Realist Top Speed

[P3D Harry Poster <hposter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>Have never seen 1/200 in a 3.5.  You need to enlighten us... 
What is the serial number?  Where did you get it?  Has it been
reworked by Zak?

George asks about "converting" F3.5's to the 1/200 top speed of
F2.8's...I've taken hundreds of Realists apart since 1978, and it has always
been my belief that the Realist 3.5's and 2.8's used the same shutter
mechanism, but advertised them differently to get different prices!

   Maybe only Zak knows for sure, but the insides are completely
interchangeable, and they look identical to me! There is a bit of adjustment
available by "smashing" the grey collar around the shutter mechanism, and
this might speed the shutter up some minor percentage. 

                          Harry

PS...I remember reading that most 1950s cameras were allowed to state a
shutter speed, and then maintain that speed, + or - 50%. Only Wollensak held
a tolerence to + or - 10%, or some numbers along this line. So, you could
see how 1/150 and 1/200 could be the same speed, in reality. This is not to
imply that any advertiser would ever deliberately lie about their
product....then or now....  

PPS...that 1/200 chrome dial is actually attached to the black bakelite
plate on the Realist, and ANY ONE can just remove this part, and convert any
F3.5 to the 1/200 designation (or convert any F2.8 to 1/150)!
 I have the bakelite--1/200 assembly, New Old Stock from Realist, available
for $45 plus post, just in case!


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