Hello! I purchased an Ilex 8 1/2 inch f6.3 lens in a No. 3 Acme Synchro shutter for my first 4x5 lens. A standard cable release does not fit it - it does not enter into the shutter far enough to engage the threads.
Are there different size cable releases that are available for these lens/shutters? Is there a way to modify standard cable releases to fit them? Thank you and best regards.
Mike
Acme 3's do require a pretty substantial release to work. One thing that happens over time is that a lot of cable releases stretch when activated repeatedly, especially when you plunge into an un-cocked shutter. The depth of penetration diminishes and eventually you will be unable to get it to trip some shutters. This happened recently to a friend in the Canadian Rockies and the result was a couple of blank negatives. He couldn't hear the shutter over the roar of the water and assumed he had tripped his Copal 3. Another reason for getting your ear closer. And they laugh at me for bringing 3 or 4 shutter releases on a trip
Robert,
He's saying the release won't thread into the shutter body, not that the cable travel is too short to trip the shutter.
Michael, sounds like the threads are stripped or partially stripped in the cable release fitting, so I'd say it's time for a trip to one of the shutter mechanics. I doubt there's much difference in the cable release threads that attach to the shutter. You might find one that would work if you had a box full of different brands, but you still have a problem with the shutter that needs to be fixed.
Steve
I just went and looked at an Acme #3 shutter. It's like I remembered- the threading for the cable release is not tapered. Whereas most shutters- Compurs, Copals, probably most cameras- have the Compur tapered threading. So that may be the issue here. We do have a cable release that fits that shutter, but I can't identify the brand, and who knows how old it is? So the answer may be to take your shutter to the store and see if you can find a release that does work (and then buy three).
The original threaded area for these releases had a rubber shock abosorber. So you would have thread in metal, rubber, and casing that enters the shutter. I've had more than one where the rubber had gotten old and departed leaving just an empty casing with no good way to repair it. Even if you had the new part it's a PITA because that casing is like the first thing in and the last thing out. So there's quite a bit of disassembly involved to replace it EVEN if you had another one. If it's not too late.....return it. Later 3's didn't have the rubber, so you find them both ways.
My graphlex shutters won't release with a cable either. However I have found something that works. A simple rubber band. My hands shake and it affects my camera but a rubber band around the shutter trip lever absorbs the shake and also trips the shutter with no vibration induced. My two cents.
Hello! Do you pull on the rubber band or use it to have a larger grip on the trip level?
Mike
I tie the rubber band on the shutter trip lever and pull. The band absorbs all the shock when the shutter releases and the photos show the improvement!
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