Improving triggering the shutter on Box Cameras?

SomewhereLost · Mar 1, 2022

Donald Qualls said:
Worth noting that there were some box camera shutters that fired on both down stroke and up stroke. If yours does that, it's fine, just remember not to both push down and lift or you'll make a double exposure.

Thing is, when the shutter goes back up, it doesn't seem to give exposure to the lens to take another picture. I don't think it will do the double exposure. Light leaks, that's another story. I really need a roll to test this with.

Donald Qualls · Mar 1, 2022

I mentioned that just because it's yet another way a box camera shutter might work in a way you don't expect.

henryvk · Mar 2, 2022

I've been shooting the Zeiss Tengor 54/4 for a couple of weeks now. I shoot it propped up square against my center, just under the breastbone, and with as light a touch of the right hand thumb as I can manage. Results, however, vary quite a bit. Here's one of the good ones on Fomapan 200, probably at f22:

Donald Qualls · Mar 2, 2022

IMO, the Box Tengor is barely a box camera. Yes, it has the form factor and the dual bright finders, but it's got a lens quality and level of adjustment control that take it out of the "simple camera" class.

Helge · Mar 2, 2022

henryvk said:
I've been shooting the Zeiss Tengor 54/4 for a couple of weeks now. I shoot it propped up square against my center, just under the breastbone, and with as light a touch of the right hand thumb as I can manage. Results, however, vary quite a bit. Here's one of the good ones on Fomapan 200, probably at f22:

Donald Qualls said:
IMO, the Box Tengor is barely a box camera. Yes, it has the form factor and the dual bright finders, but it's got a lens quality and level of adjustment control that take it out of the "simple camera" class.

Yet, I’m surprised at the softness and downright unsharp quality that a doublet stopped down is “capable” of. And that vignette..! Doesn’t seem much better, if at all than a good copy of a regular box.

henryvk · Mar 2, 2022

It's true that the Tengor deviates from what most box cameras do but when it comes to the shutter it's still a rotary disc with a shutter speed between 1/25 and 1/50 or so.

Donald Qualls · Mar 2, 2022

henryvk said:
it's still a rotary disc with a shutter speed between 1/25 and 1/50 or so.

Fair enough.

henryvk · Mar 3, 2022

Helge said:
Yet, I’m surprised at the softness and downright unsharp quality that a doublet stopped down is “capable” of. And that vignette..! Doesn’t seem much better, if at all than a good copy of a regular box.

I think there's a slight dent in the faceplate that throws the lens out of whack to the right side, hence the vignetting to one side of the frame. That may also contribute to the relative softness (in addition to me shooting handheld).

Improving triggering the shutter on Box Cameras?

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