Copal No 1 Press shutter for Wista

[Geoffrey Poulton]

I have a 240mm G Claron which came already set up, complete with spacers, in a Copal No1 Press shutter, both of which are in a nice condition.

I also have a 210mm G Claron (also nice) which is in need of a shutter. I spotted a very tidy looking Copal S-No1 Press shutter described as working properly, which is labelled Wista on the front housing.

Would I be right in thinking that the Copal No1 Press, whether designed for Wista or not would be the same as any other Copal 1 Press shutter and therefore suitable for the 210mm G Claron - logic says that the shutter number itself would suggest that they are one in the same. I think the extra S in the name (Copal S-No1 Press) is the name of a particular Wista camera.

A Linhof Copal or Compur doesn't differ from a 'normal' Copal or Compur, so I'm hoping that there is not some devil in the detail that I'm missing.

I love this forum!

[Bob Salomon]

Wista metal cameras have a cable release socket in the back which will close the shutter when a film holder is fully inserted in the back. The shutters that Wista sold have an additional cable socket to couple the shutter to the camera's back. Some Linhof and Sinar cameras also had this feature.

[Geoffrey Poulton]

Ah! Thanks Bob,

I see a cable release at the front so the one inside is an additional one. Although, having said that, I can't see one on the back of the shutter (I'm looking at a picture so don't have it in front of me).

So......for the rest it's identical then? Spacing, location of diaphragm etc?

[Bob Salomon]

Ah! Thanks Bob,

I see a cable release at the front so the one inside is an additional one. Although, having said that, I can't see one on the back of the shutter (I'm looking at a picture so don't have it in front of me).

So......for the rest it's identical then? Spacing, location of diaphragm etc?

Yes

[Geoffrey Poulton]

Thanks Bob

[LabRat]

One "devil-in-the-details" thing to look for is that most shutters marked "press" don't have a preview button to hold open the shutter, but require a locking cable release + the B setting to hold it open... No big deal, but just mentioning...

Steve K

[Dan Fromm]

Steve, that's true of Copal #1 Press shutters extracted from Polaroid GelCams.

These shutters don't conform fully to the #1 standard in two ways that might matter. Their tubes are a little longer and their diaphragms' maximum openings are sometimes restricted.

[B.S.Kumar]

One "devil-in-the-details" thing to look for is that most shutters marked "press" don't have a preview button to hold open the shutter, but require a locking cable release + the B setting to hold it open... No big deal, but just mentioning...

Steve K

This is true only for Copal Press shutters. Bob neglected to mention this feature, but "Copal for Wista" shutters have a preview lever that opens fully to the maximum aperture of the lens, regardless of the f/stop set, the way a lens works on an SLR. This same function is available when the special cable is used to connect the shutter to the back of a Wista camera. To open the aperture to the set f/stop, a locking cable release must be used. I describe this here: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...el-5A-shutters. Finally, these shutters were available for #0 and #1 sizes and are marked 'Copal' at the top, and at the bottom 'for Wista No. 0' or 'for Wista S-No. 1' respectively. There is no Wista S camera.

Kumar

[Dan Fromm]

Kumar, not to pick a fight with you or anything but I have three of #0 Copal Press shutters not extracted from Polaroid cameras. All have preview levers that open the diaphragm as well as the shutter.

As for Copal #1 Press shutters, see http://www.skgrimes.com/products/new.../pressshutters.

Copal #1 Press shutters sold for Polaroid GelCams are, as I've already said, something else again.

So are Prontor #1 Press shutters sold with lenses for the Polaroid MP-3 camera. One cable release socket to fire the shutter, another for preview and no shutter release lever.

My plain non-Polaroid Prontor Press #1 shutters have one cable release socket to fire the shutter and no preview capability. They have to fired on "T" for focusing.

[B.S.Kumar]

Dan, no fight at all. I have one Copal Press #0 shutter not from a Polaroid camera, that has no preview lever. I have another that has a separate socket like the Wista shutter that opens the aperture fully, but no preview lever. There is a shutter release lever. I guess Copal made a variety of shutters, according to customer specifications.

Kumar