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Martin Courtenay-Blake
5-Sep-2008, 11:12
This is definately the wrong way to do it but I'm looking for a lens that might fit a small shutter I have just bought off that site. It was rash, I know, but it looked so cute I couldn't resist it.

The shutter is a completly unused Rapax X. It is much smaller that a compur or copal 0. It sports a 1inch thread both sides. Shutter speeds from 1 - 1/500th sec, X sync pins, B, T and focussing lever. It has never been fitted with an aperture scale and is pristine.

I thought it would fit a tiny 6inch Cooke I have but unfortunately just a wee bit too small. I have thought about a thread adaptor but that would definately cause vignetting. I have a collection of old British enlarging lenses which I could try for close up but I was hoping for a more general purpose lens for it.

Is there, perhaps, a small wide angle that may fit? Only using it for 5X4 or perhaps smaller format.

If I have no luck I won't complain as it's such a nice object to have around, and it didn't break the bank either.

Martin

mikec
5-Sep-2008, 12:10
casting a net, I see "127mm 4,5 Raptar" in the bag. Elsewhere here there are indications that it is a tessar design for Press formats, just covering 4x5 at best.

Dan Fromm
5-Sep-2008, 15:22
Ah, Martin, the corrupting power of found money!

Chances that a lens made outside of Rochester will fit a shutter, especially a tiny little one, made in Rochester are poor.

I have a similar small Rapax, but with no flash sync or blade arrester, speeds T, B, 1, ... , 1/400, accepts 1" cells front and rear. Mine holds a 3"/4.5 Series II Velostigmat, is probably older than yours. I've always believed that mine is a replacement lens/shutter for some US-made TLR or other but haven't checked ...

It is barely possible that your shutter matches a Compur #00, have you tried to check whether it does?

If your tiny 6" Cooke is a 6"/9 Cooke Copying Lens, I have one too, have never found a shutter that would accept the cells. I've used it front-mounted on a #1 on a 2x3 Graphic. It is now semi-retired; I think my 150/9 Apo-Ronar shoots a little better.

Cheers, good luck, have fun,

Dan

Glenn Thoreson
5-Sep-2008, 16:15
Without having it handy to measure it, a Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle 90mm f/12.5 might fit it. I agree, however, that it was probably for an old folder or TLR. I have a few very small shutters I picked up some years ago. All new. None accurate. I think they were factory rejects. Holga lens, glass (?) only, fits a couple of them. Held in with a rubber "O" ring. :D

Darren Kruger
5-Sep-2008, 16:41
The shutter is a completly unused Rapax X. It is much smaller that a compur or copal 0. It sports a 1inch thread both sides.

You sure it is 1" on the nose? 1 3/8" (~31mm) would be a the same as my betax #2 and a couple of kodak ball bearing shutters I have (same threads.) If your shutter is that size I have a 6" lens you might like. I also have an old Senceca autic from a folder of some sort that measures 1 1/16" (~27mm.)

For referenece, the Prontor Press 00 I have is 7/8" (~22mm)

-Darren

seawolf66
5-Sep-2008, 16:59
I have a Wollansak E.W.A. 90mm F-12.5 serial #13338 it measures 7/8" What Darren says is correct :

Martin Courtenay-Blake
6-Sep-2008, 04:04
I thought that it may have been a replacement shutter for a folder or something but it just too well made and doesnt have all of the usual odd levers and fixings for that purpose.

Dan, you're right about the top speed it is 1/400th. Having checked them it appears to be completely accurate as far as I can tell.

Closer inspection of the name shows that is actually a Rapax Syncromatic. The X indicates the X synch for the flash contacts. I checked the thread dimensions with a vernier caliper and both are 0.949in. on the apex of the thread.

I've had a look on the web and found that it appears on a number of roll film cameras, notably a Busch Pressman and possibly on a Polaroid 110 as well. Mostly fitted with Raptars but someone had used it for a WA Raptar and even a tiny Dagor.

Thanks for the info everyone...I'll see what I can come up with.

Martin