The Auto Graflex
The huge
5 x 7 inch Reflex Press camera
1906

In addition to the reflecting mirror, a supplementary mirror is provided. This mirror is placed on top of the focusing hood, and
with it the camera may be used when reversed. It also allows the operator to hold the camera on a level with
the eyes, or at a lower elevation.

This Auto Graflex is a very big camera.
Sizes when closed : 24 cm high, 23 cm long and 21cm wide !
Graflex promotes the focusing hood and mirror reflex system:

"If you had to stand on your head to shoot,
you wouldn't bring home much game"

Explaining this advertisement: ground glass focusing was the average way to focus at that time,
and thus it would show the subject on its head.

This sentence can open a discussion whether it was an advantage or a disadvantage
using a single lens reflex camera or a camera with the ground glass mounted to the back of the camera.
The Graflex Auto Reflex advertisement emphasizes the advantage of the reflex camera on a humorous way.
Lets take a closer look at the pros and cons.

The Disadvantages of Looking Down
as is inherent to Reflex Cameras.

• Reversed Lateral Image: The internal mirror flips the view horizontally.
Moving the camera left causes the screen image to move right, which makes tracking moving objects or panning incredibly difficult.
• Loss of Direct Situational Awareness: Looking down into the hood cuts off your peripheral vision of the actual event.
You can easily miss fast-paced action occurring just outside your tight frame.
• Ergonomic Strain for High Angles:
If you need to shoot over a crowd, you have to turn the camera completely upside down above your head and look up into it.
This makes holding and operating the controls highly awkward.
Some vintage cameras lack a locked mirror which might cause unwanted exposure or malfunction.
Sunlight Glare:
• If the camera lacks a good viewing hood, bright overhead sunlight shines directly into the top open screen
This makes it very hard to see your focus points and accurately judge your composition.

However there are undoubted
Advantages of Looking Down

• Candid and Unobtrusive: The camera rests at your chest or waist.
You do not block your face, making you look less threatening or aggressive to subjects.
This makes it an iconic choice for street photography.
• Lower Perspective: The lens naturally sits lower, which is perfect for capturing children, pets, or objects at their eye level.
It also gives your subjects a more monumental, impressive appearance.
• Better Physical Stability: You pull the camera down against your neck strap while pressing it against your body.
This anchors the camera firmly, minimizing hand shake and allowing for sharper shots at slower shutter speeds.
• Perceived Disconnection: Subjects often assume you are adjusting or cleaning your equipment rather than taking a picture.
This allows you to capture completely genuine, unposed emotions.
 

AUTO GRAFLEX

The Folmer and Swing Company in Rochester advertised the Auto Graflex as a reflex camera for street and press purposes.
The advertisement emphasizes the advantage of the - front hinged - accordion viewing hood which enables the photographer to see the image on the ground glass
in full size and right up at the very instant of exposure.
The advertisement shows a hunter on his head and the message is:
"If you had to stand on your head to shoot you wouldn't bring home much game"
The Auto Graflex typical accordion viewing hood with the peep slit emphasizes the importance of a reflex camera,
which prevents the above mentioned negative effect of a regular ground glass placed in a strait line behind the lens.
This position causes the "stand on the head" image on the ground glass. The reflex mirror correct this failure. However, the disadvantage of the reflex is
that the photographer has to look downwards to see the image on the ground glass on waist level rather than looking strait forward where the action is.
The extra build in mirror placed inside the focusing hood in strait line with the photographers eye, corrects this,
However, the accordion viewing hood was discontinued in 1910 as from then on this extraordinary typical hood was replaced by a regular rear hinged
folding chimney hood,

The Odd Accordion Hood

Sectional Illustration showing Graflex Reflex and focal plane shutter principle
Graflex Catalogue 1909

Cross section of the Auto Graflex Camera.
This first edition Auto Graflex cameras was equipped with the front hinged accordion viewing hood, matching brackets and button release.
My camera on top of the page (before restoration ) is the largest of three formats.
Film format 5x7 = Lens board size 4x4 inch.

The very impressive accordion viewing hood, provided with a bit shabby looking excision oval slit serving as a peephole, prevents incoming stray light to fall on the ground glass.
Looking down through the slit onto the ground glass the photographer could see the image right up.
To realize focusing without bending ones head down to the ground glass, the photographer could also look straight ahead to focus on a mirror mounted opposite the eye level.
This mirror is placed in an angle of 45 degree and thus making it possible to reflect the ground glass' image.
 This construction allows the photographer to look straight forward into the cut out peep hole and still see the focusing target on the ground glass, albeit on its head...
With all due respect but in this situation the advantage of the reflex camera mentioned in the ad (stand on your head), has been unmade.  ☺

On the other hand another advantage of this remarkable viewing hood especially for street or press photographing:
focusing ahead rather than down!
The accordion Auto Graflex with the front hinged cover was made from 1906 till 1910 in the film sizes 4x5 and 5x7"
The next badge produced as from 1916 was equipped with the "normal" straight folding rear hinged "chimney" viewing hood.
 
