What to do with Alphax # 4 Shutter ?

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/Alphax4.jpg

This shutter came with my Kodak 2D. It's got a 60mm opening, and is self-cocking.

Dumb question: I have a few barrel-mounted lenses, which I use with a Sinar Shutter, but would be happy to use them with this shutter on the Kodak 2D if possible.

How do I proceed ?

[Mark Sawyer]

I'd say buy a 60mm-to-something-bigger step-up ring to put into the back threads, and make a front-mounting adapter that will slide over the front of your barrel lenses. Just epoxy a short tube into the step-up ring and use some thin black foam or felt to fill the space between the tube andlens.

Also, buy something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/B-W-60E-101-1x-Close-Up-Camera-Lens-Filter-60mm-/140587203274?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item20bba67aca

...to screw in the back side and you'll have a nice cheap Wollaston lens. If I remember my conversions right, 1x = 250mm focal length at just over f/4. (Can someone confirm that? I think it's 4x the magification factor to get the diopter, and divide a meter by the diopter to get the focal length. But I'm getting senile...)

[Mark Woods]

Mark, that's an interesting approach by putting the diopter on the back of the lens. I'll have to try it. BTW, with the diopter on the front of the lens, the strength of the diopter is based on where infinity focuses. A #1 focus infinity at 1 meter. A #1/2, infinity focuses at 2 meters. A #2 focuses infinity at 1/2 meter. I think you get the drift. I never have seen information on the diopter changing the focal length. I'd be curious if you can post a link.

[Mark Sawyer]

Hey, Mark! On these close-up lenses, 1x isn't the same as a 1+ diopter. I hunted a couple minutes, and found this:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6833390_convert-magnification-dioptors.html

Unfortunately, manufacturers seem to list them both ways, and I suspect most people don't differentiate between 1x and 1+, even though one is four times stronger than the other.

And yep, on a single-cell design, the lens goes behind the aperture, whether a singlet like the Wollaston or Struss, or a cemented doublet like the Waterbury, Imagon, Kodak Portrait, certain Pinkham & Smith's, etc...

[Mark Woods]

Sweeeeet, Mark! I've got to try this out. I picked up a bunch of filters on eBay for not much that will screw onto the back of my 270mm lens for my 11x14. This is going to be fun once I get some time. I'm about to go on 2 road trips that will be fun, but not many images. I'll probably take my 1938 Speed Graphic 2 1/4" x 2 3/4" (roll film adapted) camera that was my dad's.

[Fotoguy20d]

Why put the shutter in front of the lens instead of behind?

I've had a Betax #4 without aperture for a couple years now and not known what to do with it. Mine came with a "step down" adapter which turns the 60mm inside diameter into a 58mm diameter with a much coarser thread, and then had an adapter to allow a 3x4 Tessar IIb to mount to it.

[Simon Benton]

If you have an 8 3/4 inch Verito in a Studio shutter the lens elements should screw directly into the Aphax 4 with correct spacing. Mine does.

[Walter Calahan]

Isn't it gorgeous!!! :p

[Ken Lee]

It is a thing of beauty.

Precision mechanical devices that run on gears, springs, etc. (like fine self-winding watches) and which never need a battery (or even cocking in this case) have a certain... charm. :)

[Mark Sawyer]

If you have an 8 3/4 inch Verito in a Studio shutter the lens elements should screw directly into the Aphax 4 with correct spacing. Mine does.

It does? Every Studio Shutter I've seen has protruding male threads, while conventional shutters like the Alphax have female threads. :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Shen45]

I have a 9" Verito which I can remove the front and rear screw in element groups from their brass barrels and screw directly into a #4 Alphax - however - the maximum aperture goes from f4 to about f6 because the throat in the Alphax is smaller. That aside the transplant works very well and even though the distance between the cells is markedly different image quality "appears" to be the same or similar. I still prefer the studio shutter though, them there olde timer photographers knew a thing or three.

[Ken Lee]

If I wanted to mount a lens on that shutter, where the lens consists of only front and rear cells - IE no barrel, no iris, no iris scale - could that work ?

The shutter itself has no iris, as far as I can tell: it just opens and closes.

[John Koehrer]

You would need to have the correct spacing between the groups for the lens to work correctly.

I've never seen a 60mm adapter of any sort. maybe a slip on 60->something.
Standard filter sizes would be 58/62/67mm. Grimes would be able to make something up for you.

[Ken Lee]

Thank you - that makes sense. What about the iris ?

[Carsten Wolff]

!5" Wollensak Tele barrel lens screws straight into one (once you've found the tiny grub screws in the lens barrel to unscrew the lens groups). Or get an engineering w/shop make a delrin or such adapter as it is a pretty nice fit for eg a front mounted 19" Goerz Apo-Artar.

[E. von Hoegh]

Thank you - that makes sense. What about the iris ?

If you need to make adapter rings, you could cut a slot for Waterhouse stops, or if that would put the stop in the wrong location, perhaps washer stops held by one of the adapter rings. Depends on where your stop needs to be in relation to the glass bits.

[E. von Hoegh]

You would need to have the correct spacing between the groups for the lens to work correctly.

I've never seen a 60mm adapter of any sort. maybe a slip on 60->something.
Standard filter sizes would be 58/62/67mm. Grimes would be able to make something up for you.
60mm adapter rings are/were made by Tiffen, I have a 60 to 62 stepup.

[Philippe Grunchec]

Are still made by Heliopan!