compound shutter

[Robert Musgjerd]

what cable release is best to use with compound shutters ? The releases I have don't seem to be long
enough to trip the shutter Thanks

[Dave Moeller]

Robert-

I've never owned a compound shutter, but I do have a 20" Gepe cloth-covered cable release that I got from FreeStyle for about US$7, and if it wouldn't trip the shutter then I don't imagine anything would. I don't have the cable next to me, but I've never seen one on which the tip protruded so far.

[Steve Hamley]

Robert,

I've own several Compounds and every cable release I've tried worked. Are you sure the shutter is O.K.? I know Ilexi and some Wollensaks are noted for needing longer throw releases.

Steve

[Ernest Purdum]

In general, long throw releases are needed with self-cocking shutters. Those which, like the Compound, have to be cocked to work at instantaneous speeds shouldn't need an exceptionally long throw release since tensioning the strong spring which drives the blades has already been done. I agree with Steve that your shutter seems to need work.



One weird thought occurs to me. The earliest Compounds were set up for release by air. They had a built-in cylinder protruding from the left side as you face the shutter. Could your shutter be one of these?

[tor kviljo]

are you shure your compound shutter is working properly?. Those I have owned (including a # 5 I have on a recently aquired Imagon) can be tripped both using (ordinary short-throw) cable release and using release lever. Thus function check is done by using the lever. However, the compound action relies on a the movement of a piston going back & forth in the horizontal-oriented cylinder on top of the shutter. This cylinder have detachable (threaded) end-caps on each side for cleaning & inspection. The piston moves to one side when the shutter is charged (and you have to wait a second or three for the movement to be completed!), and moves to the other side as the shutter is tripped. The compound piston is to run unlubricated, but sometimes you find that the piston have been lubricated, & the shutter is thus not working/piston stuck. If the shutter does not work You might open cylinder & clean cylinder walls with Q-tips wetted in alcohol. Doing this with shutter charged/triggered respectively will give you access to bot sides of piston/cylinder from the two lids. Remember that a compound shutter is ONLY to be charged when selector is in M (moment (instand exposure)) position, not in T or B position. T and B position is used with the uncharged shutter only: tripping the uncharged shutter on B or T opens & closes the shutter for B/T exposure or GG-inspection. I have been told that the shutter may be damaged if charged/tripped in B & T settings.

The compounds is a reliable piece of shutter when clean - and I guess the only shutter being produced for about 100 years in a row.... I belive the they went out of production as late as in the -70

Good luck