For Sale 5X7 RB Cycle Graphic With Achromatic Meniscus & Auto Graflex Focal Plane Shutter

This will take multiple posts to get all the images. First off, it ISN'T a Cycle Graphic. A Cycle Graphic has a triple extension bed, and the 2 little brass knobs at the top of the front standard. So what is it??


All the name plates are gone. It was obviously made by Folmer & Schwing and is a cheaper close cousin. This is just a double extension (single extension?) it only has the one wheel to extend the bellows.


It has a no-name achromatic meniscus lens on it . . with no way to change it except unscrew it from the non-removable bulkhead and put something else on.


Best to buy this and consider it a single purpose soft focus portrait and landscape camera that can be used with most any film in bright sunlight. The images I'm going to post next were made in open shade at sundown with plus-X film rated at 125 asa.

It is what it is! A soft focus pitche makin' machine! A hunnert year + old one. $525 OBO

See next post for images made with it....

Here are images that this little outfit made. It is a joy to use. Very light!


The Revolving Auto Graflex back is so early there's no provision for a cable release. There are guide hooks and a knob to put a waxed string with a finger pull ring at the end.


The curtain back is 24 speeds from 1/10th to 1/1000th. Please note, this is over 100 years old and un-serviced. I noted that the negs made one row faster in the speed column were better than when I chose the advertised speed. That means the curtain is going S L O W er than what it says it is. I don't know how to measure real speeds other than to make negs and have a look, just like I did. ALL the negs were usable!


The town cops kept driving by. I was causing traffic problems on US 95.


This would be a totally unique tool in anyone's kit! If I didn't have the Top Handle 5X7 Speedy, there's no way I'd even offer this for sale.