Crown Graphic questions

"Grover" wrote in message
...
I have a Crown Graphic with flash that I'm thinking of
selling. Serial
# is 921798.

Is there any site that can date this? or get amanual for
it?

It has a Schneider-Kreuznch Xenar 1:4.7/135 lens, and is
in very good
condition.

Thanks.

Assuming the lens is original (not always safe for
Graphic cameras) you can date it from the serial number list
at the Schneider site. That will give you an approximate
date for the camera.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Richard Knoppow spake thus:

"Grover" wrote in message
...

I have a Crown Graphic with flash that I'm thinking of
selling. Serial # is 921798.

Is there any site that can date this? or get amanual for
it?

It has a Schneider-Kreuznch Xenar 1:4.7/135 lens, and is
in very good
condition.

Assuming the lens is original (not always safe for
Graphic cameras) you can date it from the serial number list
at the Schneider site. That will give you an approximate
date for the camera.

When selling it, keep in mind that your camera has a fancy-schmancy lens
(brand-name wise) that's not actually very good; not nearly as good as
the more common Kodak Ektar 127mm lens. This has been noted many times
here in the past, and was confirmed by testing by an acquaintance of mine.


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"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message
.com...
Richard Knoppow spake thus:

"Grover" wrote in message
...

I have a Crown Graphic with flash that I'm thinking of
selling. Serial # is 921798.

Is there any site that can date this? or get amanual for
it?

It has a Schneider-Kreuznch Xenar 1:4.7/135 lens, and is
in very good
condition.

Assuming the lens is original (not always safe for
Graphic cameras) you can date it from the serial number
list at the Schneider site. That will give you an
approximate date for the camera.

When selling it, keep in mind that your camera has a
fancy-schmancy lens (brand-name wise) that's not actually
very good; not nearly as good as the more common Kodak
Ektar 127mm lens. This has been noted many times here in
the past, and was confirmed by testing by an acquaintance
of mine.

Evidently Xenars are somewhat variable. I never had a
127mm f/4.7 to test but other Xenars, for instance those on
Rolleiflex and Rolleicord cameras, are excellent lenses. One
test I've found useful is to look for smeared looking point
sources in the corners. One can test using a distant
penlight or any very small, bright, highlight. All Tessar
type lenses have some coma and some oblique spherical
aberration. These tend to make bright spots at the corners
have a smeared out tear-drop shape. The tear drop can point
toward or away from the center depending on its sign, or, in
other words, where it is originating in the lens. These
aberrations proportional to the stop. A good f/4.5 Tessar
type lens, like the Kodak Ektar or Zeiss Tessar will be
mostly free of coma at around f/8 and definitely free of it
at f/11. Some lenses, in particular some Wollensak Raptar or
Optar (house brand for Graflex) will have noticable smearing
until stopped down to f/32 and may have it there. Again, not
all Raptar or Optar lenses have this fault but most of those
on Graphics seem to.
Graflex seems to have contracted for Xenar lenses at
about the time the top rangefinder Graphic came out. Speed
Graphics with Xenars are marked Speed Graphic Special but I
don't know if the Crown Graphic also had this marking. My
advice is to check the lens, both on the ground glass and on
film. I am not quite as willing to condemn it as David is,
but he could well be right.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

If you're selling it, it's partly market-driven.

Stopping down significantly on a Tessar is a known issue, except among
people who don't know. There are frequent inquiries about soft corners
from people who acquire a lens of Tessar design (like the Xenar) who
weren't aware, nor does the lens say it anywhere.

A friend has a Wollensack on his Crown and when I say I 'only' have a
Xenar, he expresses jealousy...so it's all relative. I too have ready
more opinions about the Kodak Ektar option being the best of the three,
but David's is the strongest expression (nothing wrong with that) I've
seen so far.

At least it has a lens...that helps price somewhat.

I not too long ago saw someone asking $200 for the lens you describe. I
don't know if it ever sold, however.

Search eBay closed auctions for selling prices to decide if it's worth
more separate or as one package.

A 135/4.7 Xenar in Compur shutter just went on e### for $160.50,
complete with glowing reports of unused appearance & minty fresh breath
and a set of Series VI filters that will only fit with an adapter the
seller had not yet located...if the filter gels between glass haven't
shriveled to look their age.