Hi, I just bought a Graphic View that came with a Kodak Ektar 203mm F7.7 lens in a Flash Supermatic Shutter. I like the lens and even got some vintage prints ( 1950's ) with the camera that show how sharp this lens is. I would like to use this camera in studio with strobe units ( powerpack ). I don't see an X synch on the shutter, it has F and M but no X. It has the bipost connector and I read that Paramount Cords has synch cords for bipost. Does anyone know for sure if this shutter will work with strobe if I buy the bipost to household cord and if not is there anyway to make it work. Also if this shutter will not synch with strobe is there a shutter that I can buy and install this lens into? Can anyone recommend a good lens and shutter combo for this camera for portraits that will work with modern strobe ( that doesn't cost a fortune! ). Also this shutter has a button and a lever on the side that I can't figure out. What are they for? Thanks

First, this question would be more appropriately placed in the flash help section than here, however....

I gather that all f and m synch settings refer to flash bulbs. x is the only one that works with electronic flash.

Is there a shutter you can install the lens onto that has an x synch? Possibly, but you may well pay more for the shutter than you will for a different lens with a shutter. Some of the more knowlegable folks here might have a better suggestion as to what you could use.

Since you plan to use it in studio with flashes, you might be able to use a manual synch for some applications. Set the shutter to "bulb", open the shutter, flash the flash manually and then close the shutter. I successfully used this method with an old box camera to shoot an elderly couple's anniversary... her old flashgun was not firing the 5b bulbs so I had to synch a modern electronic flash with it. I did the camera, my wife did the flashing. If you try this, keep it stopped down pretty well to avoid incident exposure and avoid subjects that move. If this is too basic, I appologize. good luck.

First off the button is the "press view" button. Cock the shutter, hold the button down and fire. The lens stays open.

The Extra lever is to set the gear train for the flash sync. M has a 20milisecond delay F has a 5 mili second delay.

If you don't set the gear train, there is no delay, thus X sync!

Quote:

On 2001-12-16 19:49, Les wrote: First off the button is the "press view" button. Cock the shutter, hold the button down and fire. The lens stays open. The Extra lever is to set the gear train for the flash sync. M has a 20milisecond delay F has a 5 mili second delay. If you don't set the gear train, there is no delay, thus X sync!

Thank you Les, thank you. Everything is as you say!

Quote:

On 2001-12-16 18:50, azkrazy wrote: Hi, I just bought a Graphic View that came with a Kodak Ektar 203mm F7.7 lens in a Flash Supermatic Shutter. I like the lens and even got some vintage prints ( 1950's ) with the camera that show how sharp this lens is. I would like to use this camera in studio with strobe units ( powerpack ). I don't see an X synch on the shutter, it has F and M but no X. It has the bipost connector and I read that Paramount Cords has synch cords for bipost. Does anyone know for sure if this shutter will work with strobe if I buy the bipost to household cord and if not is there anyway to make it work. Also if this shutter will not synch with strobe is there a shutter that I can buy and install this lens into? Can anyone recommend a good lens and shutter combo for this camera for portraits that will work with modern strobe ( that doesn't cost a fortune! ). Also this shutter has a button and a lever on the side that I can't figure out. What are they for? Thanks

Ok..a Flash Supermatic (not the Supermatic X)
can be made to work with electronic flash.
According to my 1958 copy of "Graphic Graflex Photography" there is an internal resistor that needs to be shorted out.
You do this by loosening the pin of the bi-post connector NEAREST the press focus button about 1/2 turn...no more.
Now take a short piece of fine copper wire and wrap it around the exposed threads of the bi-post pin and gently tighten it back down.
Now unscrew the little screw just above that bi-post pin...again about a half turn or so and wrap that fine copper wire around the threads of the screw. Now tighten the screw back down. If you did everything right,the lens should work with electronic flash.
I would test this with a small cheap flash before I tried it with my nice big studio flash.
Make sure the shutter is marked "Flash Supermatic Shutter" and not "Supermatic (X)
Also..cover what tiny amount of wire that's exposed with a bit of electrical tape for safety's sake.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Harris Austin on 2002-01-30 20:32 ]</font>

The resistor in the circuit is to limit the current that a flash bulb imposes on the shutter.
Certain old type flash needed high current to trip that it couldn't get with the resistor in the circuit.

My 1958 11th ed GGP book states this at the bottom of page 20

However modern strobes use much less current and voltage that those original Ascor 'widow makers' and the trip current can pass through the resistor without a problem. I've successfully used a flash super matic with a metz and a norman without a problem and haven't hot wired mine yet.