Crown Graphic Special 4X5

Just aquired the Crown Graphic Special, need to check all functions. Somewhat familar, but need instruction to remove battery compartment, Any help would be appreciated. Raymond

What battery compartment?

I assume that this is a top rangefinder model?

On the back to the right of the eyepiece, you will see a small plastic inset "door" that can be depressed and then slid out. DON"T LOOSE THIS!!!! Inside are 2 batteries that are rather hard to get out, but they do come out. They can be ordered via Radio Shack but are quite expensive.

The batteries pop in and the little door can be inserted and closed over them. Then the shutter is "electronic", but the shutter operates just fine without batteries by using the manual cock and fire levers.

I have one in the OB with the instruction manual.

PE

See http://www.butkus.org/chinon/

Send in the $3.00US donation for each download to keep his work providing film camera manuals going.

Photo Engineer said:

On the back to the right of the eyepiece, you will see a small plastic inset "door" that can be depressed and then slid out. DON"T LOOSE THIS!!!! Inside are 2 batteries that are rather hard to get out, but they do come out. They can be ordered via Radio Shack but are quite expensive.

The batteries pop in and the little door can be inserted and closed over them. Then the shutter is "electronic", but the shutter operates just fine without batteries by using the manual cock and fire levers.

I have one in the OB with the instruction manual.

PE

Click to expand...

The batteries for the Crown Graphic Special Rangelight are standard AA cells. Their only function is to light a screw mount flashlight bulb. There is no connection to the shutter or any flash. The batteries are inserted with one pointing one direction and the other one pointing in the other direction. The battery compartment door is retained by spring tension against the batteries. Without batteries, the door is often lost. As a result, batteries were often left installed to prevent this loss, and they corroded their contacts. Unless the rangelight is used, the batteries should be replaced by a block of wood to prevent corrosion or door loss. The rangefinder housing is retained by two screws on its top. Removing these screws lets one lift off the rangefinder housing for any troubleshooting of the rangelight system.

Jim, thanks. With apologies, I seem to have confused my Super Graphic with the Crown Graphic. The only real differences are that the batteries are rare 22.5 V batteries, and the shutter is operated by the batteries via a solenoid. The mechanical setup is the same other than the slight change in the size of the battery compartment to compensate for the wider 22.5 V ones which are the approximate size and shape of 9V batteries. There is a push button on the side to fire the shutter electrically if the batteries are installed.

PE