I get this question a lot so I decided to make a quick instructional on how to reset the tension on a Graflex SLR. Visit GraflexParts.com for more information about us!
Great video. Did you ever get around to creating an instructional video for tweaking the focal plane shutter tension on Speed Graphic cameras of all suzes (4x5, 3x4, etc.)? I know there are many various videos on Speed Graphic cameras, but nothing I’ve found that specifically addresses the tension adjustments for those shutters. Thanks!
Hey great video. When adjusting a super d is the concept the same? Asking because it’s either L or H not the numbers of the older models. Would L be comparable to 1 and H be comparable to 2?
Concept is the same, treat the dead space above L as tension number 2. You can choose whatever point you like for a location to set the selector at before removing it, you just need to make sure to release the tension back down to the lowest stop (1 or L) before assessing how the shutter is behaving.
The mirror release on the left side of the camera or the shutter release lever that the mirror reset lever pushes against? And not working or not moving/stuck?
Just so happens that I just got an RB Series B 2x3 that has a slow weak shutter and I will buy the Tri-flow and Green Lithium grease tomorrow and give it a try. It also needs a new mirror as this one is almost completely desilvered. Can one be bought ? I also told you about a Series B 3x4 that I bought and the shutter doesn't move past 0. I wonder if the tensioning method on this video will make it work or does the upper mechanical apparatus need to be adjusted as well. If I can get my 2x3 to work correctly, I'll probably give it a try. This was a very helpful video that makes me feel like I can do it. You explained it well and showed that it would be easy to screw it up too ! I think I've got it though. Thanks, and with any luck I'll be shooting it soon ! Regards, LarryMac
I bought a 1909 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Model B from a local St. Vincent De Paul for $100. I would love to get the shutter fixed. It won't wind , it's wide open and hits something and won't even go to the first number which I think is 1/8th. The tensioner goes through all the numbers 1-6 though. Any ideas. It also needs a new hood, this one's in bad shape. Do you do repairs or know of anybody that does because I'd really like to shoot it as a wet plate camera or have a Polaroid back made for it ? I haven't been able to find much helpful information yet. Thanks for any help you may provide. LarryMac
I can do anything up to/beyond entire an overhaul. Unfortunately just a new shutter curtain is about 7-8x what you paid for the camera already. I recommend checking out my Instagram (under the same name)
The procedure demonstrated in the video is reinstalling and re-setting the base tension for an SLR. Although I briefly touch on it, the work in the video is not a substitute for lubricating the camera or for a full shutter CLA. The mechanical contact surface of any metal parts that move should be lubricated with a light machine oil. (Like sewing machine oil) There are also two small caps with holes in the center on the left side of the camera corresponding with the shutter curtain rollers; these are additional oiling points.
Screw management tip I've done when tinkering with my Speed Graphics. Take a length of duct tape and set it on the bench sticky side up. Tape it down with two more pieces of duct tape on the ends. Sticks screws and other small stuff to the sticky surface of the duct tape in logical groupings or order of removal. Then they don't go anywhere if I fumble a tool and send stuff flying. Loose screws in the work area give me anxiety. :D
I just bought a speed graphic camera. How can I find out which model I have? There is no model name or number and based in the size it is either a 3x4 or 2x3 but this is the only graflex I’ve seen in person. Also great video!
Hey!! Thank you!! I'm glad you found this tutorial, I'll be releasing an updated one specifically for Speed Graphics in the near future. :) There's definitely some resources I can steer you towards when it comes to identification, but I also certainly wouldn't mind helping identify it if you just forwarded a photo or two to my email at: graflexparts@gmail.com There also may be a helpful serial number stamped underneath the top panel of the camera. You would be able to see it with the door open, bellows fully retracted, and the camera held upside down.
Mine is the first version of the Graflex, a 1906 RB auto Graflex 4x5. its different than this though and i cant take it apart. I need to increase tension and reset the crank for the curtain because its not aligned properly.
