Advice on buying a Graflex / Crown Graphic

[Dave Parker]

I can't say that supply exceeds demand, but there are a great many good Graflex cameras out there and finding a good one should not be that difficult, I currently have 6 of them, two in Boxes that have never been opened and still have the original shipping paper work on the outside of the box, I do however think that some of the prices I see for these models of cameras are a bit high!

If and when you find one David, you will have a ball, and I hope you post pictures, these are one of the classic cameras in American Photography and everybody should own at least one of them in their life.

Dave

 

[RichSBV]

"two in Boxes that have never been opened..."

Dave, I hate you....



Dave, can I come visit?

 

[Dave Parker]

Sure Rich,

Anytime you want, the food is good, the liquor is liberal and the beds are soft...

I just picked these two up at an estate sale about two weeks ago, they still have the orginal packing/shipment lists on the boxes, I am afraid to open them, for fear that someone just put a brick in the boxes! LOL

but I really don't think so, they are addressed to our local newspaper, so I suspect they were ordered and never put into service.

Dave

 

[Calamity Jane]

Two in the boxes? Never opened????

**** scratches head ****

Never could understand "collecting" and if it was ment to be USED, never could resist using them!

 

[RichSBV]

Thanks Dave. IF I ever travel, your place wil deffinitely be marked on the map! But for more than the camera

CJ... I hate to put it this way, but I go both ways. For instance, I have here an 8x10 Century Universal that will never be used (outdoors at least). It was owned by the OSS at the beggining of WWII. It should be saved for posterity and not have the chance taken of being dropped and/or damaged by use...

I have at least two of every cameras I own so that one is 'saved' just in case. I cringe at the thought when people talk about butchering cameras to "make them lighter" or for some odd part. Sure, a lot of cameras were made, but no more and every year there are fewer remaining. Think two or three generations from now. They will need to see and maybe use these cameras also...

On the other hand, I just recently bought two Super Graphics. One in good user condition and one as a parts camera. Oddly enough, and for the third time for me, I am hoping to save the parts camera by fixing it up back into a user... I have a heck of a time finding actual parts cameras.... So, the thought of having a NEW, perfectly working, solid and dependable Graphic for use is a tantalizing thought. I am glad I don't own one. I don't think I could deal with either leaving it new in the box for posterity or using it for myself.....

 

[BradS]

(...snip...) I cringe at the thought when people talk about butchering cameras to "make them lighter" or for some odd part. Sure, a lot of cameras were made, but no more and every year there are fewer remaining. Think two or three generations from now. They will need to see and maybe use these cameras also...

Whooops!....DOH!

 

[jon koss]

... It should also be mentioned though that any decent 4x5 RB will be well over $1000 and he seemed to be looking for something quite a bit less...

Fortunately for us all, the market has softened quite a bit. The following 4x5 RB SLR's look like a possible start for the budget conscious. Please bid high and save me from scooping more cameras!

http://cgi.ebay.com/RB-TELE-GRAFLEX...ryZ11717QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/RB-Series-D-Gra...goryZ711QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/RB-Auto-Graflex...goryZ711QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/RB-GRAFLEX-4X5-...ryZ15247QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

j

 

[jonw]

I picked up my Pacemaker as my slr 4x5 system. It works great. The only down side I have found with it is my difficulty in focusing with the graflak (sp) folding flap.

 

[RichSBV]

I would just add that for those looking for an "RB", be very careful. Graflex made many cameras of that basic design. Not all "RB"s and most of them do not have the rotating backs. Last year when I was going to buy an RB, I watched many auctions and looked at some dealer and private sales. Most of them were not RB's and almost all of them were not the specific model that the seller said it was. Many of the models vary outwardly only slightly. If you can't hold the camera, it takes a real good look to tell one model from the other. Paine's "The All-American Cameras a review of Graflex" is an excellent resource for this...

 

[jon koss]

I would just add that for those looking for an "RB", be very careful... Most of them were not RB's and almost all of them were not the specific model that the seller said it was...

That is super advice as far as the Graflex SLR's go. They can be murder to tell apart. Just in case anyone was worried, the four cameras in the links above are all bona fide RB cameras. On the plus side, sometimes it allows a person to snag a bargain even from a dealer!

j