Upgrading a lens shutter

[Gary Beasley]

I have a Rodenstock Rotelar 270mm f5.6 lens in a Graphic Syncro Compuur shutter. I hate the fiddly way the preview works with this shutter and wouldnt mind replacing the shutter with a newer style Copal with a preview lever like my other lenses have.
What do I need to know to accomplish this task? I need to source a shutter but then how do I get the correct f stop scale on it for that lens? Tips for ensuring proper element spacing is appreciated too.

[Bob Salomon]

Go to Jeff at Quality Camera behind GT and he should be able to help you. He is by appointment only.

[Louis Pacilla]

It wont be simple swap out & it wont be inexpensive to have the proper thread couplers plus the new f stop scales

I would sell this one & replace it with a like Tele lens in a factory mounted Copal shutter

[Dan Fromm]

Louie, no couplers are required. You may have been thinking of swapping cells from a Graflex 1000 shutter -- the lens was supplied in that shutter too -- into a regular normal #1.

It is a simple swap, unscrew the cells from the old shutter and screw them into the new one. Compur #1 and Copal #1 shutters have the same tube lengths and threading so swapping cells from one to the other requires no adapters or machining.

The new shutter will have to be scaled for the lens. skgrimes does this work and for all I know so does Quality Camera. I've had skg scale shutters. Gary, ask both for prices.

Gary, I have a set of 270/6.6 Rotelar cells in the drawer. I b'lieve they were originally mounted in a Graflex 1000. They came to me in a Compur #1, have threaded bushings so they'll fit it. I had a better use for the shutter ... FWIW, I offered the cells to Mr. Galli. He and I are on good terms, occasionally give each other small gifts. He wouldn't take them, said he'd had one and it was terrible.

[Louis Pacilla]

Louie, no couplers are required. You may have been thinking of swapping cells from a Graflex 1000 shutter -- the lens was supplied in that shutter too -- into a regular normal #1.

It is a simple swap, unscrew the cells from the old shutter and screw them into the new one. Compur #1 and Copal #1 shutters have the same tube lengths and threading so swapping cells from one to the other requires no adapters or machining.

The new shutter will have to be scaled for the lens. skgrimes does this work and for all I know so does Quality Camera. I've had skg scale shutters. Gary, ask both for prices.

Gary, I have a set of 270/6.6 Rotelar cells in the drawer. I b'lieve they were originally mounted in a Graflex 1000. They came to me in a Compur #1, have threaded bushings so they'll fit it I had a better use for the shutter ... FWIW, I offered the cells to Mr. Galli. He and I are on good terms, occasionally give each other small gifts. He wouldn't take them, said he'd had one and it was terrible.

WOW Great to know brother Dan! I just figured seeing how it's so rare for this type of swap out in my life.

[Gary Beasley]

Go to Jeff at Quality Camera behind GT and he should be able to help you. He is by appointment only.

Thanks Bob, that would make life a lot simpler.

[Gary Beasley]

Thank you all for the input. I found a nice Copal no 1 shutter in Japan for a very good price and it all fit like a glove. Now all my lenses have similar shutters and Im much happier with my lens.