Basic questions on Packard-type shutters

[2F/2F]

Hello,

I have just discovered that I have a Packard shutter in unused condition as part of a passport conversion kit for a Speed/Crown Graphic. I was given it by my school (it had been a donation years before and they had never used it) when I first started large format photography. I stowed it and forgot about it, and recently rediscovered it.

The kit includes an insert installed from the back that divides the film into two smaller sections, and the Packard shutter is sandwiched between a Graflex press camera lensboard adapter in the back, and cheesy twin lenses on the front (Spiratone 150mm f/4.5s).

The shutter has flash contacts, and the synch cable is there. The shutter seems to work on instantaneous mode only. I had to cut off the two hardened ends of the air tube to stop the leaks, but now it works.

My question involves what lenses of mine I will be able to use with the shutter. The shutter mounting plate measures 5-3/4 inches, and the opening measures three inches. I would like to know how much smaller than the opening the rear of my lens must be in order to avoid cutting off some of the image circle, and how close to the shutter blades I should be mounting the lenses. It seems pretty self explanatory, but I want to know if there is anything specific for which I should be shooting.

All of my barrel lenses are Sinar DB or DBM, aside from one Kodak lens:

Kodak 21-1/4 in. f/11 Copying Ektanon - 2-5/8 in. dia.
Schneider 360mm Symmar-S f/6.8 - 3-1/8 in. dia. obviously will not work with this shutter without losing some of the circle
Schneider 240mm Symmar-S f/5.6 - 2-1/2 in. dia.
Rodenstock 210mm Sironar-N f/5.6 MC - 2-1/4 in. dia.
Schneider Super Angulon 121mm f/8.0 - 2-7/8 in. dia.
Rodenstock Grandagon 90mm f/4.5 MC - 2-3/4 in. dia.

I am also interested in whether or not I can somehow get it to work on bulb mode.

Thank you in advance.

[phfitz]

2F/2F,

Mount your lenses just short of touching the felt on the shutter. For instant you would insert a pin thru the front of the shutter, some one may have install a pin that needs to be removed to work at bulb setting.

[jimgalli]

I have a page at my site about Packards. May answer some but not all of your questions.

Instant and bulb are controlled by a pin that is inserted in a hole above and left of the piston assy. Sometimes people put a pin like object in and tape over the hole so it's instant forever.

If it has 2 pistons, it's a #8 and one is instantaneous, and the other is bulb.

You can buy new 'bulbs' at Harbor Freight tool stores in the section where the air compressor accessories are hanging. The call them a air jet blaster or some such. Pretty orange ones, made in India for about a buck 89.