Crazy idea for a adding a laser to a Kalart Rangefinder on my Speed Graphic

This can be done, and I have done it.
To begin find the low cost "laser pointer" found mine at the dollar type store. This has three button type batteries. Take the bulb assembly out of the focus spot. And now go to the hobby store and fine the brass tube that slips one size inside another (K&N is the brand I use) and find the size that fits inside the focus spot, and the necessary smaller sizes to fit over the purchased pointer. What you are doing is making the sleeve or sleeves to keep the rangefinder centered in the focus spot housing. In my case I made the outboard battery housing and switch assembly and wire leads that go to the range finder. With the left hand I can turn the light off and on while holding the camera and focus with my right hands. This has worked for me.
Since I do not do digital will have to ask a friend to take the photos of what I have done if anyone is interested.
Where the focus spot attaches to the rangefinder there may be the small lens, depending on pointer and such you may want to remove this lens. A very simple way to do this is remove the focus spot and just aim laser from the top of the rangefinder.
A reminder do not look into rangefinder while doing this. You will have the two laser spots going forward and one laser spot going to the rear from the eye piece. Do not look at laser!

Good luck

Arthur

I think an LED arrangement would be smarter all the way around.

Tom1956 said:

I think an LED arrangement would be smarter all the way around.

Click to expand...

Yeah, save that pocket laser for aligning rangefinders on old Leicas, the idea of staring into a laser doesn't appeal to me. The bright LEDs are obnoxious enough, but at least they won't fry spots on your retinae.

You could use the above mentioned brass tubing to make a small piece that screws onto the RF, containing a couple button cells and having a pushbutton on the end. Press the button, focus, click. Maybe I'll make one for my Linhof... and I have an old box of Royal-X in the freezer!

Kalart Focuspot:


Graflex Graphic Rangelite: part number 34953 Lamp, 2 1/4 V, 1/4 amp (replaces p/n 25794) Qty. 1.

Now you know what the originals are.

I tried a 4.5 V superbright led flashlight lamp in the Graflex rangefinder on top of the Speed.
It did not work at all.
It was brighter than the original filament lamp but the beams were just fuzzy blobs.
I think the led has a lens/diffuser which upsets the original ability of the rangefinder optics to focus sharply on the filament wires

wombat2go said:

I tried a 4.5 V superbright led flashlight lamp in the Graflex rangefinder on top of the Speed.
It did not work at all.
It was brighter than the original filament lamp but the beams were just fuzzy blobs.
I think the led has a lens/diffuser which upsets the original ability of the rangefinder optics to focus sharply on the filament wires

Click to expand...

I think you're probably right, and thought so in the beginning before I even dredged up this old thread. Still yet, there has to be an idea, outside of fooling with lasers. As far as people's eyes are concerned, you may as well juggle loaded and cocked .22 pistols.

wombat2go said:

I tried a 4.5 V superbright led flashlight lamp in the Graflex rangefinder on top of the Speed.
It did not work at all.
It was brighter than the original filament lamp but the beams were just fuzzy blobs.
I think the led has a lens/diffuser which upsets the original ability of the rangefinder optics to focus sharply on the filament wires

Click to expand...

I wondered about this, perhaps one could put a mask in front of the LED? Or perhaps paint the LED so only a stripe is exposed, then experiment with it's placement relative the optics? The trouble is that an LED is a fuzzy blob compared to a filament.

Another question. All things being equal in the good condition of the silver on the semi-silvered mirrors, which was brighter--the top mounted Graflex beam light or the Kalart Focuspot on the side-mounter Kalart finders? Didn't the Graflite run off 4 C cells for a total of 6 V, and therefor the Focuspot was a 6 V bulb? ( I don't own a Graflite any more and forgot what it took).

The Graphic Rangelite uses 2 AA batteries that are installed in the Graphic Rangefinder/Rangelite housing on top of the camera body, not the flash synchronizer battery case.
The Kalart Focuspot works off the batteries in a 3-D cell flash synchronizer battery case.
I do not know which bulb has the highest light output at rated battery supply.
The Graphic Rangefinder/rangelite was only used on the 4x5 Pacemaker Crown and Speed Graphic.
The Graflite flash synchronizer came in two versions, the 2772 using 2-D cell batteries and the 2773 using 3-D cell batteries. Case extension 2774, 1-D cell, could be added in any quantity to achieve the 7 amps needed to fire all extension flash and trip the shutter solenoid.
http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/GrafliteManual.pdf
http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/GrafliteService.pdf
http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/TRFService.pdf