What's happening with the Speed Graphics?

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

I got mine for 300AUD, with a recently CLA'd 90mm Optar - I was the only bidder. I'd watched them for the last year though, and they'd gone for anywhere from 150 to 700-800. It's ebay, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you get screwed, but the more informed you are the better.
Like the $70 I paid for a Yankee Agitank.
Let's never speak of it again.

[Phillip P. Dimor]

Have you tried acquiring a Graflex RB through *Bay? That's even more fun than trying to find a speed.
I agree though, there is a higher demand for them now it seems. $600 is steep, although I had seen a NIB late singer-graflex pacemaker speed for about that, if not a bit higher. I would have paid that for a truly NIB camera. How many times have you seen the original box that the camera came in?

[JBrunner]

Last week on the Bay- My much hyped 1946 Speed and a 545 polaroid back in working order. --$148 US + shipping. Yes, there are some prime examples that go for allot more, or at least they are listed for more, but they can be had for less as well. You just need to be patient. Over all prices have been rising a bit. That's actually good. Means people are using film. Right now in the APUG classifieds is a real real nice Crown, with a 545 holder, for like $350. Thats pretty cheap for turn key to get in to LF. Could you find it cheaper? Sure, maybe... with some of looking, or you can just pony up and be shooting with that one in a few days. Good, fast, or cheap-pick any two.

[Phillip P. Dimor]

That 'cameras and watches' guy.. He does have a lot of stuff that is just absolutely outrageous. Either it's banged up and he gives it a 9 or it's priced way higher than it should be. Although he did have a pretty NICE graflex XL kit w/ zeiss lens, several backs and whatnot for about $400. It was the original military issue, black in a matching vulcanoid case. If I had $400+ to burn I would have considered it..

[Paul Howell]

That 'cameras and watches' guy.. He does have a lot of stuff that is just absolutely outrageous. Either it's banged up and he gives it a 9 or it's priced way higher than it should be. Although he did have a pretty NICE graflex XL kit w/ zeiss lens, several backs and whatnot for about $400. It was the original military issue, black in a matching vulcanoid case. If I had $400+ to burn I would have considered it..

The Graflex XL military issue is rather rare as are most military issued cameras, in the 70s there were laws that required the federal government to purchase American Made Products even if the products cost more or did not meet the specs of Japanese or German products, or so the story goes. The rumor was that the Air Force wanted the Konica Rapid Omega system but was forced to issue the XL. As I recall the XL was not well liked, I used it once or twice, no strong opinions one way or another. Most military issue cameras most got the h#** beat of them, once they trashed or obsolete they were turned over to surplus but other federal, state, and other governmental agencies could grab them for free so some wound up with the Park Service and the like, only the very battered made it to auction. A few never made to surplus, listed as lost or whatever and taken home. I got my first Speed, it is a standard press not a military spec model, with a tag from the Pensacola Naval Air Station, from a Navy auction in Long Beach Ca in 1965.