Sorry I may be asking a stupid question but I don't know if it is useful on my century graphic.

Since I have a Century and a solenoid, I'll take this one. A solenoid is a device used to trip your shutter by way of a button on a flash unit approx. 20 milliseconds before the flash bulb reaches its peak brightness. In other words, it gives you flash sync for shutters that don't have flash sync built in. There is a connecting cord from the flash unit to the solenoid. The solenoid is connected to the shutter lever by way of a link, and the solenoid is adjustable for precise timing of the shutter trip in relation to the flash bulb you are using. Fred.

As Fred said, they were commonly used for flash syncro. However, with modern shutters, that isn't a problem anymore.

Two issues with your Century - one good, one not. An installed solenoid is really fun when just used as an electronic shutter release. I've got a Graflex remote release cord [Paramount makes them now] so I can set up my camera [45 Crown in my case] and remotely release the shutter from 15 ft. away. Makes for great birdfeeder pics.

However, with the Century, it isn't easy to mount a solenoid, because of the limited size of the lensboard. Graflex offered a kit to mount them above the lens, horizontal rather than the usual vertical mount you commonly see on larger cameras. So, you'll probably have a hard time finding the mount. Fred Lustig probably has them, but if you've read other posts here you know he is "under the weather" right now, and AFAIK not accepting new business. Hopefully that will change soon.

Really thanks!People here are so helpful and willing to help!
I have an 101/4.5 Ektar which has F and M sync.So if I need anything for electric flash?A solenoid?Or a bi-post sync cord only?

Just the connecting cord from the sync contacts on your shutter to your flash. The solenoid wouldn't sync anyway with an electronic flash. It only syncs with flash bulbs. It can be used with elec. flash, but only as a shutter release. The sync in that case must come from the shutter itself.

If you can't find the right cord, you can have one made for your particular shutter/flash combination by Paramount. For instance, I had them make me one for bipost to Vivitar.

Lamb...If your shutter has only F and M synch, then you may not get synchronizatiion with electronic flash. When set at F, the contacts in the shutter ignite the bulb about 5 ms before the shutter is wide open...and on M, it ignites the bulb about 20 milliseconds before the shutter is wide open. This is so the lamp is at its peak brightness when the shutter is wide open. With electronic flash, which flashes at about 1/2000th of a second, the flash has to be ignited at the point the shutter is wide open. Which shutter do you have with your Ektar? Do you merely have a lever to set at M and F...or do you have to loosen...adjust the setting...and then cock a timing mechanism before you cock the shutter? If yours is the latter, some of these shutters will synch with electronic flash by not cocking the timing mechanism. Fred.

Yikes, good catch, Fred. I completely overlooked that. Somehow I just mentally put an X on there where it wasn't! I'd get another lens for elec. flash with that camera.

what shutter is your Ektar mounted in? Russ

My shutter is a kodak supermatic.
There's a screw on the F and M setting.I've to lossen to set whether F or M.But I don't understand what is the timing mechanism?Is it the self timer?

The timing mechanism I referred to is the mechanism in the shutter that you are utilizing when you set your flash synch to M or F with your Kodak Flash Supermatic shutter. There is a gear train that delays the shutter opening 5ms for F and 20ms for M when you cock the timing mechanism with its lever. Some have stated on this forum that you get X synch when you don't cock the timing mechanism, but I have not found that to be true in the shutters I have had. So, to summarize, for using M flash bulbs, the ones with magnesium such as 5's, 25's, 11's, 22's, Press 40's, etc., you loosen the screw and set the flash synch to M...tighten the screw...cock the shutter...then cock the timing mechanism with the little lever that is slightly curled over the front plate just above the B and T setting of the shutter. Pull it down until it stops, and you're ready for a flash picture with a flash bulb. The one I have will not fire any kind of a flash with the flash lever not cocked. There is a 10k-ohm resistor inside that prevents it from flashing. Some have suggested by-passing this resistor, but don't do it. This resistor prevents the pre-mature firing of the flash when cocking the shutter. The design of this shutter causes the flash contacts to close when cocking the shutter or when slightly pressing on the shutter release. If you don't have the timing mechanism set, and if it weren't for the resistor, the flash would go off. When you cock the mechanism and take a pic using flash, the resistor is momentarily bypassed to allow the flash to ignite. It appears to me that if you want to use electronic flash, you'll need a different shutter...one with X synch. But don't take my word for it, try to fire a flash without cocking the timing mechanism. It's possible that there were a few of these shutters made that had a second set of contacts to use with electronic flash with the mechanism not set. But I think if this were true, there would be an X added to the flash sync dial at 0 delay. By the way, the F setting was for gas-filled lamps that had low light output and are rather scarce. Fred.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-11-28 14:05 ]</font>

The bulbs that go with the F setting are the class SM (Speed Midget) gas filled 3300 lumen second bulbs. They are only good for close-up work at high noon. Or something. The F setting should also work ok with the later fast peak bulbs, like the M3.
If you have the time, and a little film to burn, try your electronic flash at various shutter speed / f/stop combinations using the F setting. There is probably a combo that will absorb a 5 millisecond delay.

I think the Flash Supermatics have a 2nd set of contacts that will work on X by not cocking the delay lever. I have 2 of these and one works with Strobe the other does not. The Supermatic will not work on Strobe. Since I do not know how to disassemble these shutters I cannot confirm how the Flash supermatics contacts are arranged. Russ

I have a Kodak Flash Supermatic with 101 Ektar, and, as I stated above, it does not have a second set of contacts and will not flash anything with the timing mechanism not set. If you put an ohm-meter on it, the 10K resistor is in the circuit and prevents any flash. I have been into this baby...NO second contacts. The lens is SN# ES10735. I have info that states that the No. 2 Flash Supermatic had X synch, but my shutter does not. Fred.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-11-30 19:02 ]</font>

You are probably right, there was quite a discussion of these shutters by Richard K. but I may have missed the #2 notation. I would think that if you never wanted to use bulbs, then the shutter could be modified to work with no delay. I still don't like the bi-post, as a sliight turn of the posts will move the contact and result in no flash. I have never had this problem with the PC connection. Russ

Quote:

On 2003-11-30 18:42, clnfrd wrote: I have a Kodak Flash Supermatic with 101 Ektar, and, as I stated above, it does not have a second set of contacts and will not flash anything with the timing mechanism not set. If you put an ohm-meter on it, the 10K resistor is in the circuit and prevents any flash. I have been into this baby...NO second contacts. The lens is SN# ES10735. I have info that states that the No. 2 Flash Supermatic had X synch, but my shutter does not. Fred. <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-11-30 19:02 ]</font>

Um, Fred, my 101/4.5 s/n E0 3946 in Flash Supermatic works with electronic flash.

Cheers,

Dan