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Post by OwO Jima on Feb 17, 2016 20:54:01 GMT -5
This bad boy came in the mail yesterday - it's a 1941 dated Graflex Speed Graphic Anniversary. It could use some TLC, but for being 75 years old, it functions surprisingly smoothly. The Anniversary Speed Graphic was the camera of choice for U.S. military photographers as well as press journalists during WWII, with later wartime versions featuring black painted furniture, rather than the chrome found on pre-war models. Unfortunately, the accessories are a bit of a pain to find, specifically the flash handle - the flash handle used most often during WWII is the same model that the prop masters used to make the Jedi's Light Sabers in the original Star Wars movies, making the flash handles worth more than the cameras. Each Army (1st Army, 3rd Army, ect.) had a Signal Corps Signal Photographic Company attached to it, which would dispatch cameramen teams (at least 1 still photographer, 1 motion picture photographer, and their driver) to the individual divisions as they saw fit. A still photographer in the 167th SPC attached to the 12th United States Army Group (the 167th assisted the photographic companys attached to the individual Armys in the 12th Army Group) is my next impression, and the reason I sought out one of these unique cameras.
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Feb 17, 2016 21:07:31 GMT -5
Got the flash gun part that you don't need? So, I can buy it off you and build it into a Lightsaber like they did in original Star Wars trilogy?
I kid, I kid, hahaha.
Good stuff though, always good to see classic tech like this.
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Post by OwO Jima on Feb 23, 2016 21:55:00 GMT -5
Even if I did have one, there's no way I'd sell it. When I say it's with more than the camera, I mean it's worth double what the camera is worth - and I payed $350 for the camera. There's one on eBay that ends in a few hours that's up to $550, and the reserve still hasn't been broken. It breaks my heart to see such an important piece of photography history be torn apart just to dangle off some cosplayers belt, especially when there are screen accurate replicas available from multiple vendors for way cheaper. I may get lucky and find one in an antique shop or flea market, but I'm likely going to have to buy an entirely nother camera (not that I really mind!) - one that comes with a flash. Seems like the Star Wars collectors avoid those, or are at least less likely to bid up to crazy amounts just for the flash. On a side note, it was 71 years ago today that Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured the famous second flag raising on Mount Surabachi on Iwo Jima using a Graflex Speed Graphic just like mine.
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Dracul
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,341
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Post by Dracul on Feb 24, 2016 7:19:08 GMT -5
I was only joking there, but I definitely 100% agree. I'm a part of a few Lightsaber fan communities, as I'm a huge SW nerd too, but even I think doing that to something that old is insane. Thats also the historian in me talking. Still, literally ever lightsaber builder and company offer all of the Graflex based lightsabers, mostly screen accurate, too. Hell, even one guy sells self made replica of the base flashgun for those to build the saber themselves. If I found a flash gun, myself, I'd keep it and display it as is. As both the historical piece and as the "what became" the Lightsaber.
But I'm nerd ranting right now, haha. But, hey, at least I learned a good historical bit about the camera and Iwo Jima.
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