Speed & Crown Graphic.
This Pacemaker Speed Graphic is equipped with a Kodak Ektar 127 mm in a
Super-matic M-F shutter controlled by an electric solenoid.
The Kalart Rangefinder was standard of the first generation Speed Graphics.
Its successor (see photo on bottom of this page) was equipped with the
Top Mounted rangefinder
a
device designed by Graflex.
The Pacemaker Speed Graphic
has a long list of predecessors.
Basically it was a design from the twenties to provide focal plane shutter efficiency
in a folding, large format camera.
The original early Speed Graphic was not yet equipped with a rangefinder.
A folding Graphic sight finder as well as the carrying handle was placed on
the camera top.
The rising lens board was the only adjustment. The focal plane shutter speeds
1/10 to 1/100 second were achieved by 4 slits and 6 different spring tensions.
Film format 3 ¼ x 5½ inch and 4 x 5 inch. Most of these cameras had a spring
back.
These early "Speeds" were followed by the 4x5 "Pre Anniversary"
equipped with a stronger body and a bigger lens board to enable the use of a
front shutter.
The camera was produced from 1928 to 1939. During that period of time the Newton
finder was replaced by a tubular optic viewfinder.
As from 1939 the camera was equipped with a coupled Kalart rangefinder invented
by Morris Schwartz.
The Pre-Anniversaries were made in several sizes and models up till 1940. From
1940 to 1946 the Anniversary was produced in 3 ¼ x 4 ¼ and 4 x 5 inch.
These cameras were equipped with a rising and shifting lens standard, drop bed
of metal and dual focusing knobs.
The since1907
introduced Graflex Press Camera, up to the Pacemakers Speed Graphic in the sixties,
these cameras witnessed conflicts all over the world during the 20th Century.
The reliable cameras, precious instruments of famous press photographers such
as Weegee, took pictures of G- men in Chicago,
armed conflicts, wars, student revolutions, and civil disturbances.
They covered the Neurenberg trial, the Korean war, and all important political
summits all over the world.
At the
end of the sixties, Graflex cameras were still present on most of the theatres
of historical events, but their number decreased as if it was as a last salute
to the end of a photographic period of time, where Large Format cameras such
as the Speed Graphic dominated the scene- there where the event took place.
The end of its long successful era was around the late sixties.
The Pacemaker Speed and Crown are Graflex post war cameras, launched in 1947
and remained in production till 1974.
The Pacemaker Speed as the successor of the
Anniversary Speed Graphic is equipped with a Focal Plane shutter
while the
Pacemaker Crown lacks the focal plane shutter and thus is lighter in weight.
Both cameras are equal in all the other features and equipment.
The missing focal plane shutter enables a smaller, less deep camera housing
and a lighter weight for the Crown.
Both types were introduced in 1947 in three different sizes: 4x5: 3 ¼ x 4 ¼
and 2 ¼ x 3 ¼.
The famous and very highly sophisticated Graflok
back was introduced in 1949 and originally available on all sizes, albeit
that the sales of the smaller sizes
were the reason for the discontinuation of the production of them in 1958.
The 4x5 Pacemaker Speed and Crown were very popular with the press those days.
The new features made of the lighter aluminium
were no doubt reason for the continuation of the popularity of its predecessor
the Anniversary.
A new designed front standard showing the shiny aluminium lens board and its
tilt, shift, rising and linkage
to the build in shutter release
knob which can control the front as well as the focal plane shutter on both
camera types..
As for the Speed Graphic the above mentioned simple shift sliding knob controls
the choice for the front or either the back shutter.
The multi speed back shutter is governed by a switch placed beneath the side
mounted control plate.
The switch makes it possible to reduce the high speeds from 1/60, 1/250 an 1/1000
into the half of them 1/30, 1/125 and 1/500.
Until the late fifties the Pacemakers were equipped with a Kalart
rangefinder, the same rangefinder that was used on all the pre war Graflex
-non-reflex- cameras
such as the Anniversary Speed Graphic. The disadvantage of the Kalart was its
complicated fine tuning when changing lenses.
