Misc.Shutters

[Martin Courtenay-Blake]

Hi all

Does anyone have any experience of scavenging shutters from old folders. I am thinking mainly of the likes of Agfa, Kodak, Zeiss Ikon and the like. The larger format versions, especially the later ones, appear to be fitted with reasonable shutters from Prontor, Compur, Epsillon as well as Kodak. Some posess a full 8 speeds and apear to be very well made. Am I correct in thinking these could be utilised for some of the smaller LF lenses in place of, perhaps, a standard Copal 00 or 0.

I certainly do not advocate the wholesale destruction of perfect examples of these venerable cameras but there are always a lot of indifferent ones for sale in almost every second user camera shop or ebay.

[Ernest Purdum]

The Kodak shutters have different threads so would not be useful for what you have in mind. I don't think Copal has ever made any size 00 shutters. Most of the shutters on old folders have no means of opening for viewing other than setting on Time or Bulb. Some have a delayed action feature which is very troublesome when old, and some lack X synch.



Some Polaroid shutters show up on eBay quite regularly (try searching for "Tominon") which I think would be a better choice for you. With a little patience you should be able to get a good one at modest cost. They have 115mm or 127mm lenses mounted and are made by Copal (older ones by Prontor). They are self-cocking, which I prefer for cameras which will never be handheld. Stay away from the MP-4 and MP-3 shutters. They are made for front-mounted lenses and have no diaphragms.