Busch Pressman D

Hello,

My first "take an old camera sitting on the shelf for years and fixing it up

and use it project". I am presently cleaning, adjusting, and refurbishing two

Busch Pressman D's.

(My winter project for my spring photography shooting.) One Pressman has a

Wollensak Raptar/Rapax lens shutter combination, while the other Pressman has a

Compur shutter/lens manufacturer unknown, probably European. Just out of

curiosity and because they are on the cameras I will do a CLA on both lens, if

they can be rehabilitated, and try them out.

I also have a Schneider APO-Symmar 150mm, f/5.6 lens I would like to mount on

one of my Pressmans. I have the resources to fabricate a Busch lensboard.

Would very much appreciate any and all suggestions, advice, warnings on what I

should do to successfully mount the Schneider 150mm lens on one of my Pressmans.

 

Really appreciate your website/community. Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

regards,

William

Those are great cameras within their limitations of course (no graflok back, limited movements). The lensboards can be a problem but not if you can make your own. Make sure you have enough bellows extension to use the lens. Stick it in a piece of stiff cardboard to check.

Your APO-Symmar will work fine on the Pressman. The lensboard hole will likely have to be enlarged slightly for the Copal 0 shutter.

 

If I were you I would adjust the Kalart rangefinder on one of the cameras to be able to use the lens handheld. (This will also require moving the infinity stops and changing the distance scale on the bed in some manner to reflect the longer focal length of the lens.)

 

I believe www.graflex.org has the instructions for adjusting the rangefinder.

 

You can also purchase a brighter groundglass also. I recommend Satin Snow. I have a Maxwell on mine which is superior but it is expensive and is too thick to use a glass cover plate over it - instead I use a sheet of Mylar.

Thank you both for your words and advice. Good information to take to heart.

 

regards,

William

William, I owned a Busch a number of years ago. In hindsight, I should have kept it. It is a very compact and durable camera.

The revolving back makes it more flexible than the graphics in vertical mode.I cleaned and lubed the ring mechanism on my back, which made a noticable improvement. (Old grease, not a design problem.)

 

The twelve inch bellows will allow 1:1 with your 150 mm lens. Yes, the movements are somewhat limited. However, with thought, I found them very adequate for field use.

 

The constraint is the small opening behind the lensboard. I used a Nikon 135mm lens. I did not have it at the time, however, my 200 Nikon M lens would work very well, as would my (older) Fujinon W 105 mm. The 105 mm barely covers a 4x5, so I use it as the occasional "wider than 135mm" lens. I use the 200 about two thirds of the time and the 135 for almost the other third.

 

I recall the tripod thread plate being very small. I made a wooden donut block to beef it up a bit. One of the RRS (Really Right Stuff) mounting plates would be worth a look.

 

I first encountered the Busch at a seminar where Jay Dusard was one of the teachers. Jay has adapted a Busch and has done some very fine work with it. If you can locate a copy of his North American Cowboy book (try your local library with inter library loan) it's a treat and has a good section on Jay's Busch thoughts.

 

Enjoy your two Busch cameras. Incidentally, if the geared focusing rails should happen to be worn, they may be easily replacable at reasonable cost. I think Reid Tool in Michigan carrys rack and pinion tracks.

 

Ken