Graflex.org

[Fujicator]

Hi !

First of all, I have to introduce myself.

My name is laurent I live in the eastern area of France and I've been practising large format photography for two years. I develop and i print in my lab.

I have just bought a Pacemaker and in order to prepare it for my summer holidays at the seaside, I'm looking for a long lens.

Do you think that a 15" raptar tele can fit on in the graflex bellow ?

Are there any other lenses from 240 to more that can be used on a Pacemaker Graflex ?

Thanks for your help

Best regards

Laurent

[Billy Canuck]

Hello Laurent, welcome to the seductive world of Graflex! I'm not familiar with the 15-inch Tele-Raptar, so I'm not sure how close you can focus with one of these on a 4x5, but it is a telephoto lens, so you might not have to rack out the bellows all that far. There are others on the forum who will know more.
You don't say if you have a Pacemaker Crown (lens shutter only) or a Pacemaker Speed (lens shutter + rear shutter). I have a 10-inch (254mm) Tele-Optar in barrel that I use with the rear shutter on my Speed. It's a good portrait lens. Barrel lenses are cheaper than lenses in a shutter.
Optars and Raptars are identical, both made by Wollensak.

[Dan Fromm]

Billy, the 12"/5.6 Tele-Raptar (also badged Tele-Optar) is one of the two standard-issue tele lenses for 4x5 Graphics. The other is the 15"/5.6 Tele-Raptar. Both will fit and focus to infinity and even closer on a 4x5 Graphic. The 12" is the longest standard issue lens for 2x3 Graphics.

[Fujicator]

Thanks !

I do own a Graflex Speed Graphic Pacemaker bought from a famous Uk Seller on Ebay. It has its own shutter and works great.

Having searched for my options, I think the raptar 15" is the best choice I can make for the reasons brought by Dan and because I think that it really sticks with my projects at the seaside this summer.

Yesterday evening I was worried about the size of the rear elements, fearing it should not enter the bellows, but both Dan and a page I found reassured me on this point.

Now I just have to look for a solution to fix this lens on a Graflex board because it is sold without retaining ring (flange ?) and a solution to activate the cable release which is quite special on this shutter cause the thread is outside !

As soon as I find some solutions for these issues I will buy a Raptar 15".

I just love this name, it sounds like a dinosaur's name !

Today I will make some test with a Industar 51 and I will receive an Aero Ektar mounted for the Pacemaker, it's a loan from a friend.

I have so many projects with my Pacemaker !

Thanks a lot

Laurent

[Dan Fromm]

The Alphax shutter's cable release socket is threaded internally as well as externally.

If you know what size the shutter is, you can buy a retaining ring or flange from skgrimes.com

[Fujicator]

Hi Again Dan !

A friend of mine who has some great skills to make such operations will do the job for me I will send him the lens and he will make a board and a retaining ring or a flange.

I'm thinking about all this but I'm sure that I'm about to buy this lens.

My Pacemaker will have a weird look with this huge shutter covering the board but as long as it works I don't care.

Thanks for your tip about the shutter's cable release, a double thread, I have never seen this before.

Now I must get back to work in the garden, got a lot of work to do before playing with my pacemaker and its borrowed Aero Ektar.

Nice...