Cable release for Speed Graphic?

jay moussy · Jun 29, 2019

Totally new to the Speed Graphic, I feel I will need a cable release.

Type and length you would recommend?

I read that there may be a cable release port for the FP shutter. Could or should that also be actuated via cable?

Dan Fromm · Jun 29, 2019

jay moussy said:
I read that there may be a cable release port for the FP shutter. Could or should that also be actuated via cable?

There is no "may be," there is only "is."

Whether to use a cable release is your choice.

The cable release socket will accept releases with conical - the usual -- and straight tips.

jay moussy · Jun 29, 2019

Dan Fromm said:
The cable release socket will accept releases with conical - the usual -- and straight tips.

Great.
For the folks using a cable on the Speed, what length works best - for normal use, no remote operation?

The few times I have used a cable, always been nervous about engaging the thread right. Any trick to it?

Sirius Glass · Jun 29, 2019

A short on for the front shutter is good enough. I am unaware that one can be used for the focal plane shutter and never needed it as those shutter speeds are faster.

jim10219 · Jun 29, 2019

It's a cable release. Don't worry about it. If the thread doesn't go in straight or you only get half a turn in before it stops, just back it out and retry. As long as you don't try to force it, it won't ruin anything.

As for length, it's all personal prefence. For some cameras, like my Sinar F1, I like long cables. About 3'. It's a big camera, and I often like to have plenty of length so I can rest it on the back of the camera without bending it too acutely. For my Speed Graphic, I prefer smaller ones. About 6". I usually trigger it while standing on the side, so I'm only using it to keep camera shake down.

The only thing to worry about is a pinching the cable by bending it at too sharp of an angle. The straighter it is, the easier it will be to actuate. So a longer one might be easier to use because you can do more gradual bends. But if you're using it straight, then that's not an issue. Also, you may or may not want one with a lock. This allows the shutter to remain open without holding the button down. It's not really useful for the Speed's focal plane shutter, but some leaf shutters have to be held open while focusing and composing with a cable release, and a lock comes in handy for that. Also it's good for long exposures is your shutter doesn't have a T setting. Most shutters have a switch or T setting or switch to hold the shutter open for focusing and composing, so it's not usually a necessity.

If you have an old cable release that doesn't function well due to too much internal friction, spray some silicone lubricant down inside and work it a bunch of times while letting the lube drip through. I've saved several old cables that way.

Dan Fromm · Jun 29, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
A short on for the front shutter is good enough. I am unaware that one can be used for the focal plane shutter and never needed it as those shutter speeds are faster.

With Pacemaker Speed Graphics, using the cable release with the rear shutter makes a difference. This because the body release is quite stiff. Even with the camera well locked down on a tripod, using it risks rotating the camera on the tripod. Same goes for using the body release with the front shutter. Not Graflex Inc's best idea.

OP, we attach cable releases to our Graphics the usual way. Screw the tip in as far as it will go.

Cable length is largely, not entirely, a matter of personal preference. I like longish cables, at least 30 cm, because with a cable that long it is easy to leave enough slack in the cable to make jerking the camera when pressing the release difficult. When the cable is taut, ...

BrianShaw · Jun 29, 2019

I like shorter cables - 6 to 8 inches.

Theo Sulphate · Jun 29, 2019

jim10219 said:
...
but some leaf shutters have to be held open while focusing and composing with a cable release, and a lock comes in handy for that. Also it's good for long exposures is your shutter doesn't have a T setting. Most shutters have a switch or T setting or switch to hold the shutter open for focusing and composing, so it's not usually a necessity.
...

It may be that the shutter has a "press focus" lever, as shown at the 3:00 position on mine below. Mine also has the T setting. My lens and shutter are typical for Speeds. Either allows you to open the shutter completely for focusing on the groundglass.

Sirius Glass · Jun 29, 2019

I too use T for using the ground glass or when using the focal plane shutter.

jim10219 · Jun 29, 2019

Theo Sulphate said:
It may be that the shutter has a "press focus" lever, as shown at the 3:00 position on mine below. Mine also has the T setting. My lens and shutter are typical for Speeds. Either allows you to open the shutter completely for focusing on the groundglass.

