I have just procured a Crown Graphic Special which I feel is in pretty good shape.

The only problem is, I know absolutely nothing about anything except 35mm photography.

Anyway, I have figured out everything else on the shutter except for the little post between the flash synch switch and the shutter cocking lever.

The other thing I was wondering is how much play should the shutter/lens assembly have in the lensboard? Mine has no play in or out but some play when rotating the assembly while say changing the shutterspeed.

Hedgehog

Quote:

On 2006-06-27 04:47, pjviitas wrote: I have just procured a Crown Graphic Special which I feel is in pretty good shape. The only problem is, I know absolutely nothing about anything except 35mm photography. Anyway, I have figured out everything else on the shutter except for the little post between the flash synch switch and the shutter cocking lever. The other thing I was wondering is how much play should the shutter/lens assembly have in the lensboard? Mine has no play in or out but some play when rotating the assembly while say changing the shutterspeed. Hedgehog

If you cock the shutter, press that little post backwards, and fire the shutter it should stay open. Then recock and fire again to close the shutter. The little post operates a blade arrester, also called "press focus." Used for focusing through the lens without having to set the shutter speed to "T".

The shutter shouldn't turn on the board. Tighten the retaining ring. I have some shutter/board combinations for which that doesn work. On them, I use darkroom tape to keep the shutter from turning.

If it's a Graphex shutter, you cock the shutter and move the lever down and in towards the shutter body; this opens the shutter blades. Focus on the ground glass at wide open aperture. After focussing, you can either (1) pull the lever back out to its resting postion; the shutter stays cocked and you can now take your picture (don't forget to first stop down to the proper exposure!); OR (2) fire the shutter; this returns the focus lever to its resting position. Now you will have to re-cock the shutter to make the exposure. I usually use method (1) on the theory that the fewer times I cock and release the shutter, the less mechanical wear and tear over the long haul.

Quote:

On 2006-06-27 06:38, Henry wrote: If it's a Graphex shutter, you cock the shutter and move the lever down and in towards the shutter body; this opens the shutter blades. Focus on the ground glass at wide open aperture. After focussing, you can either (1) pull the lever back out to its resting postion; the shutter stays cocked and you can now take your picture (don't forget to first stop down to the proper exposure!); OR (2) fire the shutter; this returns the focus lever to its resting position. Now you will have to re-cock the shutter to make the exposure. I usually use method (1) on the theory that the fewer times I cock and release the shutter, the less mechanical wear and tear over the long haul.

Synchro-Compur-P, Henry.

Cheers,

Dan

Ok...I might be asking about something so obvious that you guys are missing it.

I figured out what the press shutter is but I am more interested in a small cylindrical post between the shutter cocking lever and the flash sync selector.

Hedgehog

The shutter assembly doesn't really turn on the board...it's more of a very small rotational shift.

If you think I need to tighten something, where can find this retaining ring?

Hedgehog

Right you are, Dan. I knew there was a reason that I don't like them!

My manual does not show a -P version so the protrusion in question is:
A. the pc connector, metal outer-plastic center-small metal sleve in the center.
B. Shutter release cable socket, metal sleve that appears to be hollow with threads inside.
To tighten the lens locknut/retaining ring:
Remove the lens board, observe the lens retainer ring on the back: rotate lens as when cocking shutter, hold retainer ring and return lens to correct orientation by turning clockwise; or hold lens in correct orientation and turn retaining ring with retaining ring spanner wrench.
Exercise care not to scratch lens.

To remove lens board:
Losen manual trip lever and position out of the way.
Slide top lens board lock to the left.
Slide the bottom lens board lock to the right.
Pull lens board and lens srtaight out.
Have camera laying on its back or slightly rotated backward as lens/board assembly may fall out if the camera is level or rotated foward when preforimg these steps.

