Should I CLA my Schneider Kreuzach 210?

[Hugh Sakols]

I own a Schneider- Kreuznach 210 f5.6 convertable lens (# 10426609) which I plan only to use at its normal focal lenght. It appears to be in excellent condition and the shutter sounds good. Considering that a CLA from SK Grimes is at least $100.00 is it worth having done for this lens? How much is a lens like this worth today?

[Diane Maher]

If it's not broken, why pay to fix it?

[Jim Rice]

What Diane said.

[Bob Salomon]

If you have a shutter as old as the lens it is long overdue for a proper CLA.

[Brian C. Miller]

What Bob said.
When you take your car in for an oil change and lube, do you consider it broken? Nope, its just routine maintenance. Lenses need the same thing.

[Richard Schlesinger]

Sure it's overdue for CLA. All shutters shouldd have that done every year or two. It keeps the repair people able to make the payments on their boats! Spend the money on a Calumet shutter tester - then you will know the speeds on all your shutters. The fast speeds are always (almost) way slow, but who cares? If you have a couple of consistent slower speed i.e. 1", 1/2" maybe 1/8" that should be plenty for most stuff.

[John Kasaian]

Why not use it first? Like the others say, 'If it ain't broken..." OTOH, if you're planning on taking it for a once in a lifetime hike in the Andes...

For a cla I've had very, very good service from Carol Miller at Floutot's Camera Repair in Whittier---great alternative especially if you're on the West Coast!

[John D Gerndt]

Hugh, I have never regretted doing a CLA. You might try some other source for this operation though. SK does very good work but sometimes you don't need or a lens doesn't warrent that kind of attention. I use a local guy who does very nice work for $65 and he is fast.

By the way, that lens is a honey, has its own look. I think you'll like it even better after it is cleaned up.

Cheers,

[darter]

I have a 70+ year old compur shutter that is accurate at all speeds except 1/500. So why pay to get it cla'd if it tests out as accurate?

[Brian C. Miller]

The Calumet shutter tester costs $110. See if John's repairman does mail order.

[Richard Schlesinger]

If you buy the shutter tester you can test all your shutters. If you shoot color getting the actual shutter speeds is a must. And the tester (mine at least) has kept working for me for 15+ years. Shutter speeds change over time; while CLA is really nice idea, it seems ostly unnecessary unless too many speeds are too far off. I've had lenses with only a couple of speeds working properly that made fine images - only slightly inconvenient!

[Bob Salomon]

"If you buy the shutter tester you can test all your shutters"

And then what do you do if they are off or inconsistent?

Preventive maintenance is far cheaper then having to reshoot due to a shutter that becomes mechanically unreliable due to neglect.

And do you always test at all speeds or the ones you most often use?

[Richard Schlesinger]

What you do is expose using the 'actual' speeds Mechanical shutters are notoriously inaccurate. The slow speeds are usually (often? sometimes?) good but the high speeds are usually very slow. The newer cameras have the shutter speeds electronically regulated, and are very accurate. But the ones used in view cameras are still mechanical. It would seem sensible to know what the speed is - actually. And expose accordingly rather than trust a chart made when a shutter had a CLA 4 or 5 or more years ago.

[Bob Salomon]

Richard,

An erratic shutter or one whose speeds are off by more then accepted tolerances (30%) is one that needs a CLA. Things will only get worse with this type of shutter.

Also if the high speeds are accurate (±30%) and the slow ones are not, or vice versa, the shutter needs a CLA.

It is far better to periodically service a shutter to ensure proper and accurate performance then to lose shots because service was overdue and not performed.