Graflex Super Speed Graphic

[vnmunhoz]

Hi guys,

im brand new to the forum and to 4x5 photography. I have had my eyes on a 4x5 Graflex Super Speed Graphic and from all the info I've collected online, its a great camera. My uses for it would be sports and landscape, and thats why the Super Speed attracted me so much, with its 1/1000th shutter.

The thing is, however, that Ive heard from more than one person that the 1/1000th shutter is a myth and it really doesnt work, aside from being much more expensive than simply getting a Super Graphic.

My questions are

what is the problem with the 1/1000th shutter?

People told me ths shutter doesnt work, but does that mean I doesnt work at 1/1000th or it doesnt work at all? cause if it still works at 1/500th or 1/750th, it would still be a great advantage to have it.

anyway, if anyone can help clarify this for me I'd be very grateful!

thanks!

[Dan Fromm]

Ask y'r question on www.graflex.org, also seek advice from Fred Lustig.

Mr. Lustig lives in Reno, NV. He has no Internet presence, i.e., no e-mail address that he'll let out and no web site, but is in the Reno 'phone book. He has the world's remaining stock of Graflex parts, is highly regarded as a Graflex repairman, and claims to be one of the few people who can rebuild the 1/1000th shutter.

Ask promptly, he's quite old ...

[Roger Thoms]

Definitely check out the Graflex forum. I have a Speed graphic and the focal plane shutter works great, I have used it up 1/500th and have no reason to believe it wouldn't work at 1/1000th. The focal plane shutters are suppose to be more accurate at the higher shutter speeds than leaf shutters.

Roger

[Bill_1856]

The only difference between the Super Graphic and the Super Speed Graphic is the shutter. The 1/1000 between-the-lens shutter is VERY prone to failure, and you'll find it virtually impossible to find anyone to work on it. I'd suggest you get a Super Graphic with a 1/500 between-the-lens shutter, such as a Rapax, Compur, or Copal. Or an older Pacemaker Speed Graphic with the focal plane shutter.

[Kuzano]

I did speak with Fred Lustig a couple of months ago. He has one of my Super Graphics for bellows replacement. He is a very pleasant and forthcoming gentleman on the phone and loves to discuss the Super and Super Speed Graphics. I gather that he rebuilds the Super Speed shutters and that he has stock.

From other sources in the past, I have heard the same complaints on the 1/1000th shutter. Mostly that on a good day the shutter was lucky to acheive 1/750th, and that the shutters were prone to fail.

I don't think that's the story you will hear from Fred, and you really should take the opportunity to call him in Reno. He was helpful and informative to say the least.

[Thebes]

For what its worth I've heard plenty of people complain about other shutters not reaching their rated top speed either.

Really the higher speed is of limited use to most people- it could be very nice if one was using flash to overpower full on daylight, but most people don't need the extra speed badly enough to justify an odd and somewhat problematic shutter. Its not like many people would shoot sports with it today...

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Hummingbird photography and other high-speed flash work are my reasons for following this thread. Other options for high speed leaf sync are few and spendy. (Rollei PQS lenses come to mind.)

[Dan Fromm]

Hummingbird photography and other high-speed flash work are my reasons for following this thread. Other options for high speed leaf sync are few and spendy. (Rollei PQS lenses come to mind.)

How high a shutter speed is needed to eliminate exposure from ambient depends on film speed and the aperture used. From Sunny 16 (good exposure at f/16 with shutter speed = 1/ISO), with ISO 100 film @ f/16 one needs 1/400 to put ambient two stops down. This is often enough. And remember that Sunny 16 is for bright daylight; "out-of-doors" isn't always that well lit.

This is why I'm cooked when I want to shoot birds with flash, ISO 100 film, a Questar 700 (t/11), and a Nikon whose highest sync speed is 1/250. Better, in that situation, to use a shorter refracting lens, a TC, and a powerful flash. But I'm still cooked, my most powerful flash, an Agfa 643, has full power flash duration of 1/200. Not that LF is much better for birds without pre-focusing and luck.

Cheers,

Dan

[Robert Hughes]

Hearing these stories of powerful electronic flash devices reminds me of those WWII aerial reconnaissance planes that took flash photos over France prior to D Day. The whole fuselage was packed with capacitors, which they'd start charging at takeoff in England. I've heard that the flash was so strong and hot it would cause any paper, fabric or other flammable material in the near vicinity to catch fire immediately.

[BetterSense]

Could you elaborate on that? I've heard about that more than one time, but never seen anything substatiating it. I want to learn more but can't find anything. Do you know the name of the missions or any people names I could google?