Where to buy empty shutters?

RoBBo · Mar 7, 2008

The synchro compur on my 210 convertable symmar just locked up today.
I may be able to get it fixed but if not...
I love the lens and I think it would be worth it to have it in a modern shutter.
Any ideas on where to buy, I'd prefer used but who knows...
I'm thinking Copal #1 but would settle for one of the more modern Seikos or whatever else is newer than my pre-war compur that I had on that lens.

I know the cells fit directly into a copal #1, I dont know how other sizes compare?

23mjm · Mar 7, 2008

SK Grimes comes to mind. Check their website I think they have a page on which shuttrs work with what lens. They could probably get it goin again for you too.

rmann · Mar 7, 2008

Looking for a new one - check B&H

Dan Fromm · Mar 7, 2008

Tim Sharkey (http://www.lensn2shutter.com/) says he sells many sizes of used shutters. I have no idea what he has in stock at the moment. He also repairs shutters.

For the most part a #1 is a #1, but #1 press shutters (I have Copal and Prontor) have diaphragms set a little farther to the rear than cock-and-shoot #1s (I have Copal and Compur) so some lenses that go into #1 cock-and-shoot won't go into #1 press because their rear cells hit the diaphragm before they're fully seated. Also, don't be tempted by the quite inexpensive ex-Polaroid MP-4 Copal #1 Press shutters. These beauties sell for little because they have no diaphragm, so are useful only for front-mounting.

Skorzen · Mar 7, 2008

sadly it may be cheaper to buy a new lens in a shutter than to buy th shutter alone. I have seen some Symmar-S lenses in #1 shutters go for less than $200 on ebay recently.

BradS · Mar 7, 2008

RoBBo said:
The synchro compur on my 210 convertable symmar just locked up today.
I may be able to get it fixed but if not...
I love the lens and I think it would be worth it to have it in a modern shutter.
Any ideas on where to buy, I'd prefer used but who knows...
I'm thinking Copal #1 but would settle for one of the more modern Seikos or whatever else is newer than my pre-war compur that I had on that lens.

I know the cells fit directly into a copal #1, I dont know how other sizes compare?

Same thing happened to me. I sent the shutter away for repairs and it never came back (I donated it to the cause). I ended up mounting the cells in a copal #1 that had originally come with a 210mm Geronar. Then I found a cheap 127mm Ektar in a Synchro-Compur...had that CLA'd and switched everything back. All is well.

Bottom line, look for a 127mm Ektar in a Synchro Compur and hope that its shutter is in better shape than yours. These can be found really cheap...like less than $80.

Brad.

Dan Fromm · Mar 7, 2008

Um, Brad, 127 Ektars in Compur do exist but are at least as rare as hens' teeth. Maybe rarer. 127 Ektars are usually in Supermatics that nothing else will fit. Although I have one in a Rapax that nothing else will fit.

Dan Fromm · Mar 7, 2008

Skorzen said:
sadly it may be cheaper to buy a new lens in a shutter than to buy th shutter alone. I have seen some Symmar-S lenses in #1 shutters go for less than $200 on ebay recently.

New lenses in #1 going for less than the shutter alone? Are you nuts? You're talking about old lenses in clapped out shutters that need to be CLA'd.

RoBBo · Mar 7, 2008

Well I got the Compur 'near #1' fixed thankfully, took about 5 minutes with a skilled friend and it was snapping like normal again.
I do however have a totally fubar Seiko #0 that I tried to fix myself (Bad idea) that he couldn't help.
Looking at prices I'm trying to stay away from new. Keh has one in EX+ for 160$ with the aperature scale I need already on it.
I feel like I'll be trying to 'take a mile' with that price available to me, but...anywhere I can get a #0 sized shutter cheaper? I guess I don't really mind going older, after seeing how easily he fixed that Compur.

eumenius · Mar 7, 2008

I am quite sure that the shutter is quite serviceable - at least my own experience with Synchro-Compurs tells me so They are VERY well built, unlike Copals. Perhaps the reason of your lockup is a small spring that left its place, or a hardened lubricant in some important tiny joint - try to understand what's wrong, it's not all this difficult, especially if you have skilled friends

RoBBo · Mar 7, 2008

eumenius said:
I am quite sure that the shutter is quite serviceable - at least my own experience with Synchro-Compurs tells me so They are VERY well built, unlike Copals. Perhaps the reason of your lockup is a small spring that left its place, or a hardened lubricant in some important tiny joint - try to understand what's wrong, it's not all this difficult, especially if you have skilled friends

I'd agree to that, especially after seeing how quickly he fixed the Compur, but, the problem is, the #0 is a Seiko, and more than that, it's a Seiko that I've lost a few internal parts to. :-\

eumenius · Mar 7, 2008

Ewww, Seikos. The older ones were made even worse than older Copals - I mean these white-rimmed shutters of the earlier Mamiya TLR lenses. These can be the source of shutter and parts, by the way - if you can find a bad lens as a donor. most of these lenses were in #0 Seikosha, right? I'm unsure about the exact type, though.

RoBBo said:
I'd agree to that, especially after seeing how quickly he fixed the Compur, but, the problem is, the #0 is a Seiko, and more than that, it's a Seiko that I've lost a few internal parts to. :-\

BradS · Mar 7, 2008

Dan Fromm said:
Um, Brad, 127 Ektars in Compur do exist but are at least as rare as hens' teeth. Maybe rarer. 127 Ektars are usually in Supermatics that nothing else will fit. Although I have one in a Rapax that nothing else will fit.

I guess I must be very fortunate then. I've had two pass through my hands in as many months. That's without even really looking or trying.

epatsellis · Mar 8, 2008

eumenius said:
Ewww, Seikos. The older ones were made even worse than older Copals - I mean these white-rimmed shutters of the earlier Mamiya TLR lenses. These can be the source of shutter and parts, by the way - if you can find a bad lens as a donor. most of these lenses were in #0 Seikosha, right? I'm unsure about the exact type, though.

The ones used with the Caltars (like the Caltar-W II that Rob has) aren't bad, I have a few here, just as accurate as a Copal, though a notch down in build quality from a Prontor or Compur, much like the Copal. Not to mention they look pretty good too. They're just misunderstood I'm told.

The Seiko shutters in my RB lenses just go right on working. Like any other shutter, lack of use is harder on them than heavy usage. Coupled with the fact that we all want to play with a new toy, instead of sending it out to someone like Flutot's and having a CLA done right off can only aggravate any issues (it doesn't work, even when I forced it...).

RoBBo · Mar 8, 2008

epatsellis said:
Not to mention they look pretty good too.

That's an understatement.
Short of the special Linhof branded black Synchro Compurs, I'd say it's the prettiest shutter I've ever seen.

eumenius · Mar 9, 2008

Perhaps, perhaps. The Seiko in my 150/6.3 Fujinon also works and looks fine, but for some reason the Seikos in old mamiya TLR lenses were all crappy and difficult to fix

epatsellis said:
The ones used with the Caltars (like the Caltar-W II that Rob has) aren't bad, I have a few here, just as accurate as a Copal, though a notch down in build quality from a Prontor or Compur, much like the Copal. Not to mention they look pretty good too. They're just misunderstood I'm told.

The Seiko shutters in my RB lenses just go right on working. Like any other shutter, lack of use is harder on them than heavy usage. Coupled with the fact that we all want to play with a new toy, instead of sending it out to someone like Flutot's and having a CLA done right off can only aggravate any issues (it doesn't work, even when I forced it...).

Where to buy empty shutters?

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