Ahh yes the locking nut style of tensioner. I would love to help and can even send you some photos of a similar mechanism disassembled. It's a little much to clarify through a TH-cam comment, but if you send me an email to graflexparts@gmail.com or contact me through the form at www.graflexparts.com/service-department I can definitely walk you through some of the easier steps of correcting issues on your camera.
Hi, I wonder if you can give me a piece of advice: my R: Series B SLR Graflex seems to have a proper tension for apertures D and C, but it gets stuck in the middle of the movement for apertures A and B. Any advice? I was thinking about opening and cleaning the curtain aperture selection mechanism following this: th-cam.com/video/D9iSt0YJFBo/w-d-xo.html . Or would you advise me to follow your video here and try to adjust the tension first?
That repair tutorial you linked suggests some really risky and generally /bad/ ideas. I would not follow it. Make sure you oil things before adding any tension to the camera. Also make sure your curtain is actually soft, very often 'slow' curtains are just too dry to actually function.
@@GraflexParts Excellent! Thank you for your fast reply! I'm a fan of Graflex cameras -- and this is a rather new purchase for me. I've got an Anniversary Speed and a Crown. These are simply fascinating: th-cam.com/video/lBB9TQQz6ok/w-d-xo.html
@@ShootOnFilm ahhh that is so awesome! They are follow the same mechanical principal as the Speeds. But like a h CLA, you can restore about 80% of the function just from applying oil to the right spots. The other 20% gets tricky. If a camera isn't running after just an outside lube job along with adding tension, there's likely other things going wrong. (Like factory errors which are actually quite rampant)
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Great video. Did you ever get around to creating an instructional video for tweaking the focal plane shutter tension on Speed Graphic cameras of all suzes (4x5, 3x4, etc.)?
I know there are many various videos on Speed Graphic cameras, but nothing I’ve found that specifically addresses the tension adjustments for those shutters. Thanks!
Hey great video. When adjusting a super d is the concept the same? Asking because it’s either L or H not the numbers of the older models. Would L be comparable to 1 and H be comparable to 2?
Concept is the same, treat the dead space above L as tension number 2. You can choose whatever point you like for a location to set the selector at before removing it, you just need to make sure to release the tension back down to the lowest stop (1 or L) before assessing how the shutter is behaving.
L is 1, H is 6.
Thank you for this! Do you know what I should do if my release lever isn't working? I'm having the worst luck figuring the issue out with my camera
The mirror release on the left side of the camera or the shutter release lever that the mirror reset lever pushes against? And not working or not moving/stuck?
Just purchased an RB D. Thank you for the fix!
Just so happens that I just got an RB Series B 2x3 that has a slow weak shutter and I will buy the Tri-flow and Green Lithium grease tomorrow and give it a try. It also needs a new mirror as this one is almost completely desilvered. Can one be bought ? I also told you about a Series B 3x4 that I bought and the shutter doesn't move past 0. I wonder if the tensioning method on this video will make it work or does the upper mechanical apparatus need to be adjusted as well. If I can get my 2x3 to work correctly, I'll probably give it a try. This was a very helpful video that makes me feel like I can do it. You explained it well and showed that it would be easy to screw it up too ! I think I've got it though. Thanks, and with any luck I'll be shooting it soon !
Regards, LarryMac
I bought a 1909 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Model B from a local St. Vincent De Paul for $100. I would love to get the shutter fixed. It won't wind , it's wide open and hits something and won't even go to the first number which I think is 1/8th. The tensioner goes through all the numbers 1-6 though. Any ideas. It also needs a new hood, this one's in bad shape. Do you do repairs or know of anybody that does because I'd really like to shoot it as a wet plate camera or have a Polaroid back made for it ? I haven't been able to find much helpful information yet. Thanks for any help you may provide.
