And these older shutters have never been serviced in all that time?
I have two older shutters--a Flashmatic and a Synchro-Compur that required service when I got them. Both had clearly not been used in decades. They were serviceable and work well now, but when you're buying an older shutter there's a good chance you're getting one that hasn't moved in many years. (I also have a rimset Compur I found in an antique store that is dead as a doornail)
You pay shipping to the service center.
"Written statement that specifies under what conditions, to what extent, and for how long the manufacturer of an item guarantees that it will work as claimed. If a defect or malfunction occurs, such warranties are usually limited to the repair or replacement of the item and do not include any compensation for any loss arising."
Note; the warranty is not transferrable. It is extended to the original retail buyer.
That's not been my understanding about Caltar though maybe my understanding is wrong. However, FWIW I've never understood that Caltars are inferior or worse than average. I've always understood that they were identical to their name-branded counterparts except for the name. Obviously one Caltar could be inferior to one Schneider just as one Schneider can be inferior to another Schneider. But I didn't think there was some pre-brand testing under which Caltar got the ones that tested below average.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
I've no way of telling if they've been serviced, most it's unlikely one maybe but I have tested the speeds and they are remarkably accurate. I do clean all my older shutters to free up the slower speeds when I get them if needed. I've been using a 1931 Compur #1 with mid 1950's lens cells and it's been very reliable for the past 6 years.
Recently I've bought 11 shutters (since the begining of March) - 2 Compur - #0 & #00, 2 Prontor SVS #0, 2 Prontor-S #00, Prontor Press #0, Epsilon #0, Agi(fold) #0, and 2 Vario #00. Of those 11 seven came from the stock of a retired camera repairer and none cost more than £6.40 ($10.40) and 3 came with lens cells (one a mint 203mm f7.7 Ektar the other two Novars), I did get to fire these shutters before buying and all are smooth and accurate, another - a Vario #00 - was new stock from one of the UK's leading dealer and writers on collectible cameras. The other three came with lenses.
That doesn't mean all shutters are good theogh, I've bought off this forum and the so called working Compur shutter packed up immediately but hey I unscrewed the lens cells and a tell-tale screw was missing it had quite obviously been tampered with by the seller. Only yesterday I picked up an Ebay purchase described as working perfectly, the camera came with it's original box but the shutters defunct, you take the risks but in this case I paid very little and it doesn't matter - I can probably repair this one myself. If not it's going on display anyway.
The bottom line isa all thew shutters I've had to have repaired are 1960's or later and all my older shutters are plodding on
Ian.
If you are looking for terrific lenses at very reasonable prices try these tessar types made my Ilex, w/Ilex shutters, Caltar f 6.3, 165, 215, 250, 305, 375, B&J Acutar in same focal lengths but with Copal shutters, BBOI Acu-Tessars same Focal lengths in Copal shutters, Ilex Paragons in Ilex shutters. Also by the same manufacturer 6 element plasmats, B&J f 5.6 Acutons in Copal, and BBOI Acu-Semetrical, likewise, certain Ilex Paragons.
Lynn
All goes to show you need to do some research when buying older lenses. As a buyer you need to ask yourself if a Tessar is what you really need and just how good it might be. I own and use quite a few Tessars and clones so have my own opinions based on practical experience.
With 5"x4" a 150mm Tessar is Ok gives limited but at least some movements, edge and corner sharpness is poor until f16 but at its best at f22, a 135mm has no room for movements but again isn't bad at f22, below that it's a case of who do you believe. Longer Tessars and clones 165mm upwards are very much better and the slower f6.3 versions are the best, but others can be good performers whether CZJ or Ilex Paragons (Caltar) etc.At least that's my experience.
Ian
Thanks for the feedback. So, schneider and rodenstock only produced lens for linhof, sinar and calumet, no other brands?
I going to check the caltars. For the information exposed here it seems like they are equal to the rodenstock and schneider branded.
I've taken the front lens element of a Caltar-S and swapped it for the front element of a Schneider Symmar. Didn't even change the focus point, identical quality. It's far more trouble to a manufacturer to maintain "two lines" than to simply make one product and rebrand. My experience with multiple Caltar-S, Caltar SII and Caltar N has been superb, without the slightest drop in quality compared to their Schneider-S and Rodenstock cousins, all used in parallel in a busy product studio. They are the same product, design for design.
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