Let me share a recent exchange with S.K. Grimes (SK). I was contacting Mr. Grime s about some custom lens caps that I am ordering for my Schneider LF lenses when we got on the subject of Copal shutters: (reprinted with his kind permission -- thanks!): -- Paul Chaplo (PC)

PC: After hearing that it is detrimental to change shutter speeds after a Copal shutter is cocked, I have refrained from doing so. Can you confirm that this is true? SK: Quoting from the Copal instruction book, packed with new shutters: "Charging the shutter, opening or closing the shutter blades, changing the shutt er speed, changing the aperture stop....all these things can be manipulated in a ny order you like without the least ill effect on the shutter mechanism." I have always interpreted this as having it be OK to change the speed with the s hutter cocked. PC: What happens when an uninformed person does so? SK: He risks getting balled out by another uninformed person. :-) This whole thing is a little like keeping your foot on the clutch with the gear shift in low gear while waiting for a traffic light. It won't hurt a car in goo d condition although arguably its better to shift to neutral and take one's foot off the clutch while waiting for the light to change. But not enough better to change someone elses behavior about.

http://www.skgrimes.com http://www.chaplo.com