OK, I have become convinced that there were two versions of the Flash Supermatic. I have been into mine to find and repair, if necessary, that "second" set of contacts and found none. Mine has the 10K resistor connected from the "ground" post to ground. This is by-passed when the shutter-delay is set. I found a book I bought from Ed Romney about adding flash synch to old shutters, and in it is a photo of the internal workings of a Flash Supermatic he referred to as the "M-X" Supermatic. It also has the timing mechanism for "M" lamps, but also has the second set of contacts with zero delay...that close when the shutter is wide open. There is no 10K resistor in this version. If the shutter delay is used for M lamps, the lamp is fired 20ms before the shutter is wide open. Then, when the shutter is wide open, the second set of contacts close, but this doesn't matter, because the M lamp has already been ignited. If you don't set the timer, the M contacts stay open, and the X contacts ignite the electronic flash when the shutter is wide open. At last, the mystery is solved (I think). There were two versions. Fred.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-12-01 06:44 ]</font>

Quote:

On 2003-12-01 06:41, clnfrd wrote: OK, I have become convinced that there were two versions of the Flash Supermatic. I have been into mine to find and repair, if necessary, that "second" set of contacts and found none. Mine has the 10K resistor connected from the "ground" post to ground. This is by-passed when the shutter-delay is set. I found a book I bought from Ed Romney about adding flash synch to old shutters, and in it is a photo of the internal workings of a Flash Supermatic he referred to as the "M-X" Supermatic. It also has the timing mechanism for "M" lamps, but also has the second set of contacts with zero delay...that close when the shutter is wide open. There is no 10K resistor in this version. If the shutter delay is used for M lamps, the lamp is fired 20ms before the shutter is wide open. Then, when the shutter is wide open, the second set of contacts close, but this doesn't matter, because the M lamp has already been ignited. If you don't set the timer, the M contacts stay open, and the X contacts ignite the electronic flash when the shutter is wide open. At last, the mystery is solved (I think). There were two versions. Fred. <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-12-01 06:44 ]</font>

As Les will tell anyone who listens, in Rochester there were no rules at all.

Cheers,

Dan

Fred,
can you give us the date code for the lens?
Just trying to make some logic out of chaos.
(see smiley running against a brick wall again, and again and again...and a.........)

Will a search for lenses and shutters on this site pull up all this great information under accessories and solenoids?
Harry

Mine is ES10735, 101mm Ektar, in a Kodak Flash Supermatic Shutter, which, according to CAMEROSITY, is 1947. Fred.

Fred, I have sent you private mail. Russs

There are 3 versions of the flash Supermatic shutter. ie: M/F, M/X, and just plain old X. An educated guess would be that the periods of manufacture ran in that order, as changes in flash types progressed.

Thanks, glenn, that helps clear up the mystery. And Russ...I replied to your PM. Fred.

At last!! I see the infamous second set of contacts in the Flash Supermatics. I am currently working on one with the second set for X synch...and it does not have a 10K resistor from the "ground" post to ground. Fred.