Posted by ADavidhazy on January 13, 19102 at 10:35:18:
In Reply to: Folmer Graflex Camera posted by Karen Ellis on January 12, 19102 at 22:45:18:
I don't know much about all the cameras that Folmer Graflex made but I suspect the knobs are not wooden but rather knurled metal ... possibly brass. If it is a Graflex then it is probably also a "reflex" camera meaning there should be a large hood on top of the camera (that may be folded down) allowing the photographer to view the image formed by the lens on a groundglass via a mirror that would be moved out of the light path just before the photo was made. Henri Lartigue in France used something like this for a "icon" image of a racing car.
The camera is (if it is the one I think of) equipped with a focal plane shutter. Sort of roller-blind style. The cloth material in these shutters tends to be dried out and this causes problems.
If the shutter works OK then fitting a lens to the body should not be that hard - if you have some machining or woodworking capability. On the other hand a lens that will fit well may be significantly more expensive than the body you acquired.
The camera possibly or more than likely takes either 4x5 or 3 1/4 by 4 1/4 sheet film of pack film. For these you need sheet film holders and the patience to learn to shoot one frame at a time.
Folmer Graflex and then Graflex (I think) was a big camera manufacturer in Rochester, NY.
It all depends on what you want to do with the thing. Maybe you will get some more feedback later from others. Oh, I should mention that there is a large society of graflex owners and such on the web. I believe their URL is www.graflex.org
good luck
Andrew Davidhazy