LarryMac
I can do anything up to/beyond entire an overhaul. Unfortunately just a new shutter curtain is about 7-8x what you paid for the camera already. I recommend checking out my Instagram (under the same name)
My RB Auto tension knob is difficult to rotate CCW from 2+. Is this adjustment described here required or something else? Thanks
Have you lubricated anything on the camera?
The procedure demonstrated in the video is reinstalling and re-setting the base tension for an SLR. Although I briefly touch on it, the work in the video is not a substitute for lubricating the camera or for a full shutter CLA. The mechanical contact surface of any metal parts that move should be lubricated with a light machine oil. (Like sewing machine oil) There are also two small caps with holes in the center on the left side of the camera corresponding with the shutter curtain rollers; these are additional oiling points.
Screw management tip I've done when tinkering with my Speed Graphics. Take a length of duct tape and set it on the bench sticky side up. Tape it down with two more pieces of duct tape on the ends. Sticks screws and other small stuff to the sticky surface of the duct tape in logical groupings or order of removal. Then they don't go anywhere if I fumble a tool and send stuff flying. Loose screws in the work area give me anxiety. :D
Thanks. I've got 2 that need adjusting.
Hello, very interesting tutorial, is it the same procedure for a Graflex 3A camera ?
I just bought a speed graphic camera. How can I find out which model I have? There is no model name or number and based in the size it is either a 3x4 or 2x3 but this is the only graflex I’ve seen in person. Also great video!
Hey!! Thank you!! I'm glad you found this tutorial, I'll be releasing an updated one specifically for Speed Graphics in the near future. :) There's definitely some resources I can steer you towards when it comes to identification, but I also certainly wouldn't mind helping identify it if you just forwarded a photo or two to my email at: graflexparts@gmail.com
There also may be a helpful serial number stamped underneath the top panel of the camera. You would be able to see it with the door open, bellows fully retracted, and the camera held upside down.
Graflex Parts thank you I just sent some pictures to you. Thank you Marco
I found the 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 markings on mine on the Kodak lens.
Mine is the first version of the Graflex, a 1906 RB auto Graflex 4x5. its different than this though and i cant take it apart. I need to increase tension and reset the crank for the curtain because its not aligned properly.
Ahh yes the locking nut style of tensioner. I would love to help and can even send you some photos of a similar mechanism disassembled. It's a little much to clarify through a TH-cam comment, but if you send me an email to graflexparts@gmail.com or contact me through the form at www.graflexparts.com/service-department I can definitely walk you through some of the easier steps of correcting issues on your camera.
Timed to get my Series D out to see if the curtain can be saved. It was very hard to chock. I would love to shoot with it again.
Hi, I wonder if you can give me a piece of advice: my R: Series B SLR Graflex seems to have a proper tension for apertures D and C, but it gets stuck in the middle of the movement for apertures A and B. Any advice? I was thinking about opening and cleaning the curtain aperture selection mechanism following this: th-cam.com/video/D9iSt0YJFBo/w-d-xo.html . Or would you advise me to follow your video here and try to adjust the tension first?
That repair tutorial you linked suggests some really risky and generally /bad/ ideas. I would not follow it. Make sure you oil things before adding any tension to the camera. Also make sure your curtain is actually soft, very often 'slow' curtains are just too dry to actually function.
@@GraflexParts Excellent! Thank you for your fast reply! I'm a fan of Graflex cameras -- and this is a rather new purchase for me. I've got an Anniversary Speed and a Crown. These are simply fascinating: th-cam.com/video/lBB9TQQz6ok/w-d-xo.html
@@ShootOnFilm ahhh that is so awesome! They are follow the same mechanical principal as the Speeds. But like a h CLA, you can restore about 80% of the function just from applying oil to the right spots. The other 20% gets tricky. If a camera isn't running after just an outside lube job along with adding tension, there's likely other things going wrong. (Like factory errors which are actually quite rampant)
@@GraflexParts Thanks thanks. Let me try a careful lube from outside and then adjusting the tension if lube won't help.