Help with Micro-Press camera!

**Ingram88** · 11-Nov-2010, 11:13

Hey guys. I'm borrowing a Micro-Press off someone I know and have a few questions about it's usage. Firstly, does anyone know what the controls at the side do? (picture included). The TURN, BACK/FRONT and F/S controls. I'm used to shooting on a Cambo monorail, so these controls are new to me. Also, with monorail cameras you expose differently based on how long the bellows are - is this also the same with field cameras such as this?

Thanks a lot for your help.

**Matt_Bigwood** · 11-Nov-2010, 11:25

If the Turn control is working properly it tensions the focal plane shutter (with speeds from 1/30 to 1/1000 second).

The F/S switch determines either Fast or Slow range of shutter speeds on the focal plane shutter.

The Front/Back switch determines whether the shutter release on the body releases the leaf shutter on the lens or the focal plane shutter.

Remember, if you are using the shutter in the lens the focal plane shutter needs to be set to 'O' for open or the focal plane shutter will be covering the film and you won't expose the film....

There's some info on the MPP club site http://www.mppusers.com/micropress2.htm

Send me a PM if you need any more information, I have two MicroPress cameras and have renovated the shutters on both.

Cheers

Matt

**Ingram88** · 11-Nov-2010, 11:34

Matt - out of curiosity where are you based? I'm in Cheltenham!

This focal plane shutter confuses me, there's nothing else of note on the camera other than the controls photographed above. No way of setting it to 'O', as you describe. So far I've been firing the shutter on the lens itself, the shutter on the body seems a bit nackered. I haven't shot any film on it yet though, but can see through it to focus when the lens shutter is open.

**Matt_Bigwood** · 11-Nov-2010, 11:36

I'm the other end of the county - near Wotton-under-Edge, but I'd be happy to shed any light on the camera.

I can pass on my contact details if you send a PM.

Matt

**Ingram88** · 11-Nov-2010, 11:41

It's cool, I borrowed this camera today for a trip to NY I'm going on on sunday. Just trying to figure it out so I don't waste all my shots. The shutter on the lens seems to be working fine, so I'm assuming that I don't need to worry about the focal plane shutter, even though I can't find a place to turn it off.

Thanks a lot for the fast replies Matt.

**Jack Dahlgren** · 11-Nov-2010, 15:54

Originally Posted by Ingram88

Matt - out of curiosity where are you based? I'm in Cheltenham!

This focal plane shutter confuses me, there's nothing else of note on the camera other than the controls photographed above. No way of setting it to 'O', as you describe. So far I've been firing the shutter on the lens itself, the shutter on the body seems a bit nackered. I haven't shot any film on it yet though, but can see through it to focus when the lens shutter is open.

If you can see through it to focus, then it is fine. Leave it there and use the front shutter.

If you turn that winding knob on the side you will see the shutter curtain roll up and will have to trigger the shutter until it rolls back down to the full open position (on Speed Graphics this is marked with an O - not sure about the equivalent on the micro-press).