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[djon43]

I've got a 250mm Tele Optar in Graphex without flash synch. I'd like flash synch.

I'm sure there's an external device that'd do the job, attaching like a cable release...what's it called, does it work, and would you sell me one?

I intend this as an environmental portrait lens on my Century.. used in significant ambient light, therefore I can't get away with opening the shutter and manually flashing like I could in studio...

[Les]

the only thing I can think of is a solenoid, Heiland made them that screwed into the cable release, So did Kalart and King Sol. But they were designed for flash bulbs that needed a certain amount of delay before the lens opened, and I strongly suspect you aren't using bulbs.

About the best that I can offer is to find a Kalart Universal Flash Unit there is a cable release in there with an electric switch designed for flash bulbs (it fit right into the Kalart flash) I think this cable can be adjust for the fast delay bulb (5ms) which might work. You'd have to rig something up between the contacts of the cable and your strobe and fiddle with it a bit. There's one on ebay right now (search Kalart flash).

We kinda frown on *******s and for wants around here and it looks like it'll be cheaper than what I would sell you one for off list anyway.

[t.r.sanford]

For many, many years, a German company (Rowi or somebody) manufactured an inexpensive external synchronizer that screws into the cable release socket of the shutter. These things were all over the place, starting about 1955, and I last saw one, new in a store, around 1990. I've owned a couple, and they work well for slow speeds, say 1/25 sec.

The deficiency to this particular design is that you can't use it and a cable release at the same time. I have a feeling that a rather more sophisticated version once existed -- itself a cable release, with the synchronizer switch built in.

There also have been external appliances designed to fire a flash when struck by the arming-lever of a suitable shutter (Compurs would work, because the lever latches in the armed position and moves when the shutter is tripped. Rapaxes would not, because the lever returns to a rest position after the shutter has been tensioned). You screwed the widget to the lensboard at the appropriate place, and adjusted it by moving the body along a short semicircular track.

Searching eBay for "mechanical synchronizer" might turn up some thought-provoking stuff.

[djon43]

Thanks, I'm to have a Kalart shortly...the seller (contacted me through photo.net/Large Format)says he's successfully adjusted them to work with strobe by peering at the ground glass patiently (then going blind), and that 1/50 seems good.

I hope to use it with a Metz thyrister potato masher, but it may be easier to adjust the
Kalart to the much slower flash duration of 800WS Norman (1/400th at full power). Problem with that, I want to use the battery strobe.

[glennfromwy]

I have several of the Kalart cable release synchronizers. They can be adjusted to work with just about anything. Problem is, the release cable on these tends to be pretty flimsy and will not trip all shutters. Something to check before getting a nasty surprise.

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[JBish130]

I had a Kalart. Worked great. Screws into the cable release socket. Tricky to time, but once it's timed they work perfect. Shutter should be set at 1/50th second. That's what the paperwork that comes with them says.

They are available if you look for them. Mine sold about a week ago.

Good luck!

_________________
Jeff Bishop

"It's light and nothing more."