Agfa 5x7 Commercial View (Production Years Unknown)
Little is documented about the Agfa 5x7 Commercial View. What survives is a thin record from a single classifieds listing. It points to a working large-format studio camera, not a celebrated collectible. The model name says it was a 5x7 view camera, and the only real detail concerns the lens board and shutter arrangement.
The camera used a regular Agfa/Ansco lensboard measuring 5-1/4" square, which fits in front of the Packard shutter. A Zone VI lensboard would not fit. Whether a Graflex "C" board could be made to work was never confirmed. The Packard shutter is operated by a plunger. Pull it up and the shutter opens and stays open until released, which is handy for lens tests or long exposures. The original bulb and hose were not included when the camera was offered for sale, though the seller noted they could be improvised from hardware-store rubber tubing and a medical-supply bulb. No lens specifications, dimensions, or weight survive, and no production dates or original retail price have turned up.
The example that surfaced was described as being in "beautiful used condition," listed at $550 OBO, or $600 with a case. The seller bought it from a man in Hollywood who was helping the original owner's widow sell camera equipment. No independent reviews or period documentation have been found.
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