I've been looking for a kit like this for years and it is truly a gem, however it represents a redundancy within my lineup and I can't justify keeping it when I don't use it as much as it deserves. This kit is the most complete I've ever seen in my search. It has the hard to find black anodized body which comes with- Carl Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 Planar in Synchro-Compur shutter with threaded metal lens hood and clip in collapsable lens hood, tethered lens cap, adjustable cable release grip, old style Polaroid 100 back, original eyecup, graflok back, Graflex lever-advance 6x7 roll film back, gridded ground glass spring back focusing screen with pop up hood, original manual for EVERY accessory, and vintage leather bag with compartments to fit everything. The lens is clear of any fungus or haze and the coatings seem like they've held up without any obvious markings. The sharpness of these Zeiss Planar lenses is legendary. The shutter is snappy and all speeds function without fault with the exception of a slight hic at 1/25th, not sure if this is just a perceived flaw or if it's actually slow, but I thought I'd include the observation either way. The focusing helicoid is very stiff and requires a heavy hand (presumably because this is a military camera). The weak point of this entire system is the plastic nubs that fit into the ridges along the helicoid barrel and wear down over time The good news is there is no evidence they are worn at all as the focusing is still stiff as ever and has no tell tale play or wiggle. Eventually, if this camera is used heavily, the focusing ring might need replaced. I've gone ahead and gotten an estimate from S.K. Grimes and they can make a replacement focusing ring machined from aluminum with a black anodized finish for $250 that will never need replacing. As of now the focusing remains perfect though. The aperture dial adjustment functions properly from f/2.8-22 and is a free moving with no click stops. The ten curved aperture blades adjust freely and smoothly and are free of oil but show slight oxidation. The viewfinder/rangefinder window is the biggest and brightest I've used on any press camera. The rangefinder is accurate and supports coupled focusing down to 2.5 feet. Closer focusing can be achieved but only with the focusing back. The grip is very comfortable and ergonomic and the angle is adjustable. It functions properly and triggers the shutter consistently. The Polaroid back is in great condition and is especially nice to use. Personally I prefer using this older Polaroid 100 back for a few reasons. For one it acts as an extra grip so it's easier to hold the camera. Also it's locking mechanism is very secure and almost impossible to accidentally open unlike it's newer counterpart and you can store things in what would be the battery compartment on the left. The 6x7 Graflex roll film back is in good condition and functions as should. It is the newer lever-advance back which is easier to use and has better film flatness than the older knob-advance type backs. There is a bit of tape/tape residue stuck to the back that would probably come off if you tried hard enough. The focusing back is in like new condition with no visible marks or scratches on the ground glass or built in fresnel. The spring back accepts the now obsolete 6x9 cut film sheet holders (none included). The focusing hood is springy and pops up quickly and easily. The graflok back functions properly and locks the film backs in place. The vintage leather bag is in great condition. It fastens with a metal clip and has a padded strap.
Overall this camera is in very excellent condition. You have to look hard to find any blemishes on this body. There is some slight brassing/paint loss around the edges but that is it! The fit and finish of these bodies easily surpasses the durability of the Mamiya Universal Press and in a much thinner more compact package.
This camera would be perfect for someone wanting to shoot polaroid pack film with full manual control and roll film on (*possibly) the sharpest fastest wide lens made for 6x9 format. (*The Schneider 150mm f/2.8 Xenotar for Linhof might be sharper at the same speed but not as wide).
Given how complete (and rare) this kit is with manuals and all I'm looking to get $800 OBO + S/H from Ohio. If that sounds steep, I'm always open to reasonable offers, so message me and make me an offer.
Overall this camera is in very excellent condition. You have to look hard to find any blemishes on this body. There is some slight brassing/paint loss around the edges but that is it! The fit and finish of these bodies easily surpasses the durability of the Mamiya Universal Press and in a much thinner more compact package.
This camera would be perfect for someone wanting to shoot polaroid pack film with full manual control and roll film on (*possibly) the sharpest fastest wide lens made for 6x9 format. (*The Schneider 150mm f/2.8 Xenotar for Linhof might be sharper at the same speed but not as wide).
Given how complete (and rare) this kit is with manuals and all I'm looking to get $800 OBO + S/H from Ohio. If that sounds steep, I'm always open to reasonable offers, so message me and make me an offer.