A remarkable detail is the front lens cover. It exist out of a kind of box with on the inside the easy to change lens board with lens and on the outside a hinged door.
The inside of the box is covered with leather as well is the inside of the hinged door.
I don't have the slightest idea about the purpose of this box construction.
A smaller metal hinged door in the middle of the bigger front door, pops open when the lens is turned outwards
.

The Lens
B&L - Tessar 71/16   f=6,3
  This 5x7 Auto Graflex camera is fitted with a B&L Tessar Series IIb nr. 600096
f: 6,3 equivalent focus 7 1/16 inch.In the first decade of the 20th century the B&L Tessar was one of the most compactly mounted and lightest lenses on the market, and could be fitted almost without exception to any compact hand camera on the market.
In those days it was marketed as follows:
"It increases wonderfully the efficiency of any hand camera by making possible exposures on dull days, or late in the day, when ordinary lenses are completely out of commission.
It has twice the speed of the ordinary camera lenses then, and gives wonderful definition over the whole surface of the plate,way up into the corners.

The striking characteristic of Tessar IIb is the precision and sharpness of the image on the plate from centre to margin, and hence it is especially recommended for use on small cameras where the negatives are to be with Tessar lIb sequent enlarged.
When stopped down, Tessar IIb increases in covering power.
Its image circle is 60° when used at F :6.3 on plates for which it is listed, but on stopping down to F :32, the angle will increase to 66°, allowing its use on larger size plates as indicated by the tables."

Restoring my bargain
5x7 Auto Graflex
The camera came with missing cover brackets and missing strap handle, leather camera cover in very bad shape and a non functional stiff focal plane shutter.
The accordion style viewing hood has had its best days long time ago but still usable. This was the condition of this interesting designed Graflex Camera.
 

Manufacturing the missing cover brackets.

Although it would be a great coincident if you would find a camera like mine which misses the cover brackets, I cannot hide my proud
to let you know how I manufactured these odd shaped brackets out of steel.
The camera top cover came without the leather strap handle and missed both top cover brackets to hold the cover with the accordion viewing hood upright.
Furthermore the focal plane shutter was extremely dry and brittle and non functional. Even the lens including lens board was missing.

Nevertheless I decided to accept the challenge to start the restoration. First of all I tackled the focal plane shutter, renewed the fabric but used the old clips.
I followed the same procedure as I did before by renewing  a Graflex Home Portrait camera.

Although not being a metalworker I had to find a way to make these top cover brackets and started with thin cardboard test designs to see how these would work while opening and closing the top cover.
Once I found the right shape, I cut them out of 0,3 mm copper plate which is very easy to cut and bend.
To get these cover brackets working I also had to find admittance to the bellows storage in the front of the camera.
This proved to be difficult as the screws holding the back frame of the bellows were difficult to find under the folded plies of the bellows.
You'd need a thin long screwdriver and and a third hand to hold the torch.
Carefully tear the bellows strait up. Now you can discover 4 screws on each side of the bellows connecting the rear bellows frame to the rear front of the lens standard. 
A tall screwdriver helps you to turn the screws loose. Don't loose your  patience. When all screws are loose you may lift the bellows out of the case.

   

The first two pictures show the removal of the bellows giving entrance to the bellows storage space.
the third photo shows one of the screws in the narrow space between camera and bellows.
Make sure to get the right screwdriver!

Making a prototype bracket out of thin cardboard for testing purposes.
Finding the right bow shape of the sliding bracket that makes it possible to open and set the cover including the accordion viewing hood upright to focus.
The next prototype was made out of a copper plate
 

This is how it looks.
The copper plate replaced the cardboard prototype and finally the provisional steel bracket led finally to a good working cover bracket.
The last photo shows the bellows storage in which the end of the bracket will find its place when the cover has been closed.
Realizing that the old leather was definitively unsuitable to be restored, I decided to undress the camera to see how it looks.
I'm pretty sure to find some new leather to cover the camera with, but up till now I like the wooden appearance as it is. Maybe some varnish would give it a nicer and warmer look.
Further more I managed to make a new strap holder and last but not least I found a very nice brass Bausch & Lomb Series IIb 5x7 lens
and fitted in a home made wooden lens holder completes the outer performance.
New made brackets, new made focal plane shutter, an original lens in lens board and cleaned and oiled
shutter mechanics, brought the Auto Graflex to live again.