Shutter Timers

Polybun

Does anyone have plans for one to construct their own shutter speed timer?
 

Greg_E

Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
948
Format
Medium Format
There is some good information on the F295 site. there are several electronics kits that have timers that will operate a relay, so you would just need some form of electromechanical shutter, the solenoid is the hard/expensive part to buy.

I started to design a really nice all brass shutter that I was going to use with a timer and solenoid, but never went very far past paper and pencil.
 

B&Jdude

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Messages
584
Location
Clinton, AR
Format
4x5 Format
Ben:

You can check with Ed Romney's widow at www.edromney.com She sells his camera repair books at that site, one of which is a manual for building your own electronic shutter tester. Just go to that website, do about 3 page-downs to a paragraph "Need more information, more help?", and click the link to go to the book list.

EuGene Smith
KA5NLY (QRP)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Poohblah

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
436
Format
Multi Format
You can also test your shutter by photographing a CRT monitor of known refresh rate and doing a small amount of math, but I believe this will only work for a small range of shutter speeds.
 
OP
OP

Polybun

Poohblah said:
You can also test your shutter by photographing a CRT monitor of known refresh rate and doing a small amount of math, but I believe this will only work for a small range of shutter speeds.
Click to expand...

Well since you are measuring the width of the slit, It should work at just about any shutter speed. I guess actually measuring percentage of screen lighted. I've used this method to simply tell if a shutter is working properly.
 

Greg_E

Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
948
Format
Medium Format
Check out the Camera-fix group on Yahoo, there is information that coupled with an oscilliscope will let you time a shutter.
 

craigclu

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 8, 2002
Messages
1,303
Location
Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Format
Multi Format
Poohblah said:
You can also test your shutter by photographing a CRT monitor of known refresh rate and doing a small amount of math, but I believe this will only work for a small range of shutter speeds.
Click to expand...

Here's an old document that I have that discusses this.... I don't recall any sources, etc.
 

Attachments

  • shutterTV.doc
    23.5 KB · Views: 133
OP
OP

Polybun

I just purchased "Electronic Projects for Photographers" from Hollywood Camera here in Portland for $2. I should have my tester built by the end of day friday
 

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,816
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm
The oscilloscope works very well even with old analog units. If you have good sensor, an old analog scope can measure the time with 1/10 stop accuracy. What you need when using this approach is to find a sensor that has a smalle enough detection surface and has fast enough response.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…