I'm evaluating my options for a shutter for a large flanged soft focus lens roughly 5" rear glass, 5.5" front glass diameter.
I would like some variability of speeds for outdoor use, and flash sync would be a plus for indoor portrait use (I'm not into hot lights, and we don't have much natural light here). Cost is of course important, but not the only consideration.
So far my options seem to be:
* Double-darkslide shutter. Cheapest, but no flash sync and kinda awkward as I'd need 2 8x10 darkslides in my hand.
* Packard shutter; would be monstrous (8.5" square) and $5xx dollars. Would provide one shutter speed?
* Homemade Guillotine shutter as recently shown on here by a Japanese constructor. Inexpensive. Flash sync could be added by putting a NC microswitch abutting the slide, or via a reed relay and magnet mounted on the opening. Downside; physical size; I'd be looking at something about 18" tall. It might get in the way of aperture adjustment.
* Gut a Speed Graphic and put it between two lensboards for the focal plane shutter. Cheap enough ; maybe $100-200? Lots of shutter speed options, flash sync depending on the model chosen. Downsides; might need to brace the front standard. Would restrict light slightly at the top and bottom where the shutter is not quite as big as the rear glass of the lens. (4x5 opening instead of 5x5 opening) Would this alter the image quality any at wide open by in effect by probably creating an odd shaped aperture?
Am I overlooking any options? What would you choose?
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