Shutter Mounting

[Ash]

I have my Goerz Dagor, 180mm.

I'd like to throw it into a shutter. I can use it as a barrel lens with a packard, but the sunk lens shape means I've yet to sort mounting it to a simple shutter.

The two lenses have threads of 38mm. I'm not sure of the distance between the elements internally.

Are there any shutters out there that have a 38mm thread size? Am I limited to spending hundreds on sending the lens to SK Grimes to do all the hard work for me?

[Ash]

Ok so on the SK grimes website it looks like I'd need a Copal #0 to have an iris diameter suitable. The inner lens element size is about 24mm.... Because of the lens element thread mounting, would I need a Copal #1 to fit them though??

[Robert A. Zeichner]

Another option might be to front mount it in a shutter. You might be able to pick up a usable Universal/Acme/Ilex #3 shutter. If your barrel 180mm has a flange with it, you could perhaps make a plug out of wood that could be glued or taped to the shutter and then you would simply mount the flange to the plug and screw the lens in. If the flange is large enough in diameter, it could be taped to the shutter directly. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but I have taped flanges to shutters a number of times and they are pretty secure. The trick is to get some 3M black photo tape and cut it into small strips and lay them diagonally across the flange, burnishing them down with your finger nail. Repeat these strips much like the leaves of a shutter until you get all around the flange. If done right, you'll have a tough time pulling that flange off.

[Ash]

If you check the Packard mod in my sig, you'll see the lenses use tape to hold then securely in the wooden mounts ;)

The flange mount is 2/3 to the front of the lens, effectively sinking the lens. That's the one thing stopping me buying an old shutter and sticking it to the rear element/flange.

[Capocheny]

Am I limited to spending hundreds on sending the lens to SK Grimes to do all the hard work for me?

Ash,

Contact Tim at www.lensN2shutter.com for alternate pricing on the work. He's mounted 2 lenses for me and the work is first rate.

Cheers

[Ash]

I've emailed both SK Grimes and Tim, so I should have some rough prices shortly.

I'm guessing that maybe this will be a HUGE investment. Especially considering if/when I can afford it in the future it will tap out all my funds for the next few months!

[David A. Goldfarb]

If it's a good Dagor (do a search on the "Berlin Dagors" that were sold by B&J after the war--these you want to avoid, as distinct from the Dagors made and assembled in Berlin before the war or the lenses made by Goerz American Optical Co.), even an uncoated one in good condition, then it's worth mounting in general.

[Ash]

David it's a CP GOERZ BERLIN dagor, made in Berlin, I believe.


Sadly I stripped some of the paint in the front lettering. It's ok though, it's mine anyway :D

It's the old type that HAD a focus lever, and the barrel would move inside itself. that lever is broken and I've fixed the camera tight, so there is no rattling from the ring. Somewhere on here is a thread with photo's.

It's uncoated and aside from a bit of dust and a tiny few dirt specs, the glass is pristine.

[Ole Tjugen]

So it's in a helical focusing mount? That's not very common, and they tend to be completely worn out by now. Most likely your lens is from one of those cameras with internal shutter - there were quite a few different ones made around 1905 to 1930 in Germany, but unlike the USA they had mostly changed to in-lens shutters by 1930.

The 180mm Dagor could have been on a 10x15cm or 13x18cm camera, both are about equally likely. I have one in a normal barrel mount, so I'm very interested in knowing how much shutter mounting would cost. :)

[Ash]

As the story goes, it belonged to my grandmother's boss. After a conversation with him my grandfather was given the lens with the explanation that it was broken, but an excellent lens all the same.

It sat in a box for years. Probably 30 years. My grandfather was going to use it on an enlarger. There is some damage to the outer barrel, but only a few tiny dings.

It has the original mounting flange complete with a circular wooden wood mount. I'm not sure what it came from, but it's sat on front of the kodak on a nasty piece of fibreboard.

I'll be interested to see the costs and whether I WILL be able to afford it, or else I'll look into the packard-esque Sinar/Copal shutter, and a mounting frame. Unfortunately those sinar shutter panels cost £150 s/h.

[Capocheny]

Ash, Ole,

The cost of mounting your lens in a shutter will also depend on the shutter size that's required. A Copal 1 will most likely cost you about $250 and a Copal 3 will run about $450 new.

Then, if there's machining required... that'll be even more dollars yet!

IIRC, my 210 WA Raptar cost me about $500 or $600 and I supplied the Copal 1 shutter.

So, as it goes... it's certainly NOT an inexpensive process to mount one of these babies in a shutter. But, I'm sure happy with the lens I now have. :)

Cheers

[Ash]

No emails back yet.

I'll keep the prices in mind for a few months time when I have a clean slate and can decide if it's worth the cost.

I'm quite angry that the lens is getting zero use as is.