I have a Crown Graphic with a supermatic (x) 127mm lense. I want to use flash bulbs but am not sure how to set the synch to M or F for delay. The lense has only one screw on the ace of the lense - there are no other adjustments that I see.
Are there any good manuals on line?

I have an OPTAR 135mm with a dial that has M, M, F-X and Off. Should I use this lense for flash and set the indicator to M or F depending on the flash bulb?

I see my earlier post that Les answered the question about the supermatic (x) thanks Les it appears I need a solenoid to use flash bulbs with my lense.

But what about the OPTAR with the indicators M,M, F-X and OFF. Is that for flash delays?

Quote:

On 2006-03-01 17:53, frohnec wrote: I see my earlier post that Les answered the question about the supermatic (x) thanks Les it appears I need a solenoid to use flash bulbs with my lense. But what about the OPTAR with the indicators M,M, F-X and OFF. Is that for flash delays?

yes

Since there are two M's does it matter which one I select?

the Ms are color coded to speeds, red shutter speeds=red M black shutter speeds, to black M

Les

My Graflex M-F-X has Red <font color=red>M</font> and White <font color=white>M</font>. Red 1/50 and slower; White 1/100 and faster.

What Les said, plus the following:

Class M flashlamps (which include most types other than class SM and SF) reach full light output at c. 20 milliseconds and require that much more delay time before full shutter opening. (Source: 10th edition, "Graphic Graflex Photography," p. 62)

You don't mention which class(es) of lamps you will be using. For the once-common no. 5 and 25 (also 5B, 25B blue bulbs) I would use the M-synch setting.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Henry on 2006-03-03 11:28 ]</font>

Here we go again! the other Henry and I building on each other's posts.
The F sync. is for what were known as "gas bulbs" which were easy to identify because there was no wire or foil mass in them, just a pait of wires with a very fine filament connecting the ends of them. the light came from a mixture of gasses in the bulb which burned when the bulb fired. IIRC there were two numbers of screw base "gas bulbs" and the "SM" & "SF" bayonet base bulbs.
If your flash bulbs have foil or what looks like a mass of steel wool in them use "M" sync, or if there are two "M" syncs use the one of the same color as the shutter speed.

C. Henry