I recently had a chance to buy a 4x5 Pacemaker Crown Graphic in terrific condition at a government disposal sale. The camera comes with the 135 4.7 Optar lens (#G45472). I have read over some owner manuals online, but have yet to come across anything specific on the lens control levers. I know the lever on the top of the lens cocks the shutter..the lever at the nine o'clock position is a shutter release switch. I know how to set the aperture, shutter speed and flash..but what is the button/switch at the three o'clock position for? Is it some type of reset or lock button?

I'd appreciate some info about this button. I have used the camera to shoot some B&W scenics. The results have been what you'd expect in a large format camera--spectacular!!

Hey Fellas, I figured that button..It allows you to open the shutter so that you can focus or compose images on the ground glass screen. I still have a question..is it supposed to lock? What's the proper way to use this feature?? Thanks from a newbie!!

I ASSume that it is in a Graphex shutter?
Cock shutter, push button, shutter blades open for focusing, trip shutter and blades close and button returns to origional position. Some say that this may cause extra wear on internal parts of the shutter.
Cock shutter, push button, blades open for focusing, put slight pressure on button side next to flash bi-post, blades close as button goes back to home position.
Set shutter speed dial to "T", cock shutter, trip shutter release lever, shutter opens and stays open until shutter speed dial is turned or shutter release lever is triped again. Works the same with shutter release cable installed also.
Set shutter speed dial to"B", cock shutter, trip and hold shutter release lever or cable release lever, shutter opens and stays open as long as the lever is held down. Release lever and shutter immediately closes.
Now you know what the lock on the cable release is for, how to set the lens to focus, and how to do timed exposures.
Set shutter speed dial to 1 second, cock shutter, observe second hand on a clock that you can see at the same time you watch the shutter blades, trip shutter in sync with the second hand of the clock- blades should open fully and reclose as the hand moves 1 second. 1/2 second should do it twice as fast, other speed should noticely get faster also. They should be consistent as well.
Charles

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2003-08-29 18:58 ]</font>

On the assumption that the fewer times the shutter is cocked the longer its useful life will be, when using the press focus feature I don't trip the shutter after focusing, but close the diaphragm with the press focus lever, thus leaving the shutter cocked. Reminder to myself: don't forget to close the diaphragm before pulling the dark slide!

Quote:

On 2003-08-30 07:18, Henry wrote: On the assumption that the fewer times the shutter is cocked the longer its useful life will be, when using the press focus feature I don't trip the shutter after focusing, but close the diaphragm with the press focus lever, thus leaving the shutter cocked. Reminder to myself: don't forget to close the diaphragm before pulling the dark slide!

That's a good suggestion, but I have a couple of shutters that really like to be flexed a couple of times before they decide to cooperate speed-wise. So I always cock & fire them several times before I take the pic... But like all my equipment, they don't get used as much as they should...