Graflex Curtain Shutter to Canham (SINAR) lensboard

[Kimberly Anderson]

Well a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Speed Graphic showed up yesterday. I sought out a non-perfect example and got this one for 99 bucks. The only thing that is remotely interesting about it is that it is engraved 'TVA - xxxxx' so there is some sort of tenuous connection to that part of US history.

The end-game with this camera is to take the shutter assembly and make a lens-board out of it. I have a few barrel lenses that I'd like to try to use with a shutter, and this option gives me a variety of controllable speeds. I have a Packard shutter already and have futzed with it for the past year or so and I know the benefits and downfalls of that shutter. It will be for sale soon and yes, it does work.

This particular Speed Graphic will also be parted out, so if you need little fiddly-bits for yours, let me know. I might keep the lens for my RB Auto Graphlex.

I did a quick look last night and the front standard of the Canham will be large enough for the SG shutter back to clear the standards and not interfere with the 'normal' operation of the camera. The shutter curtain dimensions are slightly smaller in the short dimension than the largest lens element I wish to use with it. I am wondering if it will vignette when shooting 8x10. I am thinking it probably will. 5x8 will more than likely be fine.

This morning I will begin stripping the SG and taking some photos and measurements.

I know at least one of you has been down this road, so if you have any suggestions, please pass them along. Yes I realize that I am potentially creating a cantilevered nightmare and am planning accordingly.

This project, in the end, might just be completely aborted, but part of me wants to see if I can make it work instead of just wondering 'what if'.

[jcoldslabs]

I'll just chime in and say that I have a 4x5 Speed Graphic carcass with the shutter intact that I have been meaning to make into something I can use with my own barrel lenses, preferably on the Century 10A. I'm curious about other people's experiences as well. So far I've managed to find this.

My plan so far is to make a flexible (fabric? old bellows?) coupling between the Speed graphic and the front of the lens and mount the SG on a separate tripod. This will work fine in the studio but not so much in the field.

Jonathan

[jp]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ghlight=sigmar

[jcoldslabs]

Nice, jp. Do you have any close-up photos that show the way you mounted it both to the lens and the camera? That's my biggest issue. The shutter tensioning knob and release trigger have to remain accessible which limits the kind of surround one can build to mount the shutter. I'd love to embed the SG into a lens board, but that won't work without burying the knob.

And what lens is that? Good lord!

Jonathan

[Kimberly Anderson]

Sweet. My setup will be a little more compact, but the idea is the same. Thanks for the pics. I'd love some detail shots. The link to the other thread is also helpful.

[jp]

I'll get some closeups today. Basically the camera body is compressed between two 9x9 lensboards. Someone may see the closups and figure out a more compact way and that'd be great too.

[jp]

OK, a six minute overview in 1080p.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAjyYixKXm8

[jcoldslabs]

OK, a six minute overview in 1080p.

That's really helpful, at least to me. Thanks.

Jonathan

[Kimberly Anderson]

Sweet, thanks for that Jason. I will probably do mine a little differently, but this gives me a great place to start. Can you address possibly in the future how the shutter speeds are? Are they accurate? Someone on LFF mentioned that they would probably not be. Thanks again!

[jp]

I haven't tested shutter speeds scientifically. I have shot film and it comes out properly exposed.

Glad the video is helpful; hopefully if someone else does something related, they can share their results too!