Opinions on speed graphics?

[Sirius Glass]

You guys are tempting me....but I just got a Graflex 22 (medium format) so one step at a time

The Force of GAS resist cannot do! Yourself to the Force give! -- Yoda

 

[m1tch]

Its arrived its in nice condition and everything seems to work, but im a bit confused, I have only ever seen speed graphics with 2 focal plane shutters and you select the shutter you want on the side, there are 3 options on the switch, front, rear and trip, mine has the switch but it doesn't seem to move and it doesn't have any writing next to it either? Not really too worried if it doesn't have a front curtain as it means I can fit the wider lenses like the crown graphic camera, ive just never seen one without the marking, I don't really want to force anything!

Here is the side of the camera, you can see it goes up to 1/1000s shutter speed but you can also see a lack of info next to the slider (which doesn't slide it seems)

 

[fran]

On mine top is trip, middle is back and bottom is front.

You have to push in on the slider before it will move - kind of a failsafe to stop you accidentally moving the selector.

Fran

 

[m1tch]

How far do you have to push it? Mine doesn't budge at all it seems! Mine is at the bottom and fires the rear focal plane shutter.

Edit - yeah mines not moving at all, it seems that its been somehow locked in the bottom position for a reason.

 

[fran]

You have to depress the slider before it will move up or down - see the labelling from my own one in the attached pic.

Having said that, maybe there's something wrong in your mech?

Fran

 

[m1tch]

I will have to investigate further, maybe it was taken apart then reinstalled upside down or something, btw is the writing embossed or just painted on?

 

[fran]

Looks like it's screen printed on. Letraset might do a good job...

For what it's worth, I am a bit worried about camera shake when using the rear shutter, so I tend to use the front shutter only.

 

[m1tch]

I can still operate the front shutter on the lens with a cable release, its just odd that its firing the rear focal plane shutter in the down position, ive just tried to move the slider by pressing down on it, ive used all my weight on it and its not moving at all, does the focal plane shutter need to be cocked before swapping to the front one?

Edit - I have just emailed the seller, basically what he thinks might have happened is that the switch has moved in transit and is now out of sync, ie its slipped 1 place so that the slider is in the 'down' position but its actually on the 'middle' position - it also means I can't go down any more to set to the front lens.

 

[fran]

Heres a short vid I just loaded up on youtube. Dunno if it helps, but at least it shows how my one works?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgFgcmQKUU&list=UUa3enMDrpcxa1VMLGNXLHcg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

fran

 

[m1tch]

Heres a short vid I just loaded up on youtube. Dunno if it helps, but at least it shows how my one works?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgFgcmQKUU&list=UUa3enMDrpcxa1VMLGNXLHcg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

fran

Thank you so much for that, I can see the amount of force you need (or don't need) to move it, it sounds like my slider has slipped and needs resetting.

 

[Rhodes]

Got one last month, to "jump" to LF photography. Full of used marks but working fine (besides the rf not being calibrated). The only thing I find to dislike the camera is that it is all black (and without the "trip/brack/front letters also !?). Kind a like the black/silver ones (has the images and videos of this thread).
Just a question about the M.O. of the camera. When one is using the focal plain shutter to take the picture, one has to have the lens shutter in T, right?

 

[Sirius Glass]

For instructions go to www.graflex.org and http://www.butkus.org/chinon/graflex.htm. Remember to send in $3 if you download from the last site so that it will be there for us tomorrow.

 

[Rhodes]

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/graflex.htm. Remember to send in $3 if you download from the last site so that it will be there for us tomorrow.

Already done that, It's a site that should be always online until the end of times!

 

[Len Robertson]

Got one last month, to "jump" to LF photography. Full of used marks but working fine (besides the rf not being calibrated). The only thing I find to dislike the camera is that it is all black (and without the "trip/brack/front letters also !?). Kind a like the black/silver ones (has the images and videos of this thread).
Just a question about the M.O. of the camera. When one is using the focal plain shutter to take the picture, one has to have the lens shutter in T, right?

Rhodes - You are correct, the front shutter must be on T so it is open at all times when using the rear shutter. It works the other way around too. When using the front shutter, the rear shutter must be set to O. You still must remember to set the f-stop lever to shooting aperture when using either shutter. Lots to remember!

mitch - I wonder if your camera has been repainted with black crackle paint and the original lettering has been painted over? It does sound like there may be something internal keeping the selector switch from moving. It may be fairly easy to take the cover off the side of the camera and check, but you should probably review one of the online Pacemaker repair manuals first.

Len

 

[mopar_guy]

When that selector lever sticks, it may just need to be lubricated. A drop or two of oil and gently try to work the selector a few times will sometimes be all that is needed to put it right.