The Kalart rangefinder should be re-adjusted
thoroughly and in fact only to be done at the Graflex factory.
Re-adjusting is a very precise and difficult job that can easily take
several hours of fine tuning.
In the fifties this Kalart rangefinder was replaced by a build
in coupled rangefinder designed, developed and manufactured by Graflex.
The new rangefinder was not only more reliable, due to its simple design, but
the main advantage was the fact that exchanging a simple cam was sufficient
when changing lenses.
The rangefinder's position on top of the housing was the reason that the new
cameras were named: "Top Mounted" .
It distinguished between the earlier Kalart side-mounted rangefinder and the
late style top-mounted Graphic rangefinder.
acemaker%20Speed%20513x664.jpg)
On the left: top mounted rangefinder Speed Graphic
on the right the side mounted Kalart Rangefinder camera
This particular Pacemaker Speed Graphic with top mounted
Graphic rangefinder is
equipped with a front Graphic (Kodak) leaf shutter, fitted with the 90 mm No.
32 Kodak Anastigmatic f=4,5 - 6 3/8 inch.
The original Graflex Chrome flash and black finished JoLo lens board in perfect
technical working condition makes this camera
with its striking design a special appearance.
Loved by collectors and professional photographers.
History
The new Pacemaker Speed Graphic.
From 1947-1973.
Comparing to its predecessors as described above, the
Pacemaker cameras including the Crown, were equipped with new desirable
features.
To start with it has a build in release knob which could control the
front as well as the focal plane shutter.
Further more: Metal front with
stainless steel U support with metal light trapping.
Precision made magnesium
backs and focusing panels. Four sided metal folding focusing hood. Hinged
Infinity stops allowing free forward movement of front standard.
Optical
viewfinder with vertical and horizontal parallax correction.
Build in focal
plane flash synchronization. Sealed window shows shutter speeds.
Tilting front. Stainless steel open sports frame finder with parallax
adjustment. Interchangeable aluminium lens boards.
Provision for use of focusing scales with wide angle lenses. Last but not least:
In 1947 the horizontal Graphic or Graflex back were changed into the International Graflok back.
This international back became world wide standard in the next decennia for all
4x5 film cassettes.
Side Mounted and Top mounted
The Pacemakers were the last
Graphics build along the familiar lines.
There were two types: The Pacemaker
Speed "Side Mounted" and "Top Mounted".
Originally like all the pre-war predecessors, the Pacemaker Speed Graphic was
equipped with a Kalart Rangefinder, mounted on the side of the camera next to
the winding key.
There was no feature to match the rangefinder with the lens
when changing lenses. For focusing with a different lens than the standard one.
The photographer should focus on the ground glass or even on a lens related
focusing scale next to the track.
Its successor, introduced
in the late 1950's was the so-called "Top Mounted" Speed Graphic.
It had a Graphic Rangefinder especially designed for the Graphic cameras (Speed
and... Crown) placed on top of the housing.
The principal feature of the new rangefinder is that it is instantly adaptable
to any of the 9 standard lenses of different focal length.
Each interchangeable cam is matched at the factory to the lens with which it
will be used.
Changing cams was relatively easy by exchanging the cam in the tube that couples
the interchangeable lens to the rangefinder.
Never the less in both cases the lens standard should be placed against the
infinity stops of the related lens.
Some cameras had more than one distance scale to enable working with different
lenses.
Beside the interchangeable cam, one would need for each lens a matching distance
scale.
Further more for each lens a couple of infinity stops which should be fixed
on the right spot of the focusing track.
The camera below is a 4x5 inch Pacemaker Speed Graphic with Top Mounted
Rangefinder.
The Flash is the well known Chrome Graflex Flash - the best known prop in Star
wars: Luke's Light saber.
Side Mounted Rangefinder
Pacemaker Speed Graphic Camera
Maintenance
Repair
and how to speed up your lazy focal plane shutter.
Back to Graflex
Cameras
Here you'll find the most interesting classic cameras produced by Folmer &
Schwing
the early Graflex company.
Back to Jo Lommen Camera side
Learn all about classic press cameras.
European and all American Press Cameras and how to maintain.