How do you adjust a Copal No. 3 shutter (1 stop slow @ 125th sec.)

[Will Thompson]

4 of My Copal No. 3 shutters are 1 stop slow @ 15, 30, 60, and 125th sec.

Any help would be most appreciated!

[Jim Noel]

If you don't know how to make the repair the only thing to do is send it to a good shutter repair shop such as Flutot's.

[riooso]

If you do not have any experience in working on lenses do not even take out the screwdriver. I did so once, I work on intricate machines for work, and discovered a couple of things.
1. There is a city of parts that all move and more springs than you can believe.
2. You can ruin a lens so that when you do get a back at about $150.00, or more, it will not be perfect.
3. For $75 and a little lead time you will get back a good lens that is a joy to use.

AHHH--- DON'T GO THERE!

Richard

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Most if not all Copal shutters are slow at their top end. So long as they are consistant it is not a problem. I have a little sticker on each of my lensboards which reminds me of the actual speeds, and I simply make corrections at exposure.

If you haven't taken apart a shutter I would suggest that a Copal is NOT the way to start.

[Will Thompson]

I guess I should have mentioned that I have an extensive background in such devices and only need the procedure to adjust the hi end timing.

[BrianShaw]

There are more frightening shutters to get into. But if you really want to...

when you open the shutter you will see a cam on the shutter speed ring that has "notches" associated with the marked shutter speeds. There is a follower from the timing mechanism that traverses the opening of this cam. This follower will traverse the gap at a specific location for each of the marked shutter speeds. The amount of space traversed determines the time the shutter will remain open. To increase the speed, file the opening bigger. To reduce the speed, peen the cam to close the opening. Good luck!

[BrianShaw]

p.s. If the shutters are slow at most speeds, it is likely that a good cleaning and lube job is really what they need.

[Will Thompson]

p.s. If the shutters are slow at most speeds, it is likely that a good cleaning and lube job is really what they need.

Thanks Brian.

What is the preferred cleaner and lubricant?

[BrianShaw]

What is the preferred cleaner and lubricant?

The best... why that would be a 50-dollar check written to Carol Miller at Flutot's Camera Repair.

Seriously!

[paul stimac]

If all 4 are off the same, then maybe it's your meter that's off? If the meter is good and you want to be cheap about it, just compensate when you shoot. That is, if your meter says 15th shoot a 30th, or close down a stop – I suppose that this what you are already doing....

As far as working on them yourself, be careful. I tried this and failed miserably. I wish I had spent the $50 to have someone else do it.