(Possibly) Broken Lens / Shutter Help!

[b.cipolla]

So a few months ago I bought a Nikon 150mm lens on Ebay that was used but supposedly in perfect working condition. I just recently got a cable release to fire the shutter and it is definitely not firing accurately or consistently. I would try it several times set on 1 second and it is not consistent and when it does look like it fires correctly, the noise of the shutter does not sound "healthy" at all. Does anyone know anywhere in the New York City area that I can take it to, to get it looked at? Do you think I should just buy a new shutter completely and the lens should be fine right? Could it be a problem with the cable release? Any other advice is appreciated. (Sorry for all the questions. I've been looking forward to shooting for months now, as I have just finished acquiring all of my first 4x5 equipment and then this happens. Bah.)

[b.cipolla]

anyone?

[Stephane]

What about the other speeds? If they sound right, then you can always do the 1s in bulb setting.

[IanG]

Sounds like the shutter needs a CLA. Once the slow speeds start getting sluggish and inconsistent you'll find that it's likely to get worse.

Sometimes just exercising the shutter - firing at the other slows speeds quite a few times helps bring it back to life. That worked with an older 90mm Super Angulon I bought, and it's been fine the past 2 years

Ian.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Something in your post makes me want to ask what kind of shutter it is. Does it HAVE to have a cable release to fire it? I hope it's not what I think it is.

[b.cipolla]

Something in your post makes me want to ask what kind of shutter it is. Does it HAVE to have a cable release to fire it? I hope it's not what I think it is.

Nope. You don't NEED a cable release to fire it.

[b.cipolla]

Sounds like the shutter needs a CLA. Once the slow speeds start getting sluggish and inconsistent you'll find that it's likely to get worse.

Sometimes just exercising the shutter - firing at the other slows speeds quite a few times helps bring it back to life. That worked with an older 90mm Super Angulon I bought, and it's been fine the past 2 years

Ian.

I think this is actually working a bit, but I'm afraid that it still isn't firing accurately. Is there any way to check? I don't want to bring it out in the field and have it crap out on me.

[b.cipolla]

You can definitely hear the clicking when it fires, but it either gets gummed or fires very quickly at slower speeds. Also, it's a Copal 0 shutter.

[lenser]

I know you are disappointed, but getting a good CLA for an older lens (meaning one that has been sitting around getting gummy do to lack of use for awhile) is not something to fight against. It will guarantee that you have a good working lens and shutter and will give you a chart with the accuracy of all speeds. Often the top two or three speeds will not be exactly as marked, so knowing the exact speeds at which they are firing will help with your exposure accuracy.

It also does not have to be terribly expensive. While some shops charge in the range of $175-$200, several are much, much less. Contact KEH.com and you can get an on line estimate. Also, my favorite is Carol Miller at Flutotscamerarepair.com who is in the $60 range, but who usually has a backlog so she may take awhile.

Good luck and you will be much more secure once this is done.

In any case, it sounds like you are in a position to have to have this done and it is very worthwhile.

[b.cipolla]

I know you are disappointed, but getting a good CLA for an older lens (meaning one that has been sitting around getting gummy do to lack of use for awhile) is not something to fight against. It will guarantee that you have a good working lens and shutter and will give you a chart with the accuracy of all speeds. Often the top two or three speeds will not be exactly as marked, so knowing the exact speeds at which they are firing will help with your exposure accuracy.

It also does not have to be terribly expensive. While some shops charge in the range of $175-$200, several are much, much less. Contact KEH.com and you can get an on line estimate. Also, my favorite is Carol Miller at Flutotscamerarepair.com who is in the $60 range, but who usually has a backlog so she may take awhile.

Good luck and you will be much more secure once this is done.

In any case, it sounds like you are in a position to have to have this done and it is very worthwhile.

Thanks for the info! Has anyone ever worked with Professional Camera Repair Services in NYC?

[Stephane]

To measure the speeds, you can use this freeware audio recording device (you reccord the trigger and closing sounds, then check how long it took). took).download page (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

[Fotoguy20d]

I'm just outside NYC but I send my shutters to Carol Miller when they need service. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with any places in NYC, just I've had good success with Flutot's. I've actually got a dead Copal 0 (and a slightly iffy Compound) on her waiting list now.

Dan

[john wilton]

Exercising it didn't make it work well enough? if not, and you don't want to mess with it, 1/25 and faster are presumably ok; and as already suggested you can do 1/5 and slower with B. If it were me I'd try joy-juicing it with naptha (lighter fluid), AKA flood-cleaning. It's always worked for me in similar situations. Read up via google about it before doing anything. Remove lens cells first. No oil. NO WD40! There are folks out there who've documented it with photos, though I don't know if there's a page with your exact shutter. If it doesn't work, do what you'd have to do anyway...send it to a pro. Carol wasn't accepting new work a month or so ago; Paul Ebel did a good job for me on an Ilex 5 recently.

It's a very normal, non-fatal situation. Don't worry, and keep the shutter. Learning curve...you should have thoroughly checked it out when first received, and either returned it or asked for partial refund, but perhaps too much time has passed for that. As already posted, money on a CLA would be well spent; it's not that much and we'd all be a lot older before the shutter has another problem.

[IanG]

To measure the speeds, you can use this freeware audio recording device (you reccord the trigger and closing sounds, then check how long it took). took).download page (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

I tested a few shutters that way last year and was surprised just how accurate even my early Compur's were including a pre-WWI 1912-13 model, also how smooth, in comparison modern Copal's sound ragged.

Ian