Copal 3 shutter with loose speed ring.

[otzi]

Hi,
I have bought (thebay) a reasonable APO Ronar 360mm. The speed ring seems very loose. The speed adjusts OK but there is play front and back and the speed detents are very soft. When shaken there is a noticeable rattle(?). I suppose some one has played with it but I don't know. Is this problem necessarily fixable or rather returnable?

[Bob Salomon]

Is the shutter cracked open? That is a fairly common problem with lenses that have had impact damage (more common with larger wide angles then lenses like an Apo Ronar but the description you are giving sounds like a cracked shutter. If so it can't be repaired and the shutter would have to be replaced. And you would want to make sure that the optics are still in spec. in that case.

[Peter K]

As the Apo-Ronar 360mm is not that big as Bob mentioned with the WA lenses and the Copal #3 is easy to open, remove all lens parts and turn the ring that is near the front lens threat. It's easy done with a lens-tool that is equipped with two rods. If this ring is removed, the speed ring together with inscribed ring can be removed. Than you can look inside the shutter to control if any part is demaged or loose. If not mount the shutter in the reversed order.

Have fun,

Peter K

[otzi]

Is the shutter cracked open?

Bob, can you define 'cracked' for me.

I took it apart and all looked fine. In retrospect it seems that the chrome ring nut was not done up enough. It was tight to ease off and when apart all seemed well. Upon re assembly all went well only now the speed ring becomes tight if the chrome ring 'with holes' is snugged up. The ring must be eased of to the point of looseness before the speed ring feels normal. Might there be a spacer missing? If I were to lube (i hate that word) some of the works would this help, maybe? The ring operation seems dry. I now think that some one has loosed the nut to the point it has backed off to far. Hence the rattle.

Any suggestions for the next step.

[otzi]

Further more the speed detents seem more argumentative than my other Copal 3's. They are not as smooth and seen not to seat themselves in the detented position having a tiny bit of rotational movement with in the detent.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, can you define 'cracked' for me.

Broken open.

[Peter K]

There is no ring missing, the ring with the two holes has to aligned so the chrome ring runs smooth. A very little bit ballbearing-grease to the springloaded ball that makes the detent and the shutter will work fine.