Zeiss Ikon Folding Plate camera's shutter release threading

coll · Apr 6, 2022

Hello.
Do you know if all that Zeiss cameras share the same shutter release threading?
Thanks

P.S
Especially i found to buy a shatter marked as prontor (i do not know what model is it coming from),i m trying to find if it is ok for an ideal!

Donald Qualls · Apr 6, 2022

Both of the Ideals I have use Compur shutters, which have had the same thread for cable release since 1900 or so. Prontor have the same as well. If there's a theaded cable socket, it should be compatible with any threaded-tip cable release, ever.

BAC1967 · Apr 6, 2022

It should be the standard tapered thread shutter release, by far the most common type. Straight thread shutter release are not very common, I have a few for some old Kodak cameras.

coll · Apr 6, 2022

Well i can not understant the meaning of straight and tapered thread ,
But i will try to upload one type , If you think it fits to ideal ,please let me know
Thanks

BAC1967 · Apr 7, 2022

coll said:
Well i can not understant the meaning of straight and tapered thread ,
But i will try to upload one type , If you think it fits to ideal ,please let me know
Thanks

That’s tapered, it should work. See how the threads get smaller on the end, if it was straight thread they would be the same size from end to end.

coll · Apr 7, 2022

Good morning.
I see now.
Thanks Bac

JPD · Apr 7, 2022

Prontor was a brand of shutters by Alfred Gauthier, Calmbach, ACG. Their earlier cable releases were marked with the AGC logo, and then later marked Prontor. I'm not sure when the switch happened, maybe when the company name was changed to Prontor Werke.

I use old Prontor cable releases with my old Compur shutters, and I also bought a new 50 cm cable release in the same style with cloth covering and a locking screw from Gebr. Schreck in Germany. They mostly make modern cable releases of plastic and metal, but they do make the classic cloth ones on request. I thought the modern ones didn't look right for use with older 1920's cameras. The Schreck brothers started the company in 1922 which made it feel even more right.

http://www.gebr-schreck.com/

coll · Apr 7, 2022

Amazing!

coll · Apr 7, 2022

Well what can you do with half meter shutter?
For selfie? Xa! xa! xa!

JPD · Apr 7, 2022

coll said:
Well what can you do with half meter shutter?
For selfie? Xa! xa! xa!

A longer cable release is easier to use with a little slack to minimize vibrations. But I haven't had any problems with the shorter ones.

MattKing · Apr 7, 2022

coll said:
Well what can you do with half meter shutter?
For selfie? Xa! xa! xa!

If you have ever seen video of any of the classic portrait photographers working with large format, you will notice that many of them are out from under the dark cloth, engaging with their subject (with long release in hand) when the shutter is released.
One sets up their shot, confirms focus, and then interacts with the subject. Eye contact between portraitist and subject is incredibly valuable.
Yousuf Karsh is a wonderful example.

JPD · Apr 8, 2022

MattKing said:
If you have ever seen video of any of the classic portrait photographers working with large format, you will notice that many of them are out from under the dark cloth, engaging with their subject (with long release in hand) when the shutter is released.
One sets up their shot, confirms focus, and then interacts with the subject. Eye contact between portraitist and subject is incredibly valuable.
Yousuf Karsh is a wonderful example.

Perhaps a pneumatic cable release is better for that (and selfies)?

coll · Apr 10, 2022

MattKing said:
If you have ever seen video of any of the classic portrait photographers working with large format, you will notice that many of them are out from under the dark cloth, engaging with their subject (with long release in hand) when the shutter is released.
One sets up their shot, confirms focus, and then interacts with the subject. Eye contact between portraitist and subject is incredibly valuable.
Yousuf Karsh is a wonderful example.

Well yes.
I guess that contact was very important !

Donald Qualls · Apr 10, 2022

Well, not only that, but when the film/plate holder is inserted, there's nothing to see under the dark cloth. May as well interact with the sitter -- it helps produce more natural expressions, lets you cue them for where you want to look, lets you watch for movements (leaning into the camera, leaning away) that could change focus, in the old days let the photographer see if the sitter moved during exposure (which would require a reshoot in most cases) -- IMO, one of the reasons large format portraits are so often better than those where the photographer's eye is in a viewfinder, the camera covering most of his/her face, is because the photographer was interacting with the subject at the moment of exposure.

Zeiss Ikon Folding Plate camera's shutter release threading

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