What's the Shutter Speed?

[bvy]

Lately, I've picked up a few toy cameras from local thrift stores. These aren't Holga's or Diana's or anything with good documentation, but older cameras that a.) even if they had documentation, probably didn't publish anything as technical as shutter speed, and b.) even if the shutter speed was known, I'm not sure I'd trust it. Some of these cameras are twenty years old or more and parts wear. And, of course, these weren't manufactured for any sort of precision.

So the really simple question is: Is there some slick way to calculate the shutter speed of a (film) camera?

(It might seem counter to lomo thinking to even care; it's as much out of curiousity, as anything. But I do some street shooting where the camera is in motion, and knowing which of these cameras has the fastest shutter would be useful.)

Thanks!

[Lee L]

http://www.davidrichert.com/sound_card_shutter_tester.htm

Lee

[jnanian]

hi bvy

the cameras i have used that have one shutter speed
i usually guestimate them at about 1/50th or 1/100thS

c41 and b/w are pretty forgiving so it's close enough ... :)

have fun, junkers are the best!
john

[bvy]

http://www.davidrichert.com/sound_card_shutter_tester.htm

Lee

Thanks for this link, Lee. I'm going to try it out. (Actually, it will be a fun project for my thirteen-year-old who likes to dabble in electronics...)

[Anscojohn]

Thanks for this link, Lee. I'm going to try it out. (Actually, it will be a fun project for my thirteen-year-old who likes to dabble in electronics...)
******
If you figure it shoots at 1/50 sec at F/11 you can't go far wrong.