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So how beat is your Speed?

Paul Howell

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I'm going to shoot some 4X5 in the AM, rather than my Crown I dug out my old speed. It has seen better days. Bought it in 1966, a friend of a friend took me Long Beach CA Navy base where I got it at a surplus sale for $25.00, thought it was odd that I was the only bidder and the sale had not really started. I guess a favor was owed. Over the years I have abused it to no end, dropped it several times, worst was while hiking in the slot canyons in 4 corners, that time broke the rangefinder which I took off. Still as the Navy sticker. The lens is a Kodak Commercial Ektar 152mm.
 

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BrianShaw

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You win... my Anniversary Graphic looks much nicer.
 

Sirius Glass

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My 1953 Pacemaker Speed Graphic is in almost new condition. It was the favorite Speed Graphic of retired Graflex and Graphic repairman who was selling off his camera collection.
 

peter k.

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Oh my.. these dang speeds, and it still works. What a camera!
Got three speeds.. 4x5 3x4 and a baby.. love all three, The 4x5 is the one we used the least, as its the biggest and always bring a tripod when we shoot it.
 
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Paul Howell

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I'll have to check, I have 2, one is 150 the other 152, a commercial and a standard, might have the commercial on my view.
 

jim10219

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My WWII era Anniversary Speed Graphic is in pretty good shape, since I replaced the bellows, patched and tensioned the focal plane shutter, replaced the strap, and replaced the beamsplitter in the rangefinder.

The CZJ 135mm Tessar it came with functions perfectly, as does the Heiland flash gun and solenoid. I doubt they were original to the camera, but they're definitely old!
 

Theo Sulphate

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It's in good shape:

 
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Paul Howell

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The lens on the speed is a standard 152mm Ektar, I shot with it this AM, speeds seem to be accurate, still works OK as a field camera with limited movements, good front rise not much more. The 127 Kodak Ektar that came with body is somewhere in storage, a sharp enough lens but not enough to cover full rise.
 

Vaughn

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It has been sitting on the bookshelf way too long -- getting dusty! A Pre-Anniversary, I believe. Also attached is one of the last images I made with it (10 years ago) with a magnifying lglass for the lens, using the curtain shutter, and Type 55 film (contact print).

The camera was given to me as part of the deal when I bought a fellow's Mazda pick-up truck in San Francisco about 20 years ago.
 

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jay moussy

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Silly question from a newcomer to Speed: what materials are body parts made of?

I keep knocking on my Speed body, and I cannot tell if it is wood or a thin metal casting.
Maybe I need to knock harder...?
 
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Paul Howell

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The body is made of wood, I seem to remember that the the Bush Pressman and Linhof and Horseman were made of metal, might be wrong about the Pressman. The last model speed the superspeed was also metal as I recall. The fittings of course are metal. If you look around on the internet you find pictures of folks who tropicalized their speeds by stripping off all the leather sanding staining and varnishing them. Tropical cameras were bear wood to prevent mold growing under the leather covering.
 

Dan Fromm

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Bear wood? What kind of bear? Polar, Grizzly, Boo-Boo, ...?
 

jay moussy

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Any incidence of the structural wood failing?
Reinforced in certain areas like handle, tripod mounts?
 

Theo Sulphate

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How many people know that the motion of the focusing track is transmitted to the rangefinder cam through a tube with small ball bearings?

Ken Nadvornick told me about this years ago.
 

Dan Fromm

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Theo Sulphate said:
How many people know that the motion of the focusing track is transmitted to the rangefinder cam through a tube with small ball bearings?
Click to expand...

Top rangefinder Graphics (later Pacemaker Graphics, Super Graphics) yes, side RF Graphics (most with Kalart RFs) no. Kalarts have a linkage that's pushed by an adjustment screw, used to adjust infinity focus, on the right inner bed rail.
 
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