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mporter410 · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Virginia

Hi,

I just received a speed graphic that i won on ebay. The camera has a graflok back and Kalart side mounted range finder. However, the lens in shutter is a 152mm Ektar that with an ES..... serial number which means that the lens was manufactured in 1947. Thus, I suspect that the lens on the camera is not the original. My problem is when trying to use the front shutter it does not work because the mechanism to activate it does not connect in any way to the shutter itself. Are my suspicions correct that this is not the original lens/lens board for thid camera? Also what does the barrel mechanism connected vertically below the shutter trip mechanism do? Thanks, Mike

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

I'm not completely clear on the situation but I'll hazzard a guess.

1st off , let's clear up the confustion about the shutter not working cause it's not connected to any thing part.....Is the lens in a Supermatic or Graphex shutter?

Can you cock the shutter and fire it by pushing on the shutter trip lever on the lens?

I'm going to assume yes on both parts.

I'm also going to guess you're talking about the body release at the lower right side.

When the slide lever that's marked "front, back, trip" is both PUSHED AND SLID up to the "front" position the body relase is engaged to move a cable that runs under the bellows and up the same side of the front standard to a rod or heavy wire. When the body relase is moved this rod moves to. Originally there was a metal tab clamped to the rod that acted like a finger and pushed the shutter trip lever.

The problem was that there were too many places for play or stickiness to wreek havoc on the system. Many times the rod didn't have quite enough movement or the metal tab would flex just enough so that it wouldn't trip the shutter. There was a decent lag time between pressing the release and having the shutter trip.

Further, that X@#$!! tab was always in the way when you wanted to change lenses, and never adjusted properly anyway. Just like me Im sure the previous owner took the tab off and chucked it in the nearest pond.

mporter410 · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Virginia

Hello. Thanks for the response. The camera has a Supermatic shutter. The barrel mechanism I am refering to is about 1/2 inch in diameter and is oriented vertically right below the shutter release. This mechanism is attached to the shutter release by a linkage. I have no clue as to its purpose.

I understand what you are saying about the front shutter release and thank you for your explanation. Obviously this means that in my situation the front shutter cannot be activated by the camera body, but must tripped by using the shutter release on the front shutter itself.

One more question for the newbie to large format. I plan on using the focal plane shutter most often. Am I correct in setting the front shutter to T and tripping it to keep it open for use of the rear shutter?

Thanks for all of your help. Mike

[ This Message was edited by: mporter410 on 2004-02-26 03:20 ]

glennfromwy · Joined: 29 Nov 2001 Posts: 903 Location: S.W. Wyoming

The "barrel" you refer to is a solenoid that is actuated by the flash via a connecting cord. You can trip the shutter manually by just pressing the release lever that the solenoid is hooked to, after cocking the shutter. I personally hate those solenoids and have removed them from all my cameras. Another thing, the release lever will be very close to the firing point when the solenoid is in place and most often that means that the "T" setting on the shutter won't work. You can, of course, use the press focus button to hold the shutter open for focusing. You can usually just slip the solenoid linkage off the trip lever if you don't want to use it.

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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

worldphoto · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:46 pm Post subject:

It is best to save the solenoids so if you decide to use them later. I find that they are very handy.
Harry

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

The press focus button is a button near the shutter cock lever. first cock the shutter, then press the button and trip the shutter at the same time, the shutter can then be held open while set at any speed. To close, just cock the s hutter.

And while glenfromwy is rightabout the "t" setting not being able to work with the solenoid attached, I thinkg it would be better for the mecahnism to use the "time" setting as fewer part are under stress, particularly if you are going to set the shutter and then leave it there most of the time.

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