Graflex.org

larsenf · Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Hello, I just won this ebay auction. The bellows and shutter curtain looked good and it was cheap so i bit the bullet. What can you tell me about this particular camera from the ebay images? I could not find the lens listed on any of the graflex sites linked in the many forums posts about the 3A. I plan on using 120 film in this camera mostly save for the rare roll of 122 i might come across.[/url]

Dan Fromm · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 2144 Location: New Jersey

The lens is a 180/4.5 Congo (tessar type) made by Yamasaki Optical. Yamasaki's home page (http://www.cosmonet.org/congo/index_e.html) says they've been in business since 1924 so the lens might be contemporary with the camera.

Odds are that it is a retrofit. If you want to know when the lens was made, ask Yamasaki.

45PSS · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:36 pm Post subject:

see the reflex help section as the 3A is a Graflex Reflex camera. it will have to be modified to use 120 film.

What is the serial number? it should be on the focus bed.
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The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

larsenf · Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Los Angeles, CA

I'll tell you the serial when I get the camera. Thanks for the help. Any idea what I can do about this missing viewfinder hood?

larsenf · Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Los Angeles, CA

serial is 98784. cant figure out how to make the shutter open. i think the shutter aperture knob A is damaged

larsenf · Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 4 Location: Los Angeles, CA

45PSS · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:44 pm Post subject:

The serial number is listed in a batch of 1000 but date records were not kept at that time. Best guess is 1916-1919.

If you have been able to remove the wind plate then you are half way there on getting the shutter to work.

http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?t=6131
will tell you most if not all you need to know.
Remove the curtain from the camera, remove the dried out grease from the curtain roller end bushings buried in the left side of the body, apply fresh grease, reassemble and adjust.

You will probably have to make a new view hood as most 3A's go for $150 to $250 in repairable condition.
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

MountainAir · Joined: 10 Apr 2018 Posts: 1

Hello,

I have a couple of old family cameras that I'm looking to sell. I know very little about cameras, so for starters I'm trying to identify the exact model and serial number. There's a small metal label on the curtain that indicates 3.A. Graflex, followed by a series of rows and columns. At the very lower-left corner of the label is a five digit number (13472) that I'm wondering whether it's the serial number.

Can someone help me identify the exact model and serial number for the camera I have on hand?

Thanks.

45PSS · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:35 pm Post subject:

That's the shutter speed table. The serial number is on the rear left corner of the lens door when open and looking into the camera.
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.