...It's been a while since I've been to the help boards here, but a new question has arisen and I'm looking for help. My favorite lens is a Verito in the old studio shutter (meaning it only has the open/close positions), used almost exclusively for portraiture. Now I typically use it on one of my old Speed Graphics, almost always at 1/10th second with hot lamps and at full aperature. However I'm looking to use it with flash, both to be able stop the lens down more when indoors and to do some outdoor work without mixed light color temperatures. Least expensive option seems to be an Ideal Packard shutter with synchro, either in front or behind the lens. Is there anyone out there with experience/suggestions? Any pitfalls to using the flash with the Packard shutter? Suggestions and comments would be greatly appreciated.

jeff

Since Packard shutter close the sync switch when they are wide open, I don't see a problem with your idea. Even the "instantaneous" version with the pin should synchronize. The trick will be how nice, neat and small you can get the sync contacts. It was common on the large cameras to use banana plugs or surface mount household outlets--a bit tacky on a Speed or Crown.

BTW what focal length are you using?



Les

As Les said it should sync OK. I beleive the Packard shutters with sync come with two posts as flash contacts but half of a PC sync cord could be soldered to them.

I think the lens is 9 inches (wasting company time right now instead of slaving away, so the lens is at home). As such, using it on my 4x5 Speed Graphic, it's really only good for head and shoulder close-ups. Works for me... I bought it because I love the b/w classic Hollywood stuff, but have since used it almost exclusively with color film. I also plan to use the lens with my studio camera... want to be able to stop down a little and use the perspective control, so again I need a way to use it with flash.

jeff

You may need to mount the "Packard Ideal" shutter in front; those old portrait lenses are pretty big, and the last time I looked, the largest #6 "Packard Ideal" that would fit behind a 4-inch lensboard -- 3-1/2 ins. on a side -- had an opening of 1-3/4 ins.

The only synchronized "Packard Ideal" shutter I ever saw came with a short length of what appeared to be lamp cord, to which the user could attach his or her choice of connector. Perhaps a previous owner had snipped off the posts. How about a panel-mount 1/8-in. phone jack for the connector?

Yeah I was thinking of some sort of front mount... I have no other barrel lenses, but you never know. Something to slip on and off quickly seems in order.

jeff

I use a #6 Packard to which I added sync on a 305mm f/9 Apo-Nikkor. I made an adapter to front mount the shutter as it's too big for the front standard of my camera.