[pure-silver] Re: Embarking on a somewhat new adventure
- From: davestarr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:59:25 -0800 (PST)
I did a quick test today. I shot 4 sheets around the house in the rooms with
the brightest lighting. Developed them this afternoon, & a quick look at the
wet negatives shows I can't handhold a 4x5 at 1/5 second. Like I already
didn't know that.
I'll try again over the weekend on a tripod. It'll be a good way to test the
rangefinder for adjustment. I want to try it too with the Nikkor lens & do a
comparison as well. All in all. a good way to spend winter days.
--------------------------------------------
Retired Shop Rat - 14,647 days in a GM Plant
45ACP: Don't leave home without it.
Web site - www.destarr.com
--- On Fri, 12/31/10, Richard Knoppow <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Richard Knoppow <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Embarking on a somewhat new adventure
To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Friday, December 31, 2010, 4:59 PM
-
> 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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