remounting old lenses

[luis a de santos]

I need a recommendation for who does remounting of old lenses into modern shutters other than SK Grimes they are way too expensive and take for ever.

I would pre:) fer somebody with who you had some experience first hand.

Thanks in advance.

[Dan Fromm]

You might ask Tim Sharkey at http://www.lensn2shutter.com/ He's been quiet for a while but his site is still up. I've never used Tim, can't comment on price/time/quality.

Have you considered getting an equivalent modern lens in shutter? I ask because this is often less costly than having an old lens put in shutter, especially if a shutter has to be bought.

If you're willing to look outside the US, you might discuss your problem with Mael Bilquey (Photo Technique) or Marc Nicholas (Nicorep). Both sites can be found through this link: http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/reparateurs.php

[Capocheny]

Luis,

I'd second Dan's recommendation of Tim at LensN2shutter... he remounted a 19" RDA and a 210 WA Raptar for me and did good work.

Cost for the job will really depend on how much machine work he has to do and the method of remounting you want to use. He did the work for me back a number of years ago and I can't recall what his charges were.

At any rate, he was relatively fast with his turnaround unless his shop gets flooded out, or something along those lines. The work on the 19" RDA took a bit longer than he expected due to the problem in his shop but he did get the job done in a reasonable length of time.

Best thing to do is to give him a call or correspond via e-mail. Be specific in what you want done and what parts you're going to provide him to do the work with. He does have all sorts of different shutters in stock (or, at least, he did when I had my lenses done.)

Cheers

[j.e.simmons]

A friend tells me Lens n 2 shutter is no longer in business due to a flood. He had a lens there awaiting a shutter.
juan

[Wimpler]

Precision custom machining is expensive by the very nature of it. I'd suggest using front/rear mounted or focal plane shutters, or buying lenses already in a shutter.

[Philippe Grunchec]

Maël Bilquey in Limoges (France) :

http://www.photo-technique.com/

[Andrew Plume]

I need a recommendation for who does remounting of old lenses into modern shutters other than SK Grimes they are way too expensive and take for ever.

I would pre:) fer somebody with who you had some experience first hand.

Thanks in advance.


Hi Luis

I've two suggestions, neither as good (inevitably as a professional 'conversion' to a modern shutter):

one is 'front mounting' - I've a few barrel lenses which screw directly into the back of a Copal One shutter - works really well and without any vignetting - you'd probably need a Universal Iris; and

secondly, my 'patent' Compound 5 set up - well didn't patent it myself to be truthful - what it is, is one of these shutters with professionally engineered discs which screw onto the front of the shutter - the very well made threads perfectly fit three of my favourite lenses, a 210m Zeiss Tessar, a 300m Goerz Berlin Dagor and my 480m RDA.

The 'trick' is to use lenses which have little of their length behind the screw thread on the rear element, otherwise they'll get in the way of the shutter blades. This little set up came with three discs, so one fits the above lenses and I've two discs spare to change and decide what I'll use for them. fwiw I paid £125 for the set up five or so years ago + £50 for a CLA - that's a pretty good deal as I've 'shuttered' three lenses for £175 and who know's how many more. I'm not saying that this is a revolutionary idea and that I'm blazing a trail here, just thought that I'd chip in with this. I'm also toying with getting a similar set up for an Ilex 5 where there may be a longer gap between the disc and the shutter

The only snag that I find with the Compound 5 is it's width and the size of the board, yes, it works well on my 2D but not on my Tachihara nor on my Canham - it can however be easily reversed, doesn't look that attractive, i.e. lock the lens onto a universal iris board and then screw the shutter into the front

Hope this may help


Let me know if you'd like me to post some photos of this here


andrew

[Dan Fromm]

Um, Andrew, depth isn't the problem for front-mounting that you think it is. A cup-shaped adapter is the solution. I know this is feasible, I have cup-shaped adapters to #1 for a number of my lenses in barrel.

What's wrong with front-mounting is that adapters can be costly. Most, unfortunately not all, of my adapters take more than one lens.

What's right with front-mounting is that if one uses more than one front-mounted lens then the savings on shutters can be useful. All of the lenses I use front-mounted fit on the same #1.

What appears to be wrong with front-mounting is that the shutter may cause mechanical vignetting. In my experience -- but remember, I shoot 2x3 -- this isn't a bad problem. The shortest lens I use front-mounted with distant subjects is a 4.75"/7.7 Uno, the longest I've used so far is a 480/9 Apo-Nikkor. All in front of a #1. And I have a 610/9 Apo-Nikkor set up to front mount on a #1 that I haven't shot with yet 'cos my Baby Bertha is still, um, teething. But I've looked through it and I think the corners are fine. We'll see.

Cheers,

Dan

Luis, come clean. Which lens (or lenses) do you want to have put in shutter?

[Capocheny]

Juan,

Tim had the flood back when he was working on my 19" RDA. Although there was a bit of a short delay... the work was completed and the lens was returned.

So, he must have had a subsequent flood?

In any case, if he really is out of business... it's a loss to the LF community.

Cheers