[rollei_list] Re: FS: Crown Graphic outfit
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 08:58:49 -0700
----- Original Message -----
From: "Allen Zak" <azak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 8:24 AM
Subject: [rollei_list] FS: Crown Graphic outfit
Crown Graphic Special w/ top mounted RF and 135 mm f4.7
Sch. Xenar
generally excellent condition except RF out of alignment.
Some time ago I posted a procedure for adjusting the
Kalart rangefinder on the Graflex site. I need to re-write
it to make it clearer and add some more recent experiences.
They are not difficult to adjust but are fussy. Once set up
they will stay in adjustment for years. When one is out of
adjustment its well to check the infinity stops to make sure
the lens is in the infinity position when the rangefinder
indicates it. Sometimes a small adjustment to get it right
will fix the entire range. The side mounted rangefinder
looks a bit crude but is actually very accurate when
properly adjusted.
The "Special" part of the Crown Graphic Special is the
lens. Standard lenses at the time were Wollensak Optar (same
as the Raptar) and Kodak Ektars. I think Graflex had
discovered about then that the Optar/Raptar had problems and
was looking around for a replacement. The Xenar, as Rollei
people know, is an excellent lens and was adopted by Graflex
for a time. Eventually, Graflex began to use "Optar" (their
house brand) lenses made by Rodenstock and others. There is
nothing wrong with Wollensak shutters, BTW, although they
may need new springs. However, there was evidently a design
error for the entire Raptar/Optar line of Tessar type
standard lenses. They have excessive oblique spherical
aberration (although it may be coma) and, while quite sharp
in the center of the image even when wide open, have the
typical smeared out looking blur at the corners even when
stopped down all the way to f/32. The Zeiss Tessar and Kodak
Ektar are free of this fault by f/8. Wollensak also had a
problem with their Enlarging Raptar series of lenses which
should be avoided. How a well respected company could have
allowed this to happen is beyond me and how Graflex could
have contracted to use these lenses without becoming aware
of their serious shortcomings is also beyond me.
BTW, other Wollensak lenses of the period are OK or even
very good performers. For instance, the f/5.6 Optar used on
the Super-D Graflex is probably as good as the Kodak Ektar
for this camera and the Tele-Raptar and Tele-Optar lenses
are very good performers.
This sounds like a good rig. I hope you don't have to
break it up.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
---
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