Shutter woes

[jdsanika]

Background
I purchased a Caltar 11-n 150mm f/5.6 in a Copal 0 shutter last year. The shutter died on me a couple of weeks ago and I sent it to be repaired. Just found out the shutter is pretty much junk at this point and the shutter repair would be north of $300 (new gear train and other parts).
I have found a couple of Copal 0 shutters on an auction site with 5.6 apertures.

Question
Might these Copal 0 shutters work with my lens elements without further aperture calibration?

I tried doing research/searches but I have not had much success, maybe I'm not asking the right question.

[BrianShaw]

Background
I purchased a Caltar 11-n 150mm f/5.6 in a Copal 0 shutter last year. The shutter died on me a couple of weeks ago and I sent it to be repaired. Just found out the shutter is pretty much junk at this point and the shutter repair would be north of $300 (new gear train and other parts).
I have found a couple of Copal 0 shutters on an auction site with 5.6 apertures.

Question
Might these Copal 0 shutters work with my lens elements without further aperture calibration?

I tried doing research/searches but I have not had much success, maybe I'm not asking the right question.

Yes, assuming that the replacement shutter does not need a CLA also. And if you find a Copal 0 with another scale, all you would need to do is replace the scale.

p.s. I've never experienced a shutter that wore it's gears out, unless it had never been serviced or had been previously fiddled with. That shutter must have had very heavy use!

[koh303]

Yes, assuming that the replacement shutter does not need a CLA also. And if you find a Copal 0 with another scale, all you would need to do is replace the scale.

p.s. I've never experienced a shutter that wore it's gears out, unless it had never been serviced or had been previously fiddled with. That shutter must have had very heavy use!

+1

[jdsanika]

Thanks for the feedback.

@BrianShaw, the folks repairing the shutter said others had been in the shutter and had actually super glued the release lever and apparently messed up the gear train, I'm surprised I actually got some use out of it.

[koh303]

That happens everynow and again. Copals are easy to "fix" in a pinch (read JB weld/superglue/WD40), and what seems to be a quick fix now, turns what would have been a serviceable shutter into junk. Then again, they cost almost as little as junk, so why even bother....

[Andrew]

there's been a couple of series of copal shutters so you'll see them with either silver rings or black rings for shutter speed selection
try to get the same series that your lens is in now, because the aperture scales may not swap over [?] even though the lens cells will definitely be fine
if that's wrong, I'm sure someone will jump in and correct me...

[David Karp]

You can use the aperture scale from your shutter. Are you guys saying you can use a shutter from a 125 or 135mm Copal 0 with 150mm cells with the scales that came on the shutter? I think the scale will be off.

[Andrew]

You can use the aperture scale from your shutter. Are you guys saying you can use a shutter from a 125 or 135mm Copal 0 with 150mm cells with the scales that came on the shutter? I think the scale will be off.
what is being agreed on is that you can swap lens cells between equivalent shutters because the mounting threads are standardised [the initial response was just worded ambiguously]
I don't think anyone's actually suggested that you can use the aperture scale from the wrong lens... as you clearly recognise, that isn't correct and different lenses each need specific scales
so when the OP swaps over lens cells he needs to swap over the aperture scale too [or make a new one]

[koh303]

As noted above, there are more then a few different Copal configurations as far as the aperture scale is concerned. The Caltar/schneidr is only one, and you will need to just check that the shutter you get is similar in the placement of screws/size of the scale it self. It will be a pain trying to do this with the wrong hole positions.

[jdsanika]

Thanks again for the responses. I ended up purchasing a Copal 0 that previously held Caltar 150mm f/5.6 lens cells. Not sure which model 150mm 5.6 lens cells were previously in the shutter, I'm hoping it doesn't matter.

[koh303]

you are all set - it does not matter what model, if there is any difference it will be extremely minor. The shutter speeds are most likely off between the two shutter by some small amount so that would not make a difference, once you start using it you will see if you are getting too much or too little exposure over time.

[Andrew]

a Copal 0 that previously held Caltar 150mm f/5.6 lens cells. Not sure which model 150mm 5.6 lens cells were previously in the shutter
it was probably the same lens... but I suggest you either swap the aperture scales or check the calibration of the ones on the shutter in case the original lens wasn't actually a Caltar 150 as stated

[jesse]

It is not worth to pay 300 to fix it, buy any Janpanese lens with Copal 0 shutter which is less than $300.