In a world where modern cameras tend to be formulaic to the point of redundancy, it's refreshing to find a camera that really cannot be mistaken for anything else on the market.  One camera system that is truly in a class of its own is the Graflex RB series.  With their large format capabilities, rotating backs, and their true Single Lens Reflex (SLR) design, the Graflex RB cameras are a true hybrid machine that work like nothing else on the market.  The original Graflexes date to the late 19th century, but their popularity began to surge with the introduction of the Graflex RB Series B, which was introduced in 1923.

The Series B was available in several different formats including 2.25" x 3.25", 3.25" x 4.25", and 4" x 5".  True to its model indicator "RB", the Graflex RB Series B has a rotating back that allows images to be made in either landscape or portrait format without having to turn the entire camera.  This is especially useful since the viewfinder requires photographers to look down into a chimney finder for focusing and framing. 

As simple as it is to switch the film orientation, the mechanics to make the images require a little more thought.  To make an exposure, the photographer selects between four shutter openings in the shutter curtain and six different spring tension settings.  After making the exposure, the photographer is required to reset the mirror and the shutter.  It requires a bit of training, but with practice, the necessary reflexes became almost second nature.  Combined, there are twenty-four different possible shutter speeds, so virtually any shooting situation with any lens and any film is possible.

The Graflex RB Series B's focal plane shutter also opens up a world of lens options.  While originally shipped with a Kodak Anastigmat lenses, the Graflex RB Series B can be adapted to use many different lenses (with some modifications).  Later versions of the Series B were typically fitted with Kodak Ektar lenses.

Folding and unfolding this camera is a lovely experience in form following function whether you are packing it away or unleashing it for its next job.  When closed up, the Series B looks very unassuming, and might be easily mistaken for a box designed to hold another camera.  When unfolded, however, its unmistakable lines reveal a camera that is eminently usable and capable of helping photographers capture everything from portraits to auto racing. 

Given their production numbers, there are plenty of these around.  Although they are aging and repairs are getting harder to find, these cameras offer a shooting experience unlike any other camera ever made.