Feasibility of a shutter mounted in a Petzval lens?

[Greg]

I have and use a 7" f/3.4 Darlot Portrait (Petzval) barrel lens with a full set of waterhouse stops on my 4x5. Having the optic mounted in a shutter would make life so much easier. A Copal #3 I'm guessing would make the max aperture around f/4. An Ilex #5 would be the ideal shutter to use enabling me to use its maximum aperture. In looking around, I have yet to come across a Petzval optic mounted in a Copal, Ilex, or similar shutter. Is there a reason for that?

[Paul Ewins]

Cost would be the biggest reason. If you are a reasonably skilled machinist, or are friends with someone who is, then it shouldn't be out of the question. If the front and rear groups/elements unscrew easily then all you need to do is produce two new barrel sections that when screwed into the shutter are the same overall length as the original barrel and locates the aperture in the same place as the waterhouse stops. You may need to make a stepped or conical barrel which would be a little more difficult but hardly a deal breaker. If the front or rear groups don't unscrew then you may need to cut the barrel in half and do all the machining with the glass in place. Not something for the faint hearted I would imagine.

[jp]

They all predate those types of shutters. Hats or pneumatic packard shutters would be typical. You or a machinist can certainly rig something up to be more functional and anachronistic.

[Two23]

The thought of cutting up a Darlot Petzval just made me shutter a little.


Kent in SD

[Dan Fromm]

Not to be a complete idiot or anything, but have you considered mounting the lens in front of a shutter or a shutter in front of the lens? Here http://www.suaudeau.eu/memo/pratique/Les_obturateurs_centraux.html is a list of shutters with dimensions. A few of them might do for you.

FWIW, SKGrimes has made a number of adapters for me that let me hang lenses of various sizes, all in barrel, in front of shutters and one that lets me hang a Compound #5 in front of a large lens. And many people here have hung lenses in front of boards with Packard shutters behind them, a few have mounted a Packard in front of a lens.

I don't quite agree with Kent, who thinks that mutilating the lens' barrel to put it in shutter would be a desecration, but it certainly will be more expensive and permanent than front- or rear-mounting.

[Greg]

Not to be a complete idiot or anything, but have you considered mounting the lens in front of a shutter or a shutter in front of the lens? Here http://www.suaudeau.eu/memo/pratique/Les_obturateurs_centraux.html is a list of shutters with dimensions. A few of them might do for you.

FWIW, SKGrimes has made a number of adapters for me that let me hang lenses of various sizes, all in barrel, in front of shutters and one that lets me hang a Compound #5 in front of a large lens. And many people here have hung lenses in front of boards with Packard shutters behind them, a few have mounted a Packard in front of a lens.

I don't quite agree with Kent, who thinks that mutilating the lens' barrel to put it in shutter would be a desecration, but it certainly will be more expensive and permanent than front- or rear-mounting.

Have mounted a Polaroid shutter on the front of my Scovill lens for my Whole Plate camera (image attached). Wanted to do the same with the Darlot, but the front of the Darlot is a large brass "lenshade" which also serves to hold the front element in place inside the lens. (Inside of the front rim of the "lenshade" is non threaded) Had tried to friction fit a Betax No 5 or an Ilex #5 outside the front rim but the front rim is larger in diameter than the openings in either shutter.

Have come to think that it is time for me to pick up a Sinar Copal shutter. Probably would cost as much or even less than having SKGrimes put a shutter put into the Darlot. Nothing against SKGrimes, for they have put shutters in 5 of my barrel lenses in the past few years and I have been totally pleased with their workmanship. Then I can use the Sinar shutter with other barrel lenses I own.