I have a shutter like that on my Pressman C. But there are all different kinds out there. For instance, my Schneider SA 68/8 has a Compur #00 shutter that only has timed and a B setting. To focus and compose, you set it to B and lock the cable release. It's not a common issue, but it does pop up on occasion, especially with weird shutters. So I wouldn't call it a necessary feature for most people, but it does come in handy from time to time. Especially when used with smaller format cameras, as many lack a T setting, so if you want to take long exposures without camera shake, they come in handy. That's why I make sure all of my cable releases have them. That, and it usually doesn't cost anything extra.

Alan Gales · Jul 7, 2019

I liked the short cloth Gepe cable releases for the Crown I used to have.

As someone wisely said earlier, length is entirely a personal preference.

Gimenosaiz · Aug 9, 2019

Hello!

I'm very happy with these one:
https://www.drahtauslöser.com/SESSION/14261/P1.html

I use it to reales the focal plane shutter.

Regards,
Antonio

AgX · Aug 9, 2019

http://www.drahtauslöser.com

DickNZ · Dec 9, 2019

My problem with a well used Crown Graphic was I could not use a cable release at all! The thread on the Graflex shutter was worn out and the body mounted shutter release was not smooth enough to prevent camera shake on long exposures. A simple hack that works perfectly well is to attach a string to the shutter release lever - my apologies to purists!

BrianShaw · Dec 9, 2019

Heresy... but an elegant solution!

jay moussy · Dec 9, 2019

Interesting! Original poster here, my CG cable release threaded part did not look very healthy, visually, but it took in a couple of very used cables.

Are, or were there such things as some right-angle adapters or straight short extensions?

The pin part of the cables may be long enough to allow for a cemented in short extension with fresh thread, while retaining actuation?
(note: I used to be into mech. engineering, so it is easy to draw a part on paper... and have the shop deal with creating it..!)

DickNZ · Dec 10, 2019

Jay, I did consider using JBWeld to add a short extension to the shutter thread but realised if I got it wrong it would be a disaster! I also thought of screwing a cable release terminal to the lensboard above the shutter release lever but I felt this was getting overly complicated. Very little tension is required to trigger the release so a string achieves this easily without camera shake. Three advantages of this hack are that it is simple, the string can be left attached while the camera is folded and, if a more sophisticated repair is contemplated in the future, the camera is still completely in its original state.

Truzi · Dec 10, 2019

Would a helicoil work.

AgX · Dec 10, 2019

DickNZ said:
A simple hack that works perfectly well is to attach a string to the shutter release lever - my apologies to purists!

Insert some elastic cord or spring of apt stiffness into to that string and you even would not induce shake the moment the lever arrives at the end of its travel. (In case that still would fall into exposure time.)

Sirius Glass · Dec 10, 2019

The simplest fix would be to buy another lens with a usable screw thread and mount it to a lens board.

DickNZ · Dec 10, 2019

I'm surprised my "string solution" elicited so many responses. The helicoil could work but I'm not sure where one with the appropriate threads could be sourced.
Regarding an elastic "string" - in my view this would not be a good idea - if one uses a release which is "solid", either a conventional cable or string, it is easy to gently trigger the shutter release lever without it ever reaching the end of its travel - about 1/2 way down on all of my lenses. An elastic system could not give this degree of control and the lever would somewhat uncontrollably reach the end of its travel, potentially causing camera shake.
Of course, if one could seek a replacement lens but why retire the original lens which has superb optics and accurate rangefinding, when 6 inches of string does the job?

shutterfinger · Dec 10, 2019

The Graphex (Rapax rebadged) is not a difficult shutter to service. The cable release socket is removable/replaceable.

The service manual is available at http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/GraphexShutterService.pdf

DickNZ · Dec 12, 2019

Shutterfinger - originally I did try to find someone to do this simple repair, but in New Zealand such skills are now as rare as hens teeth! In the meantime, I have been super impressed with the "string solution" and find the control it gives over gentle release with long exposures is at least equal to that of a conventional cable release on both my Crown Graphic and Rolleicord. And just to prove there is nothing new under the sun, I gather a hooked wire fitted into a slotted release lever was quite common for pre 1945 shutters - although obviously not as convenient as a cable release for most photography.

Cable release for Speed Graphic?

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