Sources for servicing Ektar lenses on Ilex

[Shinnya]

Hi:

I have a couple of Ektar lenses on Ilex (#4 and #5) that I need to have serviced both mechanically and optically. I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion about where the good places are.

Thank you for your input in advance.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Frank Marshman, CameraWiz in Harrisonburg, VA does excellent work on Ilex shutters.

Also S.K. Grimes, www.skgrimes.com. Steve Grimes passed away some months ago now, but I just sent them a 360/5.5 Tele-Xenar in an airbraked Compound shutter, and they did a fine job with it.

 

[Deckled Edge]

Frank Marshman, CameraWiz in Harrisonburg, VA does excellent work on Ilex shutters.

I own a #5 Ilex that is a CameraWiz graduate. It works well after 8 years of cradling my Wide Field Ektar. Frank was very easy to deal with and is highly recommended.

 

[Steve Hamley]

My local shop used to send stuff to camera wiz and stopped because of lengthy service times - many months. I haven't heard anything else negative, but you might want to call first and get a turn-around time. I usually do regardless of who I send it to.

Steve

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

That's true. There are certain times of year when Frank seems more backed up than other times. I usually avoid sending him anything from from November to mid-January, as there seems to be a Christmas-season rush. On the other hand, the work is always high quality and reasonably priced, and I usually have backup equipment.

S.K. Grimes does seem to offer more consistent turnaround times, but prices have gone up since the shop was re-organized by his assistants who took over the business.

 

[Shinnya]

Thanks for your information. I will call them to find out about the turn around time.

I have another question about these lenses. I thought you may have a better idea since you seem to use them.

I have two different versions of #5 Ilex. 14" Ektar is on later version of it whereas 10" WF Ektar is on older version (I assume there are more than two versions of it. I can show pictures of them if it would help). I am simply trying to figure out how to use cable release with these lenses.

1) Older one does not seem to respond to my modern cable release at all.

2) As for newer one, I figure out that as I release the cable release, the shutter fires. But I cannot get T or B work with cable release at all.

Is this a mechanical problem? Is there a cable release that would work well with these lenses? Is there alternative ways to get around it? (I guess I could use a lens cap, but I rather not touch the camera at all during the exposure...)

If you can give me some ideas about this issue, that would be great. Thank you for your information and attention.

Warmly,
tsuyoshi

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

An Ilex #5 works best with a long-throw cable release, but there is also a tendency with these old Ilex shutters for the throw required to get longer and longer with use. It is also quite easy for the T and B settings to get out of adjustment. I believe these don't require complex repairs, but have the shutters serviced and you should be able to use a conventional cable release and T and B should work. I've had both of the problems you describe, and both were repaired with a normal CLA.