_________________
Graflex Corp.was a <font color=white>(silent)</font> supporter of Rain Forest Devastation.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2006-06-27 13:53 ]</font>

Quote:

On 2006-06-27 09:26, pjviitas wrote: Ok...I might be asking about something so obvious that you guys are missing it. I figured out what the press shutter is but I am more interested in a small cylindrical post between the shutter cocking lever and the flash sync selector. Hedgehog

Well, I'm home and I've taken out a Synchro Compur P. That little post has a hole in its center and it is a PC type flash connector. Have you never seen one?

Cheers,

Dan

It looks like a pc-connector then...metal inner cylinder inside of a plastic cylinder inside of a metal outer cylinder.

Not sure if I will ever need a pc-connector but at least I know what it is now...thanks a bunch.

Anyone wishing to comment on pc-connectors would be appreciated.

Will keep you posted on how I make out with the retaining ring.

Hedgehog

After getting the lense-board assembly off and examining the retaining ring it didn't appear to be snuggly tightened to the back of the lense-board.

The retaining ring seems to unscrew quite easily so i removed it along with the shutter assembly from the lense-board.

Careful examination revealed a guide pin on the back of the shutter assembly meant to mate with the lense-board.

In turn, there appeared to be a flange on the retaining ring meant to take up the slack between the lense-board hole and the body of the shutter assembly.

After reflecting on this it appeared that the flange on the bottom of the retaining ring had been riding on the back of the lense-board and not screwed down snuggly bottoming the retaining ring onto the back of the lense-board.

I proceeded to assembly everything properly ( and put a finger-print on the back of the lense ) and the retaining ring bottomed wonderfully snug to the back of the lense board however...no retaining ring spanner!!!

I snugged the retaining ring down very carefully with 2 screwdrivers but it is not tight enough since there is still a tiny bit of rotational play in the shutter assembly. Needless to say trying to tighten it any further with the wrong tools is not a good idea.

Anyone know where I can get a retaining ring spanner?

Hedgehog

After cleaning the lense that I had dirtied, I thought I would take another stab at getting that retaining ring a little tighter.

Being extra, extra careful I got it snug enough to stop any rotational movement.

I believe a retaining ring spanner is still in order but at least the retaining ring is nominal for now.

The camera is back together and waiting until I have a chance to learn about it more and possibly tune it up another notch.

Thanks for all your help gentlemen and any info on getting a retaining ring spanner would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards, Hedgehog

Quote:

On 2006-06-27 15:22, pjviitas wrote: After getting the lense-board assembly off and examining the retaining ring it didn't appear to be snuggly tightened to the back of the lense-board. The retaining ring seems to unscrew quite easily so i removed it along with the shutter assembly from the lense-board. Careful examination revealed a guide pin on the back of the shutter assembly meant to mate with the lense-board. In turn, there appeared to be a flange on the retaining ring meant to take up the slack between the lense-board hole and the body of the shutter assembly. After reflecting on this it appeared that the flange on the bottom of the retaining ring had been riding on the back of the lense-board and not screwed down snuggly bottoming the retaining ring onto the back of the lense-board. I proceeded to assembly everything properly ( and put a finger-print on the back of the lense ) and the retaining ring bottomed wonderfully snug to the back of the lense board however...no retaining ring spanner!!! I snugged the retaining ring down very carefully with 2 screwdrivers but it is not tight enough since there is still a tiny bit of rotational play in the shutter assembly. Needless to say trying to tighten it any further with the wrong tools is not a good idea. Anyone know where I can get a retaining ring spanner? Hedgehog

If there isn't a recess or hole in the board that will accept the "guide pin," remove the lens from the board, extract the pin from the back of the shutter, and reassemble. The pin should actually be a small screw. If it is present and there's not mating recess/hole the shutter will be tilted on the board. This is very incorrect.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan

While it's probably a PC flash connection (for Prontor-Compur) It might also be am ASA Bayonet. I just looked at my 203 Ektar from '61 and.....Oh never mind, mine's a Kodak and they pushed the bayonet flash connection more than anybody else.

Any camera store that handles large format accessories should have a retaining ring spanner or http://www.skgrimes.com/span/index.htm