Another newbie question - re: stuck f-stop

Hi all,

I just acquired an old calumet 4x5 monorail and i believe there may be a problem with one of the lenses. The lens is a Schneider Kreuznach 210mm Symmar-S mounted in a Compur 1 shutter. The shutter seems to work fine as far as speed but I'm not sure how to change the f-stop. I'm assuming I should just be able to move the setting but there is resistance and I don't want to force it for fear of really making things worse. Any thoughts or pearls of wisdom that someone can share?

One other thing - can someome tell me what the 'T' setting is for? It's just after the 'B' setting - I'm assuming timer but not sure.

Thanks!

Delano

Correction - - It's actually a Copal no.1 shutter.

thanks,

Delano

I think the Tsetting stands for time i.e. long exposures. B is for bulb (flashgun). Sorrey but I can't give you any advice on setting the F-stops.
Hans

delano said:

Hi all,

I just acquired an old calumet 4x5 monorail and i believe there may be a problem with one of the lenses. The lens is a Schneider Kreuznach 210mm Symmar-S mounted in a Compur 1 shutter. The shutter seems to work fine as far as speed but I'm not sure how to change the f-stop. I'm assuming I should just be able to move the setting but there is resistance and I don't want to force it for fear of really making things worse. Any thoughts or pearls of wisdom that someone can share?

One other thing - can someome tell me what the 'T' setting is for? It's just after the 'B' setting - I'm assuming timer but not sure.

Thanks!

Delano

Click to expand...

It should just move. Try taking the lens off of the board and see if the lensboard is binding in the aperture ring. If it is not, I would send it off to SK grimes to get a CLA (clean, lube, adjust). Even if you get it to move, a CLA would still be a good idea for a used lens.

The B (bulb) setting keeps the shutter open as long as you hold the shutter release. The T (time) setting will open the shutter on the first press and close it on the second press.

Please do not force the dial. Shutters are precision mechanisms with fragile components and require care in handling.

Thank you all for your replies. Do I need any special tool to take the lens off and do I need to be mindful of anything special when removing the lens?

thanks again!

Delano

delano said:

Thank you all for your replies. Do I need any special tool to take the lens off and do I need to be mindful of anything special when removing the lens?

thanks again!

Delano

Click to expand...

You use a lens wrench. First unscrew the lens elements and then you can see the retaining ring. I have used a flat scew driver, but I would not recomend this.

Do not unscrew the lens elements!!!

Hello Delano, I live down in Wimberley and may be able to help you out with this lens if you want. But first, I hope that you have not taken apart the elements of the lens. I doubt that L Gebhardt actually meant that you should take them apart, but that is what his posting sounds like. What you do is unscrew the entire rear group or "cell", usually by just grabbing it with your hand and holding the shutter with your other hand, making sure not to grab something delicate on the shutter. Then you can see the retaining ring that holds the lens to the lens board, and you probably will need a "lens wrench" to get that off, but sometimes you can lossen it by turning the shutter--that is, if the shutter does not have the little screw in its back that prevents it from turning on the board. Don't force anything too hard. If the shutter is in good condition, then the aperture control ring is probably just binding on the lens board do to faulty mounting, as L Gebhardt suggested. If you can get to the point were you have the shutter off of the board and the aperture works fine, then you know that it was not mounted properly. Either the hole in the board is too large for the shutter, or there may be no recess in the board for the little screw on the back of the shutter, or the board may not be flat, or ??. The part of the shutter that rests against the lens board provides only a small amount of space for the aperture control ring, so it must be properly mounted to the board. If you want some hands on help with this, let me know and we may be able to meet somewhere between Austin and Wimberley.

David,

thanks so much for the response. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you. With the latest addition of our fourth child my time just seems to slip by each day! I did simply remove the entire rear group. This allowed me to loosen the retaining ring on the shutter and remove it off the lensboard. I was able to move the aperature ring but it still is a bit stiff so I imagine I need to have it CLA'd. Do you know of any place locally that can do it?

Thanks again for your time, David.

Delano

Ask Precision Camera & Video at 38th and Lamar. I think they can repair almost anything.

Thanks, gma.

I'll take a trip down there this weekend.

Delano

scootermm is in Austin also. You might ask him too.