Graflex.org

[Gary C]

I have a 1947 "45" speed graphic which I am working to learn about. Something that is unclear to me is why this camera has both a focal plane shutter, and a lens shutter. There must be a reason that the focal plane shutter was retained (type of photography?, less than ideal results with the lens shutter?). Can someone educate me a little about why both shutter types were provided on this camera?

[Murray@uptowngallery.org]

My opinion:

Your question is biased by the coincidence that you happen to have a lens with a 'central' integrated shutter.

The camera has such a long history that it dates back to an era made when many lenses did not have an integral shutter. I don't know about your camera's top end, but the SG I have has a faster FP shutter speed of 1/1000 second. Not many large format shutters are faster than 1/500 (some people may argue most LF leaf shutters probably only achieve 1/350 due to inefficiency of the shutter leaves opening and closing on the highest speed).

In addition to the faster shutter speed, you have the opportunity to experiment with a wide selection of inexpensive lenses, ranging from excellent performing graphic arts lenses that are undesireable to many for their not fitting into standard shutters, to any found lens of glass that will form an image (including experiemnts with reading glasses or lenses with inoperative shutters).

_________________
Murray

[troublemaker]

[ This Message was edited by: troublemaker on 2007-01-09 18:02 ]

[troublemaker]

Sorry I don't know what happened, my entry posted two duplicates, so I edited two out for now.

[ This Message was edited by: troublemaker on 2007-01-09 18:04 ]

[troublemaker]

One word, Versatility.
And the above is pretty much the story. There must have been enough demand to cause Graflex to make various model types available when they introduced the post war Pacemaker line, including the Speed with both shutters, which they sold a lot of, and the Crown with only the front leaf, which they also sold a lot of.
The Crown is considerably lighter, but is also limited by having only the front leaf. It is limited to the fasted shutter speed available on the front, and lenses mounted on those shutters. And the bigger the shutter, the less speed available. Some big shutters like those with 15" Tele-Raptars mounted may have a max of 1/50, though most are found barrel mounted and intended as a long accesory lens for the Speed. A lot of folks seem to enjoy using the WWII Aero Ektar, which also requires the use of the FPS, and they show up regularly on the auction block already mounted on a Pacemaker board.
The later Graflex literature I have simply states what has already been said, that the FPS offers fast accurate shutter speeds, and the added versatility of using barrel mounted lenses etc...
However, my 1920's booklet suggests there is a bit more to it. "When making short exposures," the front leaf shutter works "at its full efficiency during but a small fraction of the exposure time." The FPS, on the other hand, "works at its full efficiency during the entire period of exposure." There are other publications that support this.
I mentioned weight above. With the standard wide angle pressmen's lenses like the 127 Ektar or 135 Optar in No.2 shutters, the difference between the Speed and Crown Graphics relates predominately to the addition in the Speed of the FPS and a slightly deeper body case. But if one likes to mount normal and a bit longer than normal lenses like the 162 Optar or longer, the bigger shutter and glass makes the Speed almost unbearable to hold up. I akin it to making photographs with a vintage typerwriter after installing a big 7-1/2" Paragon with a heavy Ilex Shutter once.
But right after that I picked up a nice old Cooke 7" f~4.5 in barrel and switched to that and what a difference, much lighter on the front of the camera,and a much better lens in general.
It all depends in the long run what your needs require; but the general idea is just that, you have more options if the need arrises. In the mean time, you get to carry around two shutters instead of one, just in case.

[primus96]

You can save up to 600 dollars in getting a barrel mount lens fitted to a Copal shutter in having the focal plane shutter of a Speed Graphic. I could have used my two G-Clarons as they came (in barrel) and any other old lens if I had bought a 'Speed.

It is true about the top 500th second speed on a leaf shutter. Even a new Copal #0 doesn't give the indicated 500th sec when tested.

The down side is in whether you can accept the additional weight and you are restricted to nothing much wider than a 90mm Angulon.