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Thread: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

  1. #1

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    Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    Hi, I have been using my various vintage lenses that have no shutter on them with very slow RC paper negatives and now I want to start using sheet film, but I know I will need a shutter to make proper exposures.

    Any advice on how to approach this because I have a variety of differnt barrel type lenes that are different diameters?

    Thanks!

  2. #2

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    The standard solution is behind-the-lens shutter such as a Packard. If a Packard with a large enough opening will fit behind your camera's front standard and 1/25 is fast enough for you, there you are. Some people use roller blind shutters such as Thornton Pickards between lens board and lens. These offer more and faster timed speeds than Packards.

    My solution for a number of my barrel lenses is a Copal #1 between lens and board, with lens screwed into an skgrimes adapter that screws into the shutter. Works for me, may not work for you, depending on the lenses' focal lengths and maximum apertures. Some of my lenses have the same mounting threads, so I can use one adapter with several lenses. This reduces costs, won't work for you.

    The standard solution is hanging a shutter in front of the lens. I use an industrial (without diaphragm) Compound #5 in front of my 900/10 Apo-Saphir.

    The standard solution is using a body with a focal plane shutter, such as a Speed Graphic.

    The best solution, I'm afraid, is to sell your lenses and replace them with equivalent lenses already in shutters.

  3. #3

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    Thanks Dan, very helpful information. Selling my vintage glass is not an option of course because I am unable to reproduce those unique optics with modern lenses...


    Thanks again.

  4. #4
    Between here and there
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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    J Lane glass plates, perhaps? Iso 1-2 or up to giddy speeds of iso 25 (with Ortho emulsion). But maybe the end goal is the more standard look of film and being able to capture moments?

    A Sinar shutter comes to mind as a partial answer to the barrel lens issue. Another one is the LUC shutter but they are limited in the same way as the Packards.
    "Be still and allow the mud to settle."

  5. #5

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    I have the same issue, and I use a slower film like FP4+ and add a polarizer to the lens to cut another 2.5 stops. This allows me to make exposures (under most circumstances) of 1 second or more without much difficulty. Then I can just use the "cap off, cap on" method.

  6. #6
    William Whitaker's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    Take a look at http://re-inventedphotoequip.com/Home.html. Reinhold Schable can mount a Packard shutter so that it will mount on the front of your lens. That then gives you the option of using a Packard that's larger than would otherwise fit inside your camera and behind the lens. He has done this for me on a couple of occasions. His designs are simple as befit the Packard itself, but his workmanship is very solid.

    I have no stake in his business, but am just a satisfied customer.

  7. #7

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    Speed graphic. If you get an Anniversary model the lens board is 4x4 inches, wood, and very easy to make. You won’t get much in the way of movements but...

  8. #8

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    I was just thinking along those lines!! I think I am going to order some of the Rollei Ortho 25 8x10 sheet film, rate it at EI 25 and use this for the times when I want the orthochromatic emsulsion and then use your suggestion of doing a ND filter with FP4 which is a film I use frequently. Excellent tip!!


    Quote Originally Posted by paulbarden View Post
    I have the same issue, and I use a slower film like FP4+ and add a polarizer to the lens to cut another 2.5 stops. This allows me to make exposures (under most circumstances) of 1 second or more without much difficulty. Then I can just use the "cap off, cap on" method.

  9. #9

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    Thanks William, I had forgotten about Reinhold, so thanks for the reminder. I had purcahsed a couple of his minuscus lenses about 10 years ago.

    Thanks!!

    Quote Originally Posted by William Whitaker View Post
    Take a look at http://re-inventedphotoequip.com/Home.html. Reinhold Schable can mount a Packard shutter so that it will mount on the front of your lens. That then gives you the option of using a Packard that's larger than would otherwise fit inside your camera and behind the lens. He has done this for me on a couple of occasions. His designs are simple as befit the Packard itself, but his workmanship is very solid.

    I have no stake in his business, but am just a satisfied customer.

  10. #10

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    Re: Seeking Advice For Shutter on Vintage Lenses

    The other thing you can add is a welding helmet plate as a neutral density filter... The glass is good enough for photo use, and are quite cheap (like around $15)... There are 2 densities and if I remember correctly, about 8 or 9 stops... You can make a holder for it...

    I bought a bunch last year when a hardware store chain went out of biz for only $2 each, but haven't played with them yet... But I use a ND I made from a round old welding goggle filter that just happened to drop into a 39mm bare filter ring to use with my Leica M + lenses...

    Don't forget to allow for reciprocity failure, you will need it!!!

    Steve K

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