Crown Graphic Special

[Dan Fromm]

Charles, were you thinking of Xenar or Xenotar?

 

[shutterfinger]

Duh

 

[hsandler]

When new the Crown Special with the Xenotar sold for less than the standard Crown with an Optar.

When you get it check that a cam is present in the rangefinder then check the cam number to this list https://graflex.org/speed-graphic/top-rangefinder-cams.html .
If you have a factory matched cam/lens then you're good to go if they agree at infinity.
Download https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1sPJkp-MdghM0RuVXpkZnRnbVk/view?usp=sharing , http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf

We may be confusing Xenotar with Xenar. The standard lens for the Crown Special was a 4-element Xenar lens, which indeed sold for less than the Optar in its time. (I've compared a sample of each directly on the same scene at f16 and found the Xenar superior at the edges). A Xenotar is a 5 or 6 element lens, I believe of planar formula, which is quite a lot more expensive, at least in medium format cameras where both it and the Xenar are options (like Rolleiflex vs. Rolleicord). I know Xenotars exist for large format, as they were used with some Linhof Technikas.

 

[shutterfinger]

We may be confusing Xenotar with Xenar.

6 motron later, I likely was.

 

[campy51]

Wait, you bought a Xenotar with plans to shoot it at f/11-f/22? That's an awfully expensive lens is you're not planning on taking advantage of it's speed.

I believe it's a f4.7 so I don't think that's fast. It might be the Xenar

 

[removed account4]

hi campy51
you can tie a string and use that for your measure, have it at whatever infinity is, then 10 feet and get good at eyeballing yoru focus ( and stopping down ! )
have fun !
john

 

[Besk]

If you purchased the Crown Graphic Special with the 135 Xenar lens on it it is likely the lens that originally came with the camera and is set up for it. The first thing to
do is to check that the rangefinder is working. Second, check the rangefinder against the actual focus of the image on the ground glass. I would do this before moving
the infinity stops.

 

[campy51]

I received the camera today and it's in fine condition except the shutter is slow but I knew that when I ordered it. I did a quick focus check and the rangefinder seems to match the ground glass. I cleaned the GG and fresnel and the viewfinder windows and it's fairly easy to focus through the finder. I removed the shutter speed dial and gave it a little wash with lighter fluid and now the shutter functions where before the slow speeds didn't close. The speed ring is very difficult to get into 1/500 and difficult to cock the shutter at that speed. I know some shutters are harder when setting to 1/500 but I don't know if this shutter is one of them.

 

[Luckless]

What is the specific shutter the lens is currently in?

Those can get swapped around fairly easily over the years, and I've seen a few odd 'why would anyone do THAT' combinations.

 

[campy51]

It's a Synchro Compur-P

 

[Dan Fromm]

The lens is probably in a Compur. If so, the top speed has a supplementary spring that is engaged with 1/500 is selected. They're all hard to set to 1/500 and to cock at that speed.

If you're not sure about it, send it out for an overhaul, also called CLA for clean, lubricate and adjust.

 

[Besk]

It is not recommended to change the shutter speed to 1/500 after cocking the shutter.

 

[shutterfinger]

See page 6 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1sPJkp-MdghNEZZV1BLVndXbVk/view?usp=sharing

 

[campy51]

I developed my first shots from the camera but I don't have a 4x5 scanner so I laid it on the glass with a 120 film holder over it. It focuses fairly easy and I used a flash, but they are not as sharp as I had hoped, but it's a good start.

 

[shutterfinger]

developed my first shots from the camera but I don't have a 4x5 scanner so I laid it on the glass with a 120 film holder over it. It focuses fairly easy and I used a flash, but they are not as sharp as I had hoped, but it's a good start.

1. examine the negatives on alight box with a 4x to 8x loupe.
2. shoot with the camera on a tripod with a cable release for the maximum sharpness.

 

[cjbecker]

I developed my first shots from the camera but I don't have a 4x5 scanner so I laid it on the glass with a 120 film holder over it. It focuses fairly easy and I used a flash, but they are not as sharp as I had hoped, but it's a good start.
View attachment 241711 View attachment 241712

What was the setting?

 

[darkroommike]

I always envision how many bodies, lined up head to toe between me and my subject or will use the floor tile or ceiling tile grid to get a very close distance estimate. And no, those folks aren't dead just sleeping.

 

[Maris]

Years ago when I was taught Speed Graphic by a real old-style press photographer who used the camera in fast moving news situations. I remember him saying that finding focus by searching with the rangefinder was too slow. The best approach was to set in advance the rangefinder on a specific distance, say 10 feet, and then foot-zoom to and from the subject until the rangefinder came in then....shoot (big flashbulb). He also pointed out that the 4x5 negative was very generous with regard to cropping so that exact framing at a close distance wasn't needed; just made things slow and difficult.
Even better was the Speed Graphic with the 127mm lens. With one of these you could take a big step closer to the subject and stand in front of all the other photographers whose Speed Graphics only had the 135mm lens.

 

[Bob S]

Years ago when I was taught Speed Graphic by a real old-style press photographer who used the camera in fast moving news situations. I remember him saying that finding focus by searching with the rangefinder was too slow. The best approach was to set in advance the rangefinder on a specific distance, say 10 feet, and then foot-zoom to and from the subject until the rangefinder came in then....shoot (big flashbulb). He also pointed out that the 4x5 negative was very generous with regard to cropping so that exact framing at a close distance wasn't needed; just made things slow and difficult.
Even better was the Speed Graphic with the 127mm lens. With one of these you could take a big step closer to the subject and stand in front of all the other photographers whose Speed Graphics only had the 135mm lens.

If a press photographer couldn’t recognize 10 or 20’ they should not have been a photographer!

 

[RLangham]

If a press photographer couldn’t recognize 10 or 20’ they should not have been a photographer!

Yes, but it's nice to have confirmation. Ever see the Polaroid portrait camera that had a fixed rangefinder to tell you if the fixed lens was in focus on the subject?

 

[cjbecker]

Years ago when I was taught Speed Graphic by a real old-style press photographer who used the camera in fast moving news situations. I remember him saying that finding focus by searching with the rangefinder was too slow. The best approach was to set in advance the rangefinder on a specific distance, say 10 feet, and then foot-zoom to and from the subject until the rangefinder came in then....shoot (big flashbulb). He also pointed out that the 4x5 negative was very generous with regard to cropping so that exact framing at a close distance wasn't needed; just made things slow and difficult.
Even better was the Speed Graphic with the 127mm lens. With one of these you could take a big step closer to the subject and stand in front of all the other photographers whose Speed Graphics only had the 135mm lens.

I really enjoy reading stories like that! The old way of doing things. I was not around for that time but really value it.

 

[campy51]

Took this today handheld using the rangefinder.

 

[BrianShaw]

From here that looks fine!

 

[xya]

... Ever see the Polaroid portrait camera that had a fixed rangefinder to tell you if the fixed lens was in focus on the subject?

yes, the polaroid bigshot. I still have a working one. finding the focus with the fixed rangefinder by walking back and forth was called the bigshot shuffle...

 

[campy51]

Finally got around to taking a few more pictures. This was done on a tripod natural light and with some processing but mostly auto settings and extra sharpening. It's nothing special but I like the way it turned out. I also have a nice one of my grand daughter using the rangefinder that I don't want to post since I think my daughter might object to it.