Where can I find parts & film cheap for a old 2 1/4* 3 1/4 Busch Pressman camera? Mine is missing the chromed piece that goes around the lens plate. I would like to find an adapter for it for 120 film as well. This may be a dumb question but will any shutter release cable fit on any camera?

-- Barbara Javener (littlebit152@hotmail.com), July 26, 1999

Answers

There is very little available regarding Busch cameras (I know because I have one). You may find some resources or connections by visiting http://www.graflex.org, the premier site for Graflex cameras. I rather doubt you will find a 120 film holder to fit your camera, but I would love to be proven wrong. And, yes, any standard shutter release should work with your camera. There have been some oddball shutter releases in the past, but few of those cameras remain in use.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com), July 27, 1999.

I owned a 2x3 Bush Pressman many years ago.

I've considered getting another 2x3 press camera (century or crown graphic) to shoot Kodak HIE film. There are a couple of films still available in 2x3 sheets, Ilford FP-4 is one of them. You might also consider cutting down 4x5 film to produce 2 sheets of 2x3, which is what I've been considering for Infared Film.

The 2x3 bush has a standard spring back(old graphic style) that is not easily adapted to a 120 back. There have been 120 roll holders that slip into the back, but they have a long film path with flatness problems and I understand are(were) not very reliable.

Unless you have an unusual shutter, the standard tapered cable release should fit.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@worldnet.att.net), July 28, 1999.