are intermediate shutter speeds possible with copal shutters

[Serge S]

Just wondering...are intermediate shutter speeds available with copal, Ilex or compur shutters?

Thanks in adavnce,

Serge

[Leonard Evens]

Intermediate shutter speeds are only available with electronic shutters. Digital cameras often allow intermediate shutter speeds, but lenses with mechanical shutters don't.

[Bob Salomon]

No, but it is a good way to break a mechanical shutter.

[Serge S]

Thanks. Good to know

[Leigh]

Rim-set mechanical shutters use a cam plate to move a lever from one position (speed) to another.

Each step on the cam plate is flat (radially) over some distance each side of its detented position.

The transition between steps is quite narrow, having a slope only sufficient to move the lever without binding.

- Leigh

[Sevo]

There have been shutters with a continuous timing device - many pneumatic ones, for example, and some odd low end mechanical ones as well. But as far as recent LF ready shutters with standardized size and a wide range of times go, these are all stepped.

[E. von Hoegh]

Intermediate shutter speeds are only available with electronic shutters. Digital cameras often allow intermediate shutter speeds, but lenses with mechanical shutters don't.

Compound shutters do allow intermediate speeds. So do the Leicaflexes, and a few other mechanical shutters.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

On Ilex shutters the speed ring is a continuous cam. So yes. Compound the same and old dialset compurs yes. But you need to test the spot and mark it. Dial Compurs have a machined cam that you can not modify. same with a copal.

[Louis Pacilla]

Compound shutters do allow intermediate speeds. So do the Leicaflexes, and a few other mechanical shutters.

The Betax/Alphax allows intermediate speeds as well. albeit the high speed is limited to 35th a second tops

[David A. Goldfarb]

For shutters that can do it, you would have to test fairly carefully right before making the exposure, and then it wouldn't usually apply to the top or the bottom speeds. After all, how accurate is your average ancient Ilex/Alphax/Betax shutter anyway on a good day? I wouldn't count on better than +/- 1/3 stop on the marked settings to begin with. Well-maintained dial-set Compound shutters, though, might be a bit more reliable than one would expect.

[E. von Hoegh]

For shutters that can do it, you would have to test fairly carefully right before making the exposure, and then it wouldn't usually apply to the top or the bottom speeds. After all, how accurate is your average ancient Ilex/Alphax/Betax shutter anyway on a good day? I wouldn't count on better than +/- 1/3 stop on the marked settings to begin with. Well-maintained dial-set Compound shutters, though, might be a bit more reliable than one would expect.

Yes, a Compound in good condition is very accurate.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

My old shutters are dead nuts perfect on up to their top speed. Then divide by half.