New article by Ernest Purdum: Shutters - History and Use

[QT Luong]

A new article by Ernest Purdum,
Shutters - History and Use (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/shutters-history-and-use.html) has been posted. Please feel free to comment here.

[Steve Nicholls]

Thanks for the information Ernest. A most enjoyable read. I have just stepped back in time using a Veliostigmat [12"] and a Verito [9] in Studio shutters. One is really modern and has a cable release whereas the Verito is a bulb release.

[Ole Tjugen]

Very nicely done.

One minor niggle though: Compur shutters were made in sizes 00 to 2 and Compound in 3 to 5, and not 00 to 3 and 4&5 as the article states.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Very nicely done.

One minor niggle though: Compur shutters were made in sizes 00 to 2 and Compound in 3 to 5, and not 00 to 3 and 4&5 as the article states.

Ole,

I have two Schneider lenses in Compur 3 shutters. There is currently a 240mm Symmar-S in a Compur 3 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Schneider-Symmar-S-View-Camera-Lens-240mm-f5-6_W0QQitemZ260052364233) listed on eBay (the words "Compur 3" are clearly visible on the shutter in the photos). Both of my lenses are from the late 1970s, but I know Compur 3 shutters continued to be made through the late 1980s, possibly early 1990s.

Kerry

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

And, of course, there was also the Syncro Compur Electronic 5FS.

Kerry

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Thanks to Ernest for this superb article. A reference document indeed !

About the question of modern large format shutters, to what Ernest says :
Copal, and perhaps Prontor, are almost all that are left.
we should add : in terms of 100% mechanical shutters with 0% electricity.
And the Packard shutter is still made !

As far as electro-mechanical shutters are concerned, Rollei / Franke & Heidecke fabricates a #0 and a #1 for any kind of large format lenses needing #0 or #1 sizes. As far as I remember, the Prontor Magnetic might still be available frome the famous Calmbach factory (Bob S. !! help !!)
Schneider-Kreuznach has developed its own electrical shutter as well, and there is, or used to be, a Horseman ISS, not for International Space Station but most probably Intelligent Shutter System.

About historical references, you'd be amazed by the number of companies that used to fabricate shutters in Germany in the past, as mentioned in this book :

Deutsche Photooptik von A - Z. (Erweiterte Neuauflage von ""150 Jahre Photooptik in Deutschland 1849 - 1999"") Thiele, Hartmut München 2004
The book is self-published by the author but can be found at the Lindemanns bookstore in Stuttgart for example.

[Ole Tjugen]

Ole,

I have two Schneider lenses in Compur 3 shutters. There is currently a 240mm Symmar-S in a Compur 3 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Schneider-Symmar-S-View-Camera-Lens-240mm-f5-6_W0QQitemZ260052364233) listed on eBay (the words "Compur 3" are clearly visible on the shutter in the photos). Both of my lenses are from the late 1970s, but I know Compur 3 shutters continued to be made through the late 1980s, possibly early 1990s.

Kerry

That's correct Kerry, but my point was that as long as the Compounds were made there were no Compur #3's. Until the "new" Compur shutters were introduced, size 3, 4 and 5 were Compounds and all Compurs were 00 to 2.

[Bill_1856]

Can anyone comment on the "Worshing Light Counter?" Apparently some sort of lens shade/shutter used by Edward Weston, at least on his California and the West trip.

[Dan Fromm]

Ole, I have a tiny 130/6.3 CZJ Tessar, made late 1911 or early 1912, in an equally tiny Compound. Also a slightly larger 5 3/8"/6.3 B&L Ser. IIb Tessar, probably made in 1914, in a slightly larger Compound. Will measure the cells' ODs tonight and report. Whatever their sizes may be, both of these shutters are considerably smaller than the Compound #3 you're thinking of.

Ernest, if accurately timed long exposures are needed Ilex, now Melles Griot, electric shutters are an option. Georg Holderied, see http://www.chemie.unibas.ch/~holder/ , has published a design for a digital shutter timer that controls them. I believe that the original Ilex control boxes used RC circuits to time them.

FWIW, some oscilloscope cameras have electronically timed shutters. A few, not many, are easily adapted to photographic use. Some time ago I bought a Coleman Systems scope camera that contained a real Ilex #3 Electronic and control circuitry. I haven't yet used the shutter seriously, but have verified that it functions and checked speed. It runs very slow at all marked speeds, not clear whether the timing circuits aren't quite correct, the blades are gummy (but they look clean), or the spring that snaps the shutter closed when the solenoid is depowered is weak.

Cheers,

Dan

[JasonC]

Ole and Dan, I think compound shutters were available in sizes from #00 to #5.

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/zeiss/p61.html
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/goerzcat/compounda.html

And the Worsching Counter Light Trap.

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/meyerc/p49.html

[Bill_1856]

Thank you, JasonC. I've wondered about the Worsching ever since first reading of it in a Modern Photography article about Lens & Repro in about 1975. Thanks!

[Ole Tjugen]

Not to be argumentative, but...

Yes, the Compounds were made in all sizes around 1910. The the Compurs took over, and were the model of choise for sizes 00 to 2 for the best part of the century - at least 60 years. In this period the Compounds were still made in sizes 3 (two versions), 4, and 5 (two versions).

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

That's correct Kerry, but my point was that as long as the Compounds were made there were no Compur #3's. Until the "new" Compur shutters were introduced, size 3, 4 and 5 were Compounds and all Compurs were 00 to 2.

Ole,

Sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying. From your quote: "One minor niggle though: Compur shutters were made in sizes 00 to 2 and Compound in 3 to 5, and not 00 to 3 and 4&5 as the article states.", it sounded like you were saying there was no such thing as a Compur 3. Obviously there was, but as you say, it came later.

Kerry

[Arne Croell]

Hi Ernest, a really nice overview, I think you touched all the important points. A small correction for your next version: That old German behind the lens shutter you mention is called "Grundner", not "Grundmann". Pretty rare, I have seen them on the German ebay about once or twice a year.

[Jay Wolfe]

Nice article. Another correction: it's www.flutotscamerarepair.com/ --with an "s" on flutot.

[Ernest Purdum]

Arne and Jay, thanks for the corrections.