Here are two of my Alphax shutters. (I have a third one on my 10" Elgeet.) They're press type shutters. Most large format shutters have seperate cocking and firing levers. Press type shutters combine them. As you move the firing lever it cocks the the shutter and then fires in one motion. The downside is that higher shutter speeds require stiffer springs so they shutter usually have lower high shutter speeds. The little one goes to 1/200 sec. and the larger one to 1/100.

The little one is my "new" 90mm lens. It's a bit of a gamble. It's a Wollensak 90mm f4.5 Raptar. Most large format Wollensak 90mm lenses are f6.8 Raptars. There is a Wollensak 90mm f4.5 but it is an enlarger lens and is usually designated as an El Raptar. This lens doesn't have that designation. There is a C with a w inside it. I couldn't find anything on the internet about this lens. The previous owner couldn't either but we both don't think it's an enlarger lens. It's not too big of a gamble. F6.8 Raptars usually go for around $100. I paid $20 for this one. The previous owner checked the coverage on his Speed Graphic and it barely covered 4x5 which is normal for the f6.8 Raptars, too. It should cover more stopped down. I hope to check it out on Gordy's Image Circle Measuring DeviceŽ this weekend. If the Measuring Device works there will be pictures of it. I can't check it out on the Burke & James because it needs a recessed lensboard. The shutter works well at all speeds and the glass looks great. I have high hopes for this lens. It will also be used on my 3x4 Speed Graphic where it will have the equivalent coverage of a 30mm lens on a 35mm camera. And the press type shutter will make it easier to use. Could be fun. The rangefinder isn't cammed for 90mm but I can scale focus. I might even try to make a cam if it works out. When I get set up for 5x7 I will get a 90mm that covers that format for the Burke & James.

I kept looking at the little Alphax and realized what a nice shutter it would be for my pinhole. I even thought, only briefly, about using it for that but I want a 90mm on the Burke & James pretty bad. (It will be a 25mm equivalent.) Then I rememberd the secong Alphax shutter. It came with a bizarre 5" Elgeet on it (scroll down.) The 5" Elgeet barely covered 120 roll film. The larger Alphax is a larger shutter than I need for the pinhole but I already have it. The 1/5, 1/2, and 1 second settings don't work so well but all the other speeds are fine. It fits into the Mamiya lens mount. I need to attach it to the lens mount, mount a plate on the lip above the shutter leaves, and install the pinhole. Maybe a little black paint here and there. It will be a lot easier to make a pinhole hood if I need to. And the shutter is flash synched! A flash pinhole camera?

Here is the pinhole shutter with the shutter open. It has a T setting. Sweet!