Compur Rapid shutter will not stay open for focusing ? All speed`s work from 1-400 but B does not or little button on top to hold it so shutter would stay open. Could anybody help with suggestions or source of information to solve this problem ? I have worked on lenses before but not on LF shutter .
<HTML>
Greg
It is difficult to answer your question without actually seeing the shutter model.
I know that there are some simplified Compur shutters from the 1950's, for press cameras, that
have a catch button to keep the blades open. You re-tension the shutter, push the catch button and release ; then the shutter tensioning lever is blocked half way of its travel, blades stay open until you release the catch button.
Some more recent or more elaborate Compur shutters have a small push-lever on the side that opens the blades. After pushing this lever, the blades open, you close them by lifting the lever with your finger nail. It works better when the shutter is tensioned.
Probably you have the first type, if the lens was used on a press camera like a Graflex or a Speed Graphic for which photographers did not use ground glass focusing very often.
</HTML>
If it is a rim-set Compur Rapid (where you turn the outer ring around the shutter housing to set the speed), the little button centered on the top is a delay timer, there is no way to hold the shutter blades open unless you use T or B. Compur Press shutters replace the delay timer with a catch to hold the blades open.
To check the timer operation, cock the shutter at any speed, then push the small button backwards (towards the lensboard) and hold it there, push the cocking lever farther to the right to engage the timer. Release the button and trip the shutter, there should be a ~10 second delay before the shutter fires.
To get "B" to work, try putting the pointer halfway between T and B. I wouldn't recommend disassembling this shutter yourself, there are two springs tensioned against the case (cocking lever return and speed booster) that are difficult to reset in their proper positions during reassembly, which can turn your the not-quite-100% shutter into a paperweight. Cheers,
greg,
I have a 90mm Angulon in Compur Rapid / Linhof shutter. Ive had it for a while now and its fairly old, (1950's?) The speeds go up to 250th, you know, the 'weird speeds' - 50th, 100, 150 etc, It does not have a 400 speed so it may differ a little. I just recently serviced it and dismantling wasnt too bad. I took the face off, exposed all but didnt take all the mechanism out of the casing.
Anyway to answer the question... From what I could see there was no 'aid' to keep the shutter open for focusing so all you should do is get a cable release (I leave one permanently attached) - place the setting on B and lock the cable release. Alternatively, just put the shutter on 'T' and trip the release when you want to focus, trip again to close and reset speed...
You need to set the shutter on "B" and use a locking cable release to hold it open for focusing. Linhof Technikas were furnished with a small Gizmo mounted on the lens board which accomplished this, but these are not usually bundled with the lens when it's sold seperately.
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
I don`t know if this would help lens number is 2241619 . It has rim- speed setting B space 1-400 and I think Moe is correct the little lever in line with speed setting dot is a timer .When I hold the button towards the back of the lens cocking lever goes past the little button and times about ten seconds before shutter fires . When I set the speed to B , shutter only fires does not stay open . There is a small resistance felt at about 3/4 of the cocking lever travel where shutter is open but it slips past it and closes again. There is no T setting on the rim . I think it is newer lens because it has modern flash synchronizer . Also shutter has a number 6994857. Thanks
Greg, it sounds like you will have the send the shutter to a repair shop such as S.K. Grimes for a quote/repair to get B to work properly. As a low cost bandaid, you could always buy a short (~12"long) vinyl coated shutter release cable and file down the actuation pin so you only get as much travel as necessary to open the shutter in B. Regards,
Thanks everyone for suggestions and advice , I don`t know how much repair would be . Guess I have option to buy a new shutter for the lens or whole new shutter and lens and have some spare parts or go to the option of repair which would probably cost as much as used shutter ? Thanks again Greg
Um, Greg, there's a law of nature to the effect that all used shutters need to be overhauled. This includes shutters with lenses in them.
SKGrimes has charged me around $75 for overhauling a couple of shutters, including Compurs of various vintages; its unlikely they'll charge you tons less or more. On the whole, it would be better to have the shutter in hand fixed than to buy another one that will also have to be fixed.
Cheers,
Dan
Thanks Dan I don`t need another $100 paper weight and it is probably much better to have a $ 175 usable lens . Thanks again for your input . Greg
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks