Kalart rangefinder worthwhile? - Anniversary Speed Graphic & Aero Ektar

blee1996 · Feb 12, 2025

Hi

I have finally mounted the Aero Ektar 7" f/2.5 onto the Anniversary Speed Graphic, now it's time to think about focusing.

1) Ground glass focusing: tested and always work
2) Kalart rangefinder (side mounted): the beamsplitter in mine lost almost all silver, the arm and RF internal movements seems fine. There is ebay vendor selling replacement part.
3) Create new focus scale on camera bed, use accessory rangefinder. The current Vernier scales are for Ektar 127/4.7 and accurate, so I won't touch them.

I can certainly do 1 and 3. But would like to ask members here your experience about Kalart RF with Aero Ektar and if it's worthwhile to replace the beamsplitter. I find f/4 seems a sweet spot in terms of out of focus rendering and reasonable sharpness, but might succumb to popular trend of wide open at f/2.5. Most likely it will be on a tripod or monopod, since handholding will be too much of a struggle.

- Is it very difficult to calibrate the Kalart RF for Aero Ektar?
- Is it good enough for critical focus at f/2.5, or you still rely on ground glass?

Thanks!

Paul Howell · Feb 12, 2025

As I understand it the rangefinder focusing arm on the side mount is not interchangeable. My 1952 Montgomery Wards' Photo Catalog list 4 lens for the Speed of the day, side mount rangefinder, a 127, a 135, 150 and 180. It is likely that your rangefinder was fitted for one of those lens. Others might know the numbers, but my take is most were fitted with the 135 or 127, the 135 being more common. My Speed which I bought at Navy Surplus sale in the 60s came with a Kodak 127, while my Crown came with a 135. I did change the Kodak 135 or a Zeiss and just out luck the rangefinder matched. I was told by a retired Navy photo mate that newspaper used the wider lens to make sure all the action was in the negative as they could crop down for the final print. The 7 inch you have is 177.8mm, not sure if there is focusing arm that will match. I know there are templates on line various lens for the top mounted rangefinder online, or were online.

F4U · Feb 12, 2025

I wouldn't have put that lens on a Speed Graphic, but instead would have restored the camera and found another use tor the lens, like a Calumet view or other. But I've seen videos of someone who put 18 cylinder Wright Cyclone engines on a Volkswagen, just to see if they can make it work. The camera was made for a press lens like a 127 or 135mm. I doubt the existing rangefinder can even be calibrated for it. And a Speed Graphic doesn't have the movements to give you full advantage of it. I an only imagine how front-heavy the camera is, and the front standard is too light to support it correctly. Further, you will have to fabricate a mask to go into the viewfinder, making that a very tiny field of view.

blee1996 · Feb 12, 2025

F4U said:
I wouldn't have put that lens on a Speed Graphic, but instead would have restored the camera and found another use tor the lens, like a Calumet view or other. But I've seen videos of someone who put 18 cylinder Wright Cyclone engines on a Volkswagen, just to see if they can make it work. The camera was made for a press lens like a 127 or 135mm. I doubt the existing rangefinder can even be calibrated for it. And a Speed Graphic doesn't have the movements to give you full advantage of it. I an only imagine how front-heavy the camera is, and the front standard is too light to support it correctly. Further, you will have to fabricate a mask to go into the viewfinder, making that a very tiny field of view.

I did add a wooden block under the lens to support it further, so the weight is not entirely on the lens board and front standard. It feels fairly safe.

On the other hand, it might fit better with my Arca Swiss F-line monorail. But then again I'm back to Packard shutter and one speed. I no longer have Sinar system and its versatile Sinar shutter. Although I'm not sure the Sinar shutters will have large enough openings to prevent vignetting.

F4U · Feb 12, 2025

blee1996 said:
I did add a wooden block under the lens to support it further, so the weight is not entirely on the lens board and front standard. It feels fairly safe.

On the other hand, it might fit better with my Arca Swiss F-line monorail. But then again I'm back to Packard shutter and one speed. I no longer have Sinar system and its versatile Sinar shutter. Although I'm not sure the Sinar shutters will have large enough openings to prevent vignetting.

It never occurred to me the lens had no shutter. Sorry. You might have done about all you can do with what you had available. I simply hate to see a beautiful Anniversary Graphic modiied. Regards

blee1996 · Feb 12, 2025

F4U said:
It never occurred to me the lens had no shutter. Sorry. You might have done about all you can do with what you had available. I simply hate to see a beautiful Anniversary Graphic modiied. Regards

No worries. I did not modify anything on the Anniversary Speed Graphic. It is a bit worn but still beautiful.

Dan Fromm · Feb 12, 2025

Oh, dear.

Paul, F4U, Kalarts are adjustable. The manual is here: https://archive.org/details/stroboflash-service-manual/3A Graflex Servicing/

F4U, lens boards are interchangable, they're not permanently mounted to the front standard. The OP's Annie doesn't have to be modified at all to swap in a board that will accept an AE. Standard issue lenses for Annies' focal lengths range from 88 mm to 300 mm.

gordrob · Feb 12, 2025

Check about two thirds down the page on the link below for instructions how to recalibrate for the Aero Ektar.

https://jolommencam.com/Graflex Cameras/aero/index.html

blee1996 · Feb 12, 2025

Thanks, found the link for Kalart finetuning. Looks a bit daunting.

https://jolommencam.com/kalart/new.html

mshchem · Feb 12, 2025

Bokeh!!!

F4U · Feb 12, 2025

I thought there was a photo of your Graphic with your Ektar, but I guess I was mistaken. But this is important. If you have a Kalart Synchronized Rangefinder, calibrating it is not difficult at all. The de-silverized upper mirror should easy to replace, with some internet sleuthing for a new one. But IMPORTANT!: You will have to loosen a screw to allow a slider to move. This screw is a left hand thread. , Further, the slot in the screw is very soft. Use a correct fitting screwdriver, and loosen it by turning lockwise, Gently. It takes almost no brute force to break off one side of the slot, and then you are cooked. Set up targets at 3 1/2 feet ,6 ft, 15ft, and infinity. The book says 6, 15, and inf. But the wise man knows that favoring the close distances means greater accuray. After all, if you cant get infinity to dial in perfectly is not so important. But at 4-10 feet means everything in accuracy. When finished, don't install the cover right away, but exercise the focus the rest of the day to allow things to "settle in". You may find further tweeking is needed.

Donald Qualls · Feb 13, 2025

I love the Kalart on my Annie. It's easy to calibrate to the mounted lens (takes ten minutes or so with a horizon-distance target in sight) and accurate enough I've used it at with excellent results at 5-6 feet, f/5.6 on a 135 mm lens.

blee1996 · Feb 13, 2025

Ordered beamsplitter from Nobysparrow on ebay, and will give the Kalart rangefinder a try once it arrives.

F4U · Feb 14, 2025

I would be surprised if the Kalart can be adjusted completely on a lens that long. Maybe though. If not, I would forsake infinity to have 4-30 ft. Or maybe 50. After that, what diffference would infinity make, as long as the infinity stops are properly adjusted? Infinity is when the lens rack is turned back till it stops. You don't need a rangefinder to tell you that, as long as you set those stops right, and verified it on the ground glass. You'll still have to make a mask to slide into the viewfinder, and the 6-8-15-Inf knob won't necessarily be correct. Fitting a Pratt and Whitney on a dune buggy involves compromises.

Donald Qualls · Feb 14, 2025

F4U said:
I would be surprised if the Kalart can be adjusted completely on a lens that long.

Unless my math is wonky, 7" is only ~175 mm and I'm sure the very same Kalart that was fitted on plate and film press cameras from 6x9 to 5x7 will still work.

The focus scale on the camera bed was interchangeable, and there were scales for (at least) 120 mm, 135 mm, and 150 mm; it might be possible to find one for 165 mm, but I don't know if 4x5 Speed models had scales for longer lengths.

gordrob · Feb 14, 2025

Here are a couple more good sites for reference. The South Bristol site gives you a listing of focusing scales available for lenses along with their part numbers and the second one shows you how to overhaul a Speed Graphic and install the Aero Ektar and tune the Kalart Rangefinder.

http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/Grafscalst.gif

Building a naked Aero Ektar Speed Graphic: The AEROgraphic project part 1 - introduction and required materials

This is the first of a six-part series in which I will describe the process of creating a "naked" Graflex Pacemaker Speed Graphic 4x5 camera and Kodak Aero Ektar lens combination;

emulsive.org

Chuck1 · Feb 14, 2025

Thank for the links
Any one know anything about the 47mm focusing scale, I've only seen one for sale once it was only one piece(missing the arrow index-or it never came with it )

Donald Qualls · Feb 18, 2025

Chuck1 said:
missing the arrow index-or it never came with it

This may differ for different models of camera, but on my Annie I think the pointer is the same on all focus scales.

Kalart rangefinder worthwhile? - Anniversary Speed Graphic & Aero Ektar

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