Kodak Tourist Synchro Rapid reliability?

[athanasius80]

I have heard that the Kodak Synchro Rapid shutter (top speed 1/800) used on the Kodak Tourist camera tends not to age well and can be unreliable. Does anyone have experience one way or the other?

 

[bart Nadeau]

They certainly have that reputation. Fortunately, I've had good luck with mine and also with its big brother, the Graflex 1000. At this stage I think they are pretty well unrepairable if anything goes wrong. Also, at least in the case of the Graflex the later ones have many of the bugs worked out.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The biggest things to keep in mind with the Synchro Rapid 800 shutter are, first, don't expect the 800 speed to be accurate -- it's probably more like 1/500, with the 400 around 1/250 and 200 between 1/125 and 1/150, if it's like others of that breed I've read about. Second, never, EVER set the shutter into highest speed while cocked. The force required to compress the booster spring can be enough to break something -- and as suggested above, if you break something, it can't be repaired.