Speed Checker

[ColColt]

Does anyone know of a shutter speed checker that's not going to break the bank for the average guy to use for 35mm cameras?

 

[ColColt]

I'm not into building things, I'd rather buy them.

 

[Bill Burk]

What's funny is that shutter speed testers can't deal with high speeds of leaf shutters or focal plane shutters.

Not sure what they can deal with at that rate.

---

So I use three methods and average the results. Their strengths overlap.

Electronic to measure the slow speeds... a frequency counter with a light sensor trigger.

A record player... yup... to measure the intermediate speeds by showing the arc of travel recorded.

And for the high speeds, I shoot a roll of film including a sensitometrically exposed strip on the roll... then other shots at different shutter speeds of a grayscale which will reveal density deviations on the negative from the density you would expect given the marked speed.

 

[Jim Jones]

An oscilloscope remains the most comprehensive and informative means of testing shutters. A decent used oscilloscope and some means of detecting the light passing through the shutter may be less expensive than some new shutter testers. Viewing an analog TV screen through the shutter required some interpretation of the results, but was moderately accurate and certainly convenient. Basic gas filled lamps in America fire at 60 or 120 times a second. Panning the camera provides an image of each time the lamp fires. Counting these images provides a fairly accurate check of slower shutter speeds. An LED triggered by an audio oscillator could check higher shutter speeds with this technique. With a focal plane shutter, the panning should be at right angles to the shutter travel.

 

[wiltw]

I just checked eBay and the absolute cheapest oscilloscope was >$600, more typically about $1800 or $3600!
OTOH this used shutter speed tester was offered at $80 http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-NATIONA...219858?hash=item43edd8d712:g:M~wAAOSwubRXH9zz
and someone offers hardware to be used on conjunction with a PC and software for only about $25

Unless you are a technician who can ADJUST the shutter speeds of your cameras, I suggest merely verifying consistency of exposure by taking the camera thru a full range of shutter speeds and f/stop combination of 'equivalent exposure' and inspecting negatives for 'same density' results across the range, and if you find inconsistency then sending your camera to a technician.

Having a speed tester of your own is tempting the fate of being anally compulsive about getting the shutters perfectly on rated speed, which might actually be impossible (only achieve within a certain percentage of 'accurate' for each speed), and drive yourself crazy knowing your shutter is off speed (e.g. 6% off at 1/235 rather than 1/250)

 

[benjiboy]

If I suspect my shutter speeds are inaccurate David I have the camera repairer I use check them and adjust them if necessary, because I don't have the test equipment or technical ability to correct them myself.

 

[Born2Late]

There is a guy out of Romania that sells them (shutter speed testers) on a well known auction site. Don't be tempted, run away as fast as you can. I speak from experience.

 

[ColColt]

Unless you are a technician who can ADJUST the shutter speeds of your cameras, I suggest merely verifying consistency of exposure by taking the camera thru a full range of shutter speeds and f/stop combination of 'equivalent exposure' and inspecting negatives for 'same density' results across the range, and if you find inconsistency then sending your camera to a technician.

The basic reason for asking about the tester was I did a test roll on a recent F2 Photomic with known good lens and did a shutter test running from 500@f8, 250@f11, 125@f16 and 60@f22. The frame with 125@f16 was more dense of the same subject/light than the others...nearly a full stop by visual inspection.

 

[removed account4]

i think someone on the LF photo forum wrote some sort of a telephone appp that is a shutter speed tester.
can't vouch for it, never used it, just saw the thread, and it seems people liked it.
not sure how much it is though or if it works off of light or sound.

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

There is a guy out of Romania that sells them (shutter speed testers) on a well known auction site. Don't be tempted, run away as fast as you can. I speak from experience.

I've seen his stuff on Ebay. What was the problem you had?

 

[wiltw]

The basic reason for asking about the tester was I did a test roll on a recent F2 Photomic with known good lens and did a shutter test running from 500@f8, 250@f11, 125@f16 and 60@f22. The frame with 125@f16 was more dense of the same subject/light than the others...nearly a full stop by visual inspection.

It seems you have hard evidence of shutter not being sufficiently accurate thru all speeds. So it seems appropriate that you send the camera in to a technician who can address that issue, and let HIM deal with the shutter speed testing to get it right, unless you somehow have learned how to do the adjustment yourself.

 

[benjiboy]

It seems you have hard evidence of shutter not being sufficiently accurate thru all speeds. So it seems appropriate that you send the camera in to a technician who can address that issue, and let HIM deal with the shutter speed testing to get it right, unless you somehow have learned how to do the adjustment yourself.

I agree, finding your shutter speeds are inaccurate is just a way to make yourself unhappy, unless you are able to adjust them and you know what margin of error from the marked speed is allowable and still within tolerance.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

You can use Audacity and some inexpensive electronic components.

http://www.mraggett.co.uk/shuttertester/shuttertester.htm

 

[DWThomas]

Hehe, a few years back I bought the basic parts to build one of those units that uses the audio card. And I own a dual trace oscilloscope that is quite capable. But here I am years later, having done nothing with either -- mayhaps something in the back of what's left of my mind doesn't really want to know!

