picking a packard shutter

[gflanslo]

I currently have two brass lenses and I'm thinking about getting a packard shutter. One lens has a diameter of about 1 1/2 inches and the other in about 2 3/4 inches. Is there a way to use one packard shutter for both or will I have to get one for each lens? Also what are your experiences with the different packard types, No. 5 and No. 6?

[Gene McCluney]

Your packard shutter choice is only limited by the size of your lensboard. Typically, you would get the biggest one that would fit on the rear of your lensboard. The lens doesn't care if the hole in the shutter is bigger than the lens. Lots of people mount a big packard shutter on the back of a lensboard and a Universal iris Mount on the front and mount dozens of lenses at will..

[Ernest Purdum]

A No. 6 Packard shutter has an "instantaneous" mode controlled by a pin. The user needs to be consistent in how he squeezes the bulb in order to obtain consistent results. It's a little more versatile than the No. 5 which lacks this mode.

[BarryS]

I'd definitely get the number 6 because of the instantaneous mode, which will be the most repeatable speed available-- 1/20 or 1/25. If you can get the syncro option for flash--that's nice as well although not absolutely necessary. I'd recommend building a box to hold the shutter that mounts on your camera and allows you to mount lensboards to the front of the box. You can also build a front mount box that mounts to the lens, although that seems more of a hassle to me. The universal iris mount is a good idea, but the prices have been high lately, so individual boards would be a much cheaper option.

[Ernest Purdum]

The nicest thing about iris lens mounts is that they provide a solution to the problem that idiots separate lenses from their flanges.

[BarryS]

The nicest thing about iris lens mounts is that they provide a solution to the problem that idiots separate lenses from their flanges.

I would propose very stiff criminal and civil penalties for separating lenses and flanges--second only to those for separating extension rails from cameras. :)