Burke and James Watson viewfinder

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hsandler

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I just purchased a Pacemaker 4x5 Crown Graphic and it came with the Watson optical viewfinder on top, not the Graflex one. The mask for the Watson is square but has little triangular projections inwards from the edges. Is there a different mask I need to find or make for 4x5? I'm thinking maybe the projections define the short dimension for 4x5 for either vertical or horizontal framing for a camera with a revolving back? Did B&J make revolving back 4x5 cameras? I can't compare to the ground glass yet because I'm waiting for delivery of a retaining ring for the lens.
 

DWThomas

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The B&J Press 4x5 has a revolving back (I have one). I bought mine used circa 1963 and don't really know what the "standard" equipment was. My primary use was working with ground glass focusing on a tripod, but for occasional handheld stuff in the outdoors I generally went with the flip-up wire frame finder arrangement as seen in the ad shutterfinger posted. I don't have a rangefinder either.
 
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hsandler

hsandler

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Thanks all. So I guess the finder is square because of the revolving back. I guess if the points of the triangles are the limits of the image area, then I'm hoping it's the limits of the short dimension. If it's the limits of the long dimension, then the short dimension is inside that and not marked. I'll have to see when the retaining ring arrives and I can mount the lens to the lens board. The Watson viewfinder is nice; all shiny chrome and has a spring-loaded mechanism to lift the rear up a few mm when you release a catch, which gives a single fixed parallax compensation. Not continuously adjustable like the Graflex one, but it looks cool. It's also mounted closer to the centre of the camera top probably because there is no horizontal parallax compensation.

Another thing about finders I only learned while researching this relates to the wire frame sports finders on Pacemaker Graphics. The design changed in the mid fifties. My newly-delivered Crown Graphic dates from about 1957 and has a flexible coiled wire frame in front with no parallax adjustment, but has the rear adjustable height peepsight. All the parallax adjustment is done with the rear peepsight. (It's also an unusual Crown because it's from 1957 but has a side Kalart rangefinder on it.) My first graphic is a 1949 Pacemaker Speed and has parallax adjustment on the front (rigid wire) frame finder, as well as different pull-up heights on the rear peep site. I always thought you were supposed to adjust BOTH for the distance, but it turns out the rear peepsight on mine must be from a newer Graphic. The original equipment on the earlier Pacemakers had a fixed height of the rear peepsight and all the parallax adjustment was supposed to be done from the front wire frame.
 
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hsandler

hsandler

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The speed is 833540.
The crown is 922857.

Each unit has a label, nearly hidden on the inside of the top of the box frame, with various Graflex patent numbers that may apply. I looked up the most recent patent numbers. On the speed, the most recent patent in the list was published 1942. On the crown, the most recent patent was published 1955.
 

shutterfinger

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833540- Middle of an order for 3000 4x5 Speed Graphics listed in June 1953, same size order listed in August 1953. Its safe to say it was made mid year 1953.
922857- Near the end of an order for 3000 4x5 Pacemaker Graphics, model not specified, assumed Crown, listed August 1956 with a samne size order listed in November 1956. Its safe to say its a late 1956 camera.

On Graflex.org help board there were 3 1956 Speeds dated with side rangefinders and 1 1957 Speed with a side rangefinder. I owned one of the 56 side rangefinders.
Graflex would custom build on request as long as parts were available.
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_5.html
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_4.html
http://www.graflex.org/manuals/45-Pacemaker-Speed-and-Crown-Graphic.pdf
 
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