Hi, I've just acquired a super speed graphic. It all appears to be in good working order, but I can't get the bulb setting on the shutter to act as it should:

once I've turned the shutter speed setting to "B", the shutter release does nothing unless I cock the shutter (by turning the outside of the lens), if I do this the shutter release then fires the lens at what sounds like the 1/2 second setting.

Am I being stupid?

How do I operate the shutter in "bulb" mode?

If it helps the lens on my camera is marked f/4.5 graflex optar 135mm, and then outside of that "GRAFLEX 1000 2A".

thanks in advance
--
tom

Just a guess here:

Perhaps the shutter release lever on the side of the lens (opposite the cocking lever) is either stuck or sticking down. Or the cable is sluggish (not retracting).

Worth a look.

Thanks for the suggestion steve, but I pretty sure the shutter release is ok, as all the other shutter speeds work fine (eg when the shutter is set to 1/125 the release works fine).

Am I correct in thinking that the procedure for using "B" is as you'd expect:

set lens to "C" for closed
set shutter to "B"
cock shutter (by turning outer lens ring clockwise)
press shutter release to open shutter
release shutter release to close shutter.

right?
--
tom

Just to clarify the above post when I go through the steps described above, this is what happens on my lens:

set lens to "C" for closed
set lens to "B" for bulb
clock lens
press shutter release
OR
press and hold shutter release

the shutter fires normally opening for about 1/2 a second.

ie its as if there is no "B" setting, and even when set to "B" the shutter fires as if it was still set to 1/2 second. All other shutter speeds including "O" work fine.

--
tom