Speed Graphic Focal Plane shutter on other cameras

[steven_e007]

I've just stripped and rebuilt a Speed Graphic. Unlike some other cameras that have focal plane shutters - the SG shutter isn't a module you can remove, it is built right into the body of the camera. So... you would have to remove the base assembly and any bits fastened to it (i.e: trash the camera) and then fix this heavy cumbersome box onto the back of whatever camera you wanted to receive the shutter.

Removing the parts of the shutter and remounting them in another camera sounds like a better project... but hopefully no one would trash a decent SG to do this - and an old one would probably need a new shutter curtain making anyway.

Seems like it is just one or two steps further to just building a focal plane shutter from scratch, copying the SG design? I did mull this over - as it would be possible to make it any size you wanted (10 X 8 or whole plate might be nice :-)

It seems to me that there is only one real obstacle, which is making the top gear train and release assembly. That needs a bit of engineering skill... unless one can be sourced in some repairers scrap box, somewhere?

[Sully75]

Thanks Steven. I like the idea of using a smaller format camera as a front standard, have you ever seen someone do that? It might make attaching the bellows challenging, but it seems doable.

[steven_e007]

Hi Sully,

Just spent ages typing you a reply. When I hit 'submit' I got an error message saying the 'token had expired'. I lost the lot

Brief version:

It is very easy to take the back off a speed graphic - leaving a flat surface with screw holes. Making an adaptor plate to marry up to the rear of the camera which carries a plate to fit the front standard of the camera behind it should be relatively easy.

It sounds like a good idea - as long as the rear camera is very substantial - as the Speed Graphic is extremely heavy, especially equipped with a big lens to cover 10 X 8 or more...

I have an ancient Century studio camera that is HUGE! Built like something to stop trains running off the rails - it has a rear opening of 11" by 11" - probably intended to allow 10 by 8 in landscape and portrait, but it might stretch to 10" by 11". A Speed Graphic acting as a behind the lens shutter for this camera does sound like quite a good idea - it wouldn't trash the SG and doesn't sound too difficult to arrange.

But - first I need to renovate the Century camera.
This is a future project.
It is on my list.
It is a very long list...:rolleyes: