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Unusual Graflex and Graphic cameras
(these cameras are NOT mine)

BIG BERTHA PRESS CAMERAS
As you can see, these massive beasts came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most were custom built outside the Graflex factory. Nearly all had 28" or 40" lenses but one made for Associated Press had a 60" f8 Dallmeyer fitted. Mainly based on the 5x7 Home Portrait Graflex camera body.

THE NATURALIST GRAFLEX
Possibly the forerunner of the Big Bertha press cameras, the Naturalist Graflex also had a long telephoto lens built in, up to 26 inches. Made in two versions, both 4x5 format. The original 1907 one had a fixed horizontal viewfinder, while from 1908 - 1921 the viewfinder was able to be used vertically or horizontally. Very few examples exist today as probably less than 50 were ever made. The last one available sold for $US6900. (these photos courtesy Bert Saunders)

TRIPLE LENS STEREO GRAPHIC - photos courtesy of  www.ignomini.com
This extremely impressive, if not strange looking camera shot stereo images on 5x8 film through a matched pair of Bausch & Lomb Zeiss convertible lenses. Also available new with Goerz lenses. The centre lens allows the operator to see the subject at all times. Very rare and very expensive ($305 in 1902...about $7000 today!!) and only made 1902-1904.

GRAFLEX MODEL A AERIAL CAMERA
Dating from about World War I this large leather covered wood bodied camera was one of the pioneering aerial cameras, widely used by the US Army Air Corps. Fired by a pistol type trigger, the focal plane shutter fired as the two protective shutter blinds at the front of the camera opened. A 4x5" format with a Graflex back meant standard double sided plate holders could be used as well as a 12 plate 'bag mag' magazine.

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photography (except this page) and website © Bruce Thomas 2009/2010/2011