[pure-silver] Re: Embarking on a somewhat new adventure
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:59:56 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chauncey Walden" <clwaldeniii@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 31, 2010 12:05 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Embarking on a somewhat new
adventure
On 12/31/2010 6:42 AM, davestarr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Thanks for the tips, Richard. The lens is a 135mm F4.7
Wollensack
Raptar in a Rapax shutter. After I posted yesterday, I
discovered the
shutter speed can't be set faster than 1/200 - the ring
just stops
turning. I do have a 135mm Nikkor-W I can use
temporarily. The range
finder's a Kalart, the camera serial number is D-112254.
I had a Busch Pressman D for many years and the only thing
that
eventually pried it from my hands was a Linhof Technika. I
built the
lensboards for it from two layers of hobby shop sheet
aluminum epoxied
together. Its original lens was a 135mm Culminar which was
very
satisfactory. Its final kit included a 90mm Angulon, a
150mm Symmar-S
and a 210mm Geronon, all of which with the camera fit in a
very small bag.
Chauncey
Curious about the Rapax, they are good shutters and not
hard to work on. I don't remember if is has a booster spring
for the highest speed but think it does, I have one I can
open and look at. If so the spring may have jammed. The
Rapax AKA Graphex, was designed to have a constant "trigger
pull" so that it could be tripped by a synchronizer solenoid
without booster batteries at the highest speed. Kodak and
Compur shutters have a significantly harder pull at their
highest speeds and often a synchronizer solenoid will not
trip them. Even when the internal contacts of a synch
shutter are used for flash the solenoid can be a convenient
way of remotely tripping the shutter rather than having to
reach around the camera.
I am sorry to say that the Raptar lenses made for press
cameras and most of the Enlarging Raptar lenses have a
serious design problem. Wollensak was capable of making very
good lenses but somehow missed the boat badly on these. The
symptom is that the corners never quite get sharp even when
the lens is stopped down all the way. The fault seems to be
consistent on all of the Tessary type Raptar lenses and the
Graflex Optar lenses made by Wollensak (later Optars were
made by other companies and are decent lenses). The fault
does not extend to the Optar lenses made by Wollensak for
the Graflex SLR cameras or to the Tele-Raptar and Tele-Optar
telephoto lenses, which are very good. I don't remember off
hand what the Nikor-W is but its likely a much better lens
than the Raptar.
The Kalart should be adjusted for the particular lens
being used. When set up right they are very accurate. I
wrote a long piece on adjusting them which is on the Graflex
site at http://www.graflex.org. I need to re-write it
because I think it is not clear in some places. If you have
questions send them to me and I will do my best with them.
This camera is late enough to have the later Kalart on it.
Earlier ones suffer from mirrors which have faded silvering.
The mirror can be replaced, its not difficult, but I don't
know if the material is still available. Beware of an
article about fixing the mirror, also on the Graflex site
from a retired camera repair person, I've forgotten his
name, but the guy was a butcher. He also recommended
drilling holes in lens retaining rings to get them off.
That's not nessary if you know how to make the friction
wrenches that are the correct tool for the job.
The problem with the Technika, beside the fact that I
can't afford one, is weight and the natural leather they
used for bellows and covering material tends to rot.
Synthetics are much better. I think Busch used synehetic
material for bellows, Graflex did after around 1940 and
Graflex bellows seldom need replacement.
You have a very good camera.
BTW, in an emergency I've made lens boards for Graphics
and view cameras out of corrugated cardboard by using two
sheets with the grain at a 90 degree angle and cementing
them. I put black tape around the edge to prevent light
leaks. Works surprizingly well. Corrugated cardboard is
surprizingly strong, there was a place here that sold
furniture made of it!
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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