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View Full Version : My shutter died! Who repairs Copal Sinar shutters?



Hovmod
29-Oct-2010, 01:14
In Singapore last week, the front standard slid off the rail and smashed to the ground. The lens made it, but the Copal Sinar shutter module (not mounted on the lens but the big one) died. I opened it to see if I could fix something obvious and ended up killing it more (the aperture ring doesn't have a calibrated mark on it, so now when I put it back on there's no way to know how mych the shutter tells the lens to open its aperture anymore).

So. It needs repair - probably not extensive, I believe it's in the adjustment range of things - and calibration.

Does anyone do that anymore, and/or will I just be better off buying a new one off ebay?

:(

B.S.Kumar
29-Oct-2010, 01:51
I don't know where you're located, but George Brown (apogeebee on ebay) repairs Sinar cameras. He installed a brass gear on my Sinar X standard, and did an outstanding job at a reasonable cost.

Kumar

Hovmod
29-Oct-2010, 12:52
Thank you. I will try to find someone local when I get home, but if not I'll look him up.

Bob Salomon
30-Oct-2010, 06:12
Why wasn't the rail cap on the rail? That would have prevented this from happening.

PhiloFarmer
30-Oct-2010, 07:45
George is a reputable dude, so send him an email (apogeebee@hotmail.com) and see what he says.

SK Grimes is a great source of help...solid...consistent...reasonable.

gevalia
30-Oct-2010, 09:17
See if Carol Flutot does it. She often has a backlog but does a great job and is pretty reasonable.

msk2193
30-Oct-2010, 13:31
These guys have always done a great job for me:

http://www.precisioncameraworks.com/index.html

Drew Bedo
31-Oct-2010, 06:35
Mike Hakeem at Professional Camera Repaire iHouston does all my shutter work.

Frank Petronio
31-Oct-2010, 08:26
Precision Camera Works - in Chicago, Bob Watson - was trained and worked for Sinar, so short of sending it to SinarBron itself (which should be obvious) I think he'd be the best choice of the independents. You have to ask how many of these the other repairpeople have seen? I doubt even the best of them have done repairs on them before - no slight against anyone mentioned.

Of course the cost of a replacement maybe competitive with the repair....

Sevo
31-Oct-2010, 09:42
Of course the cost of a replacement maybe competitive with the repair....

There seem to have been more of these shutters rendered useless by a mislaid or damaged release cable than cables orphaned by a dead shutter, so the price for solitary shutters without cable tends to be very low, often even lower than that for cables without shutter...

Hovmod
31-Oct-2010, 15:10
Thanks everybody.
I wouldn't want to send it to anybody who hasn't ever seen one, I already tried that myself... :)

Interesting about the price with and without cable. I'll remember to take care of mine.

I don't have end caps, thanks for making me aware of that.

ljsegil
1-Nov-2010, 01:07
I believe Glenn Evans of Glennview Camera in Chicago (glennview.com, very fun and informative website) can also do repair work on most anything Sinar. I have been very happy with my experiences with both him and Bob Watson of Precision Camera, Glenn seems to work more quickly but may be more expensive; I have no complaints at all about either one of their results. Coincidentally their shops are only a few miles apart here in greater Chicagoland (and I do mean Greater, and even finally shown to be photogenic if you check out the new double book by Michael Smith and Paula Chamblee "Chicago Loop/Chicago Lake" from Lodima Press (unsolicited plug for a very fine piece of joint work, as highly recommended as the two repair services above)). Good luck with the shutter; I think either guy can help you, and looking at the book may help pass the time while your shutter is in the shop (though neither shop neighborhood appears in any of Michael's photos).
Larry

Hovmod
2-Dec-2010, 03:56
Just received the shutter back from George Brown (apogeebee).
Professional job done quickly for a good price!
I also got some bits and pieces from him for a fair price.

Thanks for the tip, he gets my endorsement!

Armin Seeholzer
2-Dec-2010, 05:06
I don't have end caps, thanks for making me aware of that.

Sorry for you but the caps had been cheaper on the long run!

Good luck, Armin