 

[paul ron]

look for a calumat shutter speed checker. they are usually sold on fleabay for about $50....

i did a search n found this.....

http://cheap-r.com/shop?q=shutter speed tester&gclid=COzhieShxswCFQ5bhgod3fsFGA

 

[Born2Late]

I've seen his stuff on Ebay. What was the problem you had?

Extremely inconsistent. Gave me readings that sometimes appeared reasonable and other times absolutely impossible. This guy ran me up and down the garden path - try this, try that. This went on for months. It was obvious that either they don't work or I had a bad one. He was incredibly nasty as well. He finally agreed to a return, but I'm sure only because of the PayPal guarantee.

I've tried using photo diode sensors with PC sound cards and Audacity software as well as the smart phone app with an optical sensor that the app developer sells. Both solutions work pretty well for me at lower shutter speeds.

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Extremely inconsistent. Gave me readings that sometimes appeared reasonable and other times absolutely impossible. This guy ran me up and down the garden path - try this, try that. This went on for months. It was obvious that either they don't work or I had a bad one. He was incredibly nasty as well. He finally agreed to a return, but I'm sure only because of the PayPal guarantee.

I've tried using photo diode sensors with PC sound cards and Audacity software as well as the smart phone app with an optical sensor that the app developer sells. Both solutions work pretty well for me at lower shutter speeds.

Thanks for the info. That's disappointing. His testers looked interesting to me.

 

[Jim Jones]

I just checked eBay and the absolute cheapest oscilloscope was >$600, more typically about $1800 or $3600! . . .

I just checked ebay, and new Chinese oscilloscopes were selling for a little over $200, and used quality scopes for much less. Using an oscilloscope as a shutter speed tester does require interpretation of the results, unlike some shutter testers that provide a numerical readout which may not be accurate.

 

[Hatchetman]

I rig something up with my modern DSLR and record light coming through the lens. Histograms tell you how shutters compare.

 

[wiltw]

I just checked ebay, and new Chinese oscilloscopes were selling for a little over $200, and used quality scopes for much less. Using an oscilloscope as a shutter speed tester does require interpretation of the results, unlike some shutter testers that provide a numerical readout which may not be accurate.

Perhaps you could copy a link to one of those $200 Chinese units. I must have typed something wrong when I previously did a search for oscilloscopes, and I found a $100 pocket digital just now http://www.ebay.com/itm/ARM-STM32-D...840376?hash=item28019e40f8:g:qAAAAOSw~OdVfX5x and there are some for as low as $50

 

[Diapositivo]

Extremely inconsistent. Gave me readings that sometimes appeared reasonable and other times absolutely impossible. This guy ran me up and down the garden path - try this, try that. This went on for months. It was obvious that either they don't work or I had a bad one. He was incredibly nasty as well. He finally agreed to a return, but I'm sure only because of the PayPal guarantee.

The guy says that problems normally arised from the kind and alignment of the lamp and so now he sells a lamp bundled with the device.
Was your version the version without lamp or with the bundled lamp?

I am considering his device although I am also tempted by some kind of economical oscilloscope.

 

[Born2Late]

The guy says that problems normally arised from the kind and alignment of the lamp and so now he sells a lamp bundled with the device.
Was your version the version without lamp or with the bundled lamp?

I am considering his device although I am also tempted by some kind of economical oscilloscope.

Mine was with the light source. He had me trying everything imaginable including 1000w lamps.

Go with the oscilloscope.

 

[mmerig]

Go with the oscilloscope.

Keep in mind that the scope has to be a storage scope, so that you can go back and see the recorded wave form. Many scopes, especially the older, classic analog scopes, are not storage scopes so the wave or signal that the shutter generates will zip by the screen and is then gone. Also, you still have to use a detector, like a photo transistor, so there will be some fabrication required. If you don't want to build something, something like the Calumet is probably your best option. I've built two shutter testers: one that depends on a charging capacitor driven by a phototransistor, and another that detects a pulsed light with a photo transistor, with a laptop computer reading the transistor voltage into Audacity via the sound card. The latter works very well, and cost me maybe 5 dollars to make (I already had the laptop computer, and Audacity is free). It takes me about 15 minutes to test a shutter -- firing each speed three times to get an average and some idea of consistency. The bandwidth of the system is 10,000 Hz, (I could make it 20KHz, the soundcard's limit), but at 10K Hz, it's plenty accurate for 1/2000 sec shutter speed and slower.

 

[onre]

At work, we have a Kyoritsu from '70s, I think the model is FL-400. It can detect shutter bounce, and it also measures individual curtain travel times, meaning that it allows you to do basically all service procedures you usually find in camera service manuals. It also has resolution up to 1/100 of milliseconds, so measuring very fast times is no problem.

These are seldom available, but I've seen one go for less than 200 EUR. Not a bad price for such a versatile piece of equipment.

 

[btaylor]

I have the an older Romanian unit. I use it frequently to confirm whether or not my camera's shutters are correct and consistent. It's a great tool for that. It has helped me determine which shutters need to go out for a CLA, as well as create accurate speed charts for some that are consistent but slow. It has been invaluable in determining my timing with Packard shutters. I did find the light source had to be aligned properly with the lens and intensity needs to be right.