Graflex.org

[rpasenko]

Hi. I am trying to use a Speed Graphic with Ektar f:4.7, 127 Supermatic X. I connected a new bi-pole connector from the lens and to the PC cord on a Metz 60 (actually tried this with several flashes) and the flash will not fire. Tried cleaning the two poles and that did not help. Also, I have the rear shutter cocked and at set to 0 and am using the front shutter. Any ideas on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Robert

[jdman]

Most likely you either have oxidized contacts or one of the contacts has turned and is no longer being tripped. Bi-post contacts have a nasty habit if the post becomes loose and you tighten it the contact moves and causes a problem such as you have. Some shutters can be fixed just by removing the top plate to gain access to the contacts. With an X shutter one of the contacts, generally the top one is always grounded. Check and see if one is grounded with a ohn meter. If its is proceed with the other one. Russ

[rpasenko]

Thanks for the message. What is the best cleaning method for oxidation? I'm not prepared with ohm meters, etc., so if cleaning doesn't work I will have to return the camera to MPEX. Thanks again. -Robert

[jdman]

You are going to have to get inside the shutter to either clean or move the contact, if you don't feel good about this...then I would try and return the camera and have them fix it. For cleaning a little piece of matchbook cover or crocus cloth. Russ

[rpasenko]

I'd like to take it apart and really wanted to use it on a shoot today, but had better talk to the camera store first; don't want them saying I broke it. I'll let you know how it turns out. -Robert

[Jim23]

'Some' of these shutters had a 10,000 ohm resitor in series with the shutter contacts that could enable the shutter to fire a "Kodatron" electronic flash but will not fire a modern flash unit. I don't know if the Supermatic (X) had this 'feature'; however, the Supermatics with the separate sync lever had this series resistance. One way to tell is to place the shutter on "B" and trip it while measuring the resistance with a VOM (Volt-Ohm-Meter). The meter will indicate appx. 10,000 ohms when the shutter trips if this is the case. If the shutter does not have the internal resistance, it will indicate a dead short or hearly ZERO ohms when functioning properly. If the shutter has an internal resistor, it can be shunted by a competent repair technician. On bi-post connectors, one can run a fine wire jumper between the pin closest to the shutter cocking lever and the frame of the shutter to shut the 10K resistor.

If the Ohm Meter (VOM) indicates a complete open circuit (no reaction to tripping the shutter even on the higher scales (10K, 100K), then the shutter sync contact is indeed bad....

Perhaps another reader can comment on whether or not the Supermatic (X) also had the internal 10K series resistor like the Flash Supermatic (non-X). If the Supermatic (x) did not have this internal resistor, then please ignore my advice and seek someone who can repair the shutter.....

[rpasenko]

Actually, Jim at Midwest Photo was kind enough to overnight me a fully-functional lens. That's a good thing, because I'm not much of an electrician. I will hang onto this advice in case I need it! Thank you guys for this help. Can't wait to put this machine into action. I'll let you know when it happens. Thanks. -Robert

[Les]

The one time I got into a supermatic X I was shocked.....Normally shutters are an exercise in efficient use of space,packing the maximum amount of levers and gears into a cubic mm.

The Super (X) is a fully sync'd shutter with the sync gear train removed and a couple strips of brass shim stock added. It was like an empty wearhouse in there! I got this shutter for the same reason (no flash) I found that one of the contacts had moved so I cleaned the surfaces and bent them back into place and it worked fine. Didn't see any resistor at all.

[clnfrd]

Use caution in shunting the 10K resistor. It prevents the flash from firing when cocking the shutter in some Supermatics. If you connect your ohm-meter to the terminals, observe if it shows 10K ohms resistance during cocking. If it does...and if you shunt the resistor, you'll have 0 ohms during cocking, and it'll cause a flash bulb to fire. Fred.

[Les]

While this isn't the post to say this, I learned the painful way that the syncho compur shutter my xenar is in behaves this way

[Les]

While this isn't the post to say this, I learned the painful way that the syncho compur shutter my xenar is in behaves this way