S.K. Grimes Recent Experiences?

[Neal Shields]

My low speeds on my 75 Biogon just went belly up.

Last time I had a problem with them I sent it to Steve Grimes and it came back accurate to three decmal places.

I haven't used it much sinse them but I suspect that the problem isn't their fault but just something breaking.

It won't even work on B. It opens but doesn't close when you release the cable. You have to give the leaver a nudge on any speed from B to 1/50.

Last time the service was great, price reasonable and repair perfect. Do they still maintain that standard?

Also does anyone know anywhere there is any "new old stock" Compur shutters?

[Brian Ellis]

I've used them for a couple things, I can't now remember exactly what, but the service was fine. I don't think Steve is replaceable but his successors seemed to do as well as is possible. .

[Dan Fromm]

Neal, if you want a new shutter, Copals interchange with Compurs. If you can't abide Copals, don't tell me.

I had a couple of shutters worked on mid-fall at SKGrimes, all came back correct. I have two lenses there now, expect nothing less than their usual.

Cheers,

Dan

[Michael Kadillak]

The last few things I sent them were done just fine albeit a bit slow, but I did notice that they appear to be sub-contracting some work out recently. The reason that I know is that a job for an anodized expansion filter ring on my 16 1/2" Red Dot Artar along with a fabricated lens cap came from another shop in the mail and rather caught me by surprise. I have no doubt that they would stand behind this work as well as their own and I guess that is all that matters.

The good news I surmise is that business is good which as it turns out is also the origin of the bad news from a quick turn around perspective. I try to be patient, but I do call Adam periodically and rattle his cage a bit about work I am interested in checking the status on and he always takes my calls and is very service oriented. As long as he keeps his sense of humor and continues to maintain a high standard of performance output to customers, I am pleased.

Cheers!

[Neal Shields]

Dan;

No problem with that at all but the 75mm Biogon front element is so heavy that the structure of the shutter won't support it. The one I have is in a massive housing and I think that I remember being told that a Copal won't fit inside. I would change out in a minute if I could.

[David A. Goldfarb]

They did a fine job with a Compound shutter I sent around a year ago, and recently made a special adapter ring to put an 11.5" Verito on a Linhof board, which I've posted about under "classic lenses."

[Armin Seeholzer]

I have good news for all Europe guys re repairs!
I just heared very good tings from a little company here in Switzerland I'm not in any way connected to it!
The boss of the company has about 40 years of expierience in camera repair and they are official service center for Agfa, Bauer, Braun, Canon, Hasselblad, Kodak, Leica, but he can also repair any shutter etc.
www.ziegler-ag-fototechnik.ch

[Dan Fromm]

Neil, if y'r Compur -- which size? -- can't be repaired or replaced, you might consider having the lens remounted in a Copal. Its been a while since I've seen 'em, but if I recall correctly Steve had several pallets of 75/4.5 Biogons and occasionally put one in a Copal 1. I've handled a finished one. The finished ones weren't cheap, but they comprised lens, new shutter, and machining. SKGrimes charged me and at least four of my customers $300 t0 extract a 38 Biogon from an AGI F135 shutter and put it in a Copal.

Michael, AFAIK SKG has always sent aluminum parts out to be anodized. When I've bugged 'em about where my gear was the answer has almost always been "the parts are at the anodizing shop." I've been up to Woonsocket a couple of times, most recently last spring, and there's nothing in house that would do for anodizing.

Cheers,

Dan

[J. P. Mose]

Neal,

The barrel mount US Government 75mm Biogons (hundreds of them) have been mounted in Copal shutters. In fact, Steve Grimes used to perform this modification and sell them on his website.

Keep in mind that your Biogon will loose some of its collectable value if you switch out the original shutter. That and cost of conversion may be enough reason to merely repair your existing Compur shutter. If you very apprehensive about returning to S. K. Grimes, perhaps you should contact Ken at Focal Point Lens in Colorado (www.focalpointlens.com). Ken does outstanding work!

[darter]

S.K. Grimes is slower than before (I think they are still looking for an additional machinist) but the quality is excellent.