Universal self timer-anybody used one?

wildbill · Oct 19, 2005

adjustable up to 18 seconds and it says it works on any camera w/ mechanical cable release. How about large format lenses? Would i need a flexible extension?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/91940.jpg

Mongo · Oct 19, 2005

wildbill said:
adjustable up to 18 seconds and it says it works on any camera w/ mechanical cable release. How about large format lenses? Would i need a flexible extension?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/91940.jpg

Depending on how the shutter's configured, I don't know that I'd want a hunk of plastic and metal hanging off of the cable release socket of some LF shutters. With some shutters, though, it should work fine. (I have an old dial-set shutter that has the beefiest cable release socket I've ever seen...it'd probably be fine on that.)

I did use a device similar to this a few times in my college days. Mechanical self-timers have been around for a very long time. But during the golden days of 35mm, when almost every camera came with a self-timer, they became a bit less common. The one I used worked just fine (basically it's a spring affair that times winds down and then sticks the release pin out...not much to it).

I find it fascinating that all three that are for sale on the B&H site look like exactly the same device. I have a wonderful mental image of a small factory somewhere in eastern Europe where they make a run of these things once a year and then sell them off as the market requires them. I'm probably all wrong, but it's a nice mental image nonetheless.

(By the way, one of these timers got left on the moon. I can't remember which mission it was, but the astronauts had planned to take a picture of themselves together with their Hasselblad...given the "It was all faked" movement that's grown up I guess it's a good thing that they didn't find it in time to use it. Goodness knows where I read the story, but I'm sure a web search would find the relevant details.)

Phillip P. Dimor · Oct 19, 2005

I've used those, some are made better than others. Mine had trouble tripping the body shutter of a Speed Graphic. Best thing to do is get a cable release extension and screw it into that, otherwise it places a lot of stress on the threaded socket.

Also, that adjustable time length is dangerous. If you misadjust it, you'll send about 3/4" of cable release rod into your shutter (looks painful when it happens)...

What I use now is a Kodak Self Timer (the wind-up one). It's strong enough to trip a Speed Graphic focal plane shutter. It doesn't thread into a socket, the tip of the cable release clips onto it and presses it down. They pop up on ebay pretty regularly.
Also it's _really_ well made. I paid about $8 for mine..

PhotoPete · Oct 19, 2005

The one I have does not trigger my Prontor shutters, but it works OK on my Canon F1N

Ole · Oct 20, 2005

I use only old AutoKnips'es. Much cheaper and lighter, come in lots of different "flavours".

apasz · Nov 3, 2014

Phillip P. Dimor said:
(...) What I use now is a Kodak Self Timer (the wind-up one). It's strong enough to trip a Speed Graphic focal plane shutter. It doesn't thread into a socket, the tip of the cable release clips onto it and presses it down. They pop up on ebay pretty regularly.
Also it's _really_ well made. I paid about $8 for mine..

Phillip, I'm looking for a self timer for my Speed Graphic. Would you please advise? Is it this one (nr 1) or that one (nr 2)? I tried various Auto Knips'es models but they're too weak for a SG. Thanks!

Ian Grant · Nov 3, 2014

apasz said:
Phillip, I'm looking for a self timer for my Speed Graphic. Would you please advise? Is it this one (nr 1) or that one (nr 2)? I tried various Auto Knips'es models but they're too weak for a SG. Thanks!

I think you'll struggle getting one powerful enough, it;s also about the throw - depth of the release, some cable releases don;t have enough and these self timers are similar.

It's an old thread but I noticed comments about Prontors, the self cocking type need a lot of pressure to first cock then trip the shutter, the SV andSVS don't.

Ian

Phillip P. Dimor · Nov 3, 2014

The first one (NR 1) is the one that I own. It is true about the cables throw, just find a cable release that has a longish pin.

Phillip P. Dimor · Nov 3, 2014

I have a vinyl release about one foot long, i've had ones that were maybe two feet long. They all had a sort of T-grip made out of plastic with a wheel that locks and releases the trigger. Those seemed to work the best however there were metal cable releases with a sort of braided mesh and small metal trigger head that fit in to the kodak release much better. The large plastic ones fit as best as I can remember but I always just went with as short of a cable release as possible when it came to the Speed Graphic an it's focal plane body shutter. I can say this about the kodak self timer (apparently the later vintage one).. it's strong enough to pinch and compress your finger uncomfortably.

Phillip P. Dimor · Nov 3, 2014

Kodak Vintage Self Timer Auto Release Lever With Original Tag! was the one I own, fwiw. The autoknips just don't have enough pressure. That kodak was the last one I needed, has two speeds. Starts off slow, makes a slow whirring noise and then speeds up with a higher-pitched noise. That was always the signal that it's about to trigger. Very, very handy and admittedly better to use than an autoknips or similar. I've opened mine up and lubricated it, not so much that it needed it but it's a good self-timer, the best mechanical one that i've used. So much so that I don't bother looking for another one. Just my thoughts..

rjbuzzclick · Nov 3, 2014

Phillip P. Dimor said:
The first one (NR 1) is the one that I own. It is true about the cables throw, just find a cable release that has a longish pin.

I have one of these, but I've never used it as it is quite powerful and I'm concerned about it putting too much pressure on the inside of the shutter mechanism. Usually, my shutters trip before the cable release plunger gets all the way pushed in so there's a fair amount of travel left for this self timer to try and force further into the shutter. Has this not been an issue for anyone? Thanks for any input.

apasz · Nov 3, 2014

Thanks all for your help! "Too much pressure" doesn't come with a Speed Graphic

John Koehrer · Nov 3, 2014

The depth is controlled by adjusting the knurled nut above the attachment thread.

railwayman3 · Nov 4, 2014

rjbuzzclick said:
I have one of these, but I've never used it as it is quite powerful and I'm concerned about it putting too much pressure on the inside of the shutter mechanism. Usually, my shutters trip before the cable release plunger gets all the way pushed in so there's a fair amount of travel left for this self timer to try and force further into the shutter. Has this not been an issue for anyone? Thanks for any input.

Yes, I had one of these, years ago, and likewise only used it once. The spring was amazingly powerful and hit the shutter mechanism so hard that I feared damage !

Can't remember the exact make, but I'm sure it was German.

rjbuzzclick · Nov 5, 2014

Yes, they are quite strong!

For clarification, the one I'm talking about is the NR1 timer pictured above, made by Kodak, that goes on the plunger end of the cable release. I don't believe that the depth is adjustable like the one the OP posted. I have a few of those too and you can adjust those.

Huub · Nov 7, 2014

To answer the OP's question: I have one and use it pretty often on my copal 0 and copal 1 shutters. Works like a song and the shutters don't seem to have much problems with the force the timer produces. To attach it to the shutter the timer has to be wound on cokmpletely and it can be a bit fiddly. Also for detaching it, the thing has to be wound on, so the pin is no longer portruding into the shutter.

I also tried it on a synchro compur 3 shutter, but the timer doesn't produce enough throw to trip that one.

Universal self timer-anybody used one?

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