5, but looking at the film holder I am salivating at the thought of shooting slides with it.
Thanks for the encouragement Nancy. Incidentally, shouldn't your location show Ottawa-Gatineau? My parents lived in Hull when I was born, I was actually delivered in a Ottawa hospital. I love telling my Francophone friends: "je suis un gars d'Hull". It doesn't translate, one of those French-English play on words.
Cheers,
Thanks for the encouragement Nancy. Incidentally, shouldn't your location show Ottawa-Gatineau? My parents lived in Hull when I was born, I was actually delivered in a Ottawa hospital. I love telling my Francophone friends: "je suis un gars d'Hull". It doesn't translate, one of those French-English play on words.
Cheers,
sepiareverb
genius and moron
My first LF camera was a 3.25 x 4.25 version of this, with a similar lens, tho mine doesn't cover 45 well. I really love the sound this camera makes, almost like a living creature.
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