So, what do all these levers on my lens do?

[Removed Account]

So, I just got my first LF lens today! YAY!!! A Wollensak 135mm f/4.7 Raptar. It's not THAT important considering my camera has not arrived yet, but how does it work? I have the aperture figured out, it moves smoothly not sticky or slippery. The shutter speed ring is pretty stiff, so I am not going to force it before asking. But how do I operate the shutter? Eyeballing the shutter it looks like there is some gumminess where the leaves intersect, sort of like when you peel a sticker off of something, but that may just be wear marks. I put my cable release in, and press it, but nothing happened and none of the levers seem to tense anything spring-like. The shutter hasn't moved, but it does seem to be open barely a pinhole. What are the two prongs? Or the lever mared M M F-X OFF? Or the other three levers? I have attached a photo of it, and here is a link to the listing. Thanks again for everyone's help so far!

- Justin

 

[Konical]

Good Evening, Cafeharrar,

The "two prongs" are the connection for flash. The "M M F-X Off" is the synchronization setting. One of the other levers should be for opening the shutter during focusing. Another is the shutter-cocking lever. I'm not sure about the remaining one--self-timer, perhaps?? Your description seems to indicate a very sticky shutter, a problem you may or may not be able to fix yourself.

Konical

 

[Konical]

Correction--the third lever is probably the shutter release.

Konical

 

[KenS]

Hi Justin,

There are two 'levers'...one between "3 and 4 o'clock" and one at around "7 o'clock". I has been too many years since I had one of these lenses on one of my cameras... and the brain cells seem to lose some of that info that used to come as 'automatic'.

One of these levers is to open the iris for focussing while the other is for cocking the shutter. Its just that I can't, for the life of me, remember which is which.

Ken

 

[Jim Jones]

There are brief instructions for the very similar Graphex shutter at http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/shuttera/shuttera.html

 

[removed account4]

hi justin

flutot camera repair does wonders with these gems

http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/


good luck!
john

 

[colrehogan]

I'm inclined to think that the lever at 7 o'clock is probably your shutter cocking lever and the one at 3 o'clock is probably the shutter release. check that one and see if the cable release socket is there. The other one may be either a preview lever or possibly a self-timer of some sort. If the shutter is sticking, get it cleaned.

 

[Removed Account]

Thank you so much everyone! It is working beautifully! Shutter is not sticking. I gather it is a bad idea to open the iris without cocking the shutter? It seems to not want to do that. As well, is it bad to adjust the shutter speed with the shutter cocked? I haven't done that, I just want to make sure. THe only thing is that the lens does not seem to want to go to 1/400 speed shutter setting, just like the listing said. Mmmm... I could listen to it click and whiz all day...

- Justin

 

[Curt]

Get it cleaned and you will be very happy, don't wait for the camera to arrive, when it does you will never get the shutter cleaned. It's important and it is a nice shutter and should last for years if properly cleaned lubed and adjusted. I can't think of a better place to get it done. See below.

http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/

 

[Curt]

The springs are very very tight at 1/400 so you might want to keep that in mind and g e t i t c l e a n e d.

Have some more fun.

Curt

 

[removed account4]

Thank you so much everyone! It is working beautifully! Shutter is not sticking. I gather it is a bad idea to open the iris without cocking the shutter? It seems to not want to do that. As well, is it bad to adjust the shutter speed with the shutter cocked? I haven't done that, I just want to make sure. THe only thing is that the lens does not seem to want to go to 1/400 speed shutter setting, just like the listing said. Mmmm... I could listen to it click and whiz all day...

- Justin

glad you figured it all out justin
it doesn't matter if you do the preview lever with the shutter cocked or not,
just don't move the dial with it cocked.

good luck
john

 

[bdial]

Generally you should avoid adjusting the shutter speed with it cocked. It's not unusual to feel increased resistance going to the shutter's top speed. As Curt says, the springs are very tight for that speed.
Some shutters need to be cocked to open for focusing others don't and I have one where the focus lever needs to be pressed while releasing to hold the shutter open.
In large format, if you've cocked the shutter and find you need to adjust the speed, it's no real problem. Just make sure the dark slide is in place over the film (or remove the film holder), trip the shutter and make the adjustment.