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chiefcoastie · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 8 Location: New york City

I have seen view camera lenses on ebay that do not have flash sync terminals. Can these PC post be added? I am asking about both electronic and bulb flash.
Thanks in advance.
Anthony[/b]

clnfrd · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject:

Sync for electronic flash can usually be added to most shutters. And, if this is done, you can, in most cases, use flashbulbs at 1/25th-second or slower, because at these slow speeds the shutter will remain open long enough for a flashbulb to reach its peak of illumination.. A PC connector or any other connector that can be mounted on the shutter frame may be used. It's not a real simple operation, but it can be done.

ImageMaker · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 93 Location: North Carolina

I'd add here that it may be worth checking whether there's any collector value in your particular lens/shutter combination before having it modified -- and consider just buying another used shutter or lens and shutter that has a synch, rather than pay a worker like the S.K. Grimes shop what it would cost to have a synch added to a pre-WWII shutter. I'm guessing here, but it seems likely to run well over $100 to install a synch (and they'll probably insist on charging you for a CLA at the same time, for which S.K. Grimes isn't the cheapest around -- but they're almost the only folks who could still do a flash synch upgrade). By the time you've paid them for a CLA and synch installation, it'd probably be cheaper to find another lens of similar specs in a synched shutter -- and most large format shutters have choice of M or X synch, which is better for flashbulbs than having to set the shutter to 1/25 or slower...
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