 

[m1tch]

Update on this issue, the camera was fully checking by the guy I bought it from, he has had a few of them over the years do this when being posted out where the spring loaded slider mechanism slips and needs resetting, he is sending me over details of how to reset it back to how it was. If I can't sort it out he said he is willing to do it if I sent it back and he pays the postage - its nice to know that there are decent genuine sellers still out there!

To be honest I will probably be using a tether release on the front lens rather than using the focal plane shutter as it will reduce the jump of such a large curtain moving in the camera but I want to make sure its 100% if I do bolt on a barrel lens.

With regards to the missing lettering, I think it might indeed have been repainted/restored but the lettering not reapplied, I will look into getting something added, I will keep everyone posted with my progress, but so far I am very impressed with the number of features on this camera, especially due to fact it cost far less than half the cost of a 'body only' Shen camera and came with a decent (non standard) lens.

 

[Alan Gales]

I wouldn't worry about using the focal plane shutter. People buy these cameras just for that feature alone and I have never heard anything bad about the focal plane shutters.

 

[m1tch]

Thanks Alan, I did set the focal plane shutter at all speeds and there wasn't too much movement at the higher speeds, there was slightly more at the lower speeds probably due to the curtain taking a bit longer to move etc I will perhaps take some test photos at some point of the same location, one using the focal plane shutter and the other using the lens shutter.

 

[Cybertrash]

Update on this issue, the camera was fully checking by the guy I bought it from, he has had a few of them over the years do this when being posted out where the spring loaded slider mechanism slips and needs resetting, he is sending me over details of how to reset it back to how it was. If I can't sort it out he said he is willing to do it if I sent it back and he pays the postage - its nice to know that there are decent genuine sellers still out there!

To be honest I will probably be using a tether release on the front lens rather than using the focal plane shutter as it will reduce the jump of such a large curtain moving in the camera but I want to make sure its 100% if I do bolt on a barrel lens.

With regards to the missing lettering, I think it might indeed have been repainted/restored but the lettering not reapplied, I will look into getting something added, I will keep everyone posted with my progress, but so far I am very impressed with the number of features on this camera, especially due to fact it cost far less than half the cost of a 'body only' Shen camera and came with a decent (non standard) lens.

My Speed Graphic has the exact same problem, do you think it would be possible for you to upload these instructions to this site somehow?

 

[removed account4]

mitch

fun camera !

you won't be able to use shutter-on-the-lens if your FP / in camera shutter is wound to anything but " 0 "

the finger button ( front of the case ... chrome &c ) depresses to release the shutter.
don't bother using the slider lever on the side as a shutter trip, you will only have trouble. mine hasn't moved from the "front"
position since around 1988 ... it is kind of silly to think it stops any accidents ...
there doesn't seem to be a way to accidently fire the FP shutter unless you accidently wind put your lens on BULB, stop down,
wind your shutter and then physically depress the chrome finger thing ...

if you can find a copy of lester + morgan ( or lester + lester ) 's book graflex and graphic photography
buy it. the book is THE graflex photography book and will explain everything in great detail. graflex.org
can be very helpful too. lots of people have these cameras and there is a huge knowledge base there, just use the search function ...

have fun !

 

[EdSawyer]

From the pictures, that black crinkle has *definitely* been repainted. Original paint doesn't look quite like that. (less crinkle, not as black).

 

[m1tch]

Thanks for the comments guys, I am guessing the body of the camera has been touched up, everything (apart from the slider) is basically mint and perfect so im guessing quite a bit has probably been taken apart, serviced and repaired/recovered, should hopefully sort out the slider tonight *crosses fingers*.

I will try and find that book suggested, I have checked out the graflex.org site, useful info

 

[Jim Jones]

. . . if you can find a copy of lester + morgan ( or lester + lester ) 's book graflex and graphic photography
buy it. the book is THE graflex photography book and will explain everything in great detail. . . .

Yes, indeed. Get at least the 8th edition, the first one that covers the early Pacemaker series. Online booksellers usually have these.

 

[m1tch]

Right, this is all sorted now, the seller sent me over the details on how to reset the switch - its very simple to do, basically remove the and then loosen the cover to allow the slider to move freely to the correct position then retighen. It seems that I am missing a screw on the plate which is why it might have come slightly loose in transit and slipped, its all sorted now! Im glad its quite a simple camera to work on, its firing perfectly now.

 

[Sirius Glass]

People have used the focal plane shutter for over 100 years without a problem of the camera jumping out of their hands. In fact the used the focal plane shutter for the higher shutter speeds/