I've been wanting a 4 x 5 view camera for some time. It's not only for the large negative but also for the perspective controls a view camera offers. Good view cameras are a bit more than I can afford so I've had my eye on a Super Speed Graphic press camera. Still more than I can afford right now but it turns out that the solution, short term, was sitting on my shelf.

It's a 3.25 x 4.25 Anniversary Speed Graphic from 1946. It doesn't have a lot of movements. Just rise and slide on the front standard but that covers most of what I want to use it for. I acquired this camera sometime in the 1970s but can't remember how. It's and odd film size and there isn't film made for it and I've never been excited about cutting down 4 x 5 film so it's sat on a shelf all these years. A couple of nights ago I was searching for a source of 620 and 127 film (other obsolete film sizes) and found J and C Photo, which carries 3.25 x 4.25 film. Not a big selection. They have two emulsions. The one I want to use is ADOX, an ISO 100 black and white film. It's made in Croatia and uses an older formula that has more silver than modern black and white. A vintage film for a vintage camera. So I brought my Speed Graphic off the shelf.

The Kalart range finder works just fine, the bellows looks good, and the focal plane shutter seems to be in order (up to 1/1000 of sec.) The lens is a 127mm f4.7 Kodak Ektar which, with a little googling, I find is a very good lens. The rest of the Ektars are quite good and can be had pretty reasonable on eBay. There may be an 80 and a 203 in my future. It's a little dusty and some of the leather is coming loose. It's going to be a little while until I can do my own black and white film so I will be refurbishing it. The leather covers a mahagony body with brass and aluminum bits. The leather is coming off. Here is a naked Speed Graphic.

Nude Speed Graphic

Underneath the "Top Rangefinder" 4x5 Speed or Crown Graphic's UGLY leather is beautiful mahogany. Likewise the front door is actually nice metal underneath it all. So the trick is to take off their clothes to reveal the beautiful person.....eh camera underneath.

And maybe red bellows. Usually the rangefinder is removed but I want to keep the capability of using it as a hand held rangefinder camera. I may not use it that way much but I might.

I've ordered a manual for the camera to aid in taking it apart and, in the meantime, have removed the bubbling leather from the underside of the bed.

Lots of cleaning and refinishing to go.