safe to remove this screw?

[PeterEavis]

Hello,

I have a lens in a Synchro-Compur shutter and I want to mount it on a Linhof lens board. But I cannot lay the shutter flat on the board because of a screw that is sticking out of the back of the shutter. Can I remove the screw and proceed with the mounting? Or is the screw there for a crucial reason? The screw cannot be screwed any further into the shutter.

Please see the photo below.

Thanks,
Peter

[Jac@stafford.net]

You can remove the screw, however it is there to keep the lens from moving as you make adjustments. It is best, if you can, to drill a hole in the lens board to accommodate screw.

[B.S.Kumar]

That screw prevents the lens from rotating on the lens board. Some lens boards have notches cut into the hole for this reason. You should cut this notch if your lens board does not have it. You can also remove the screw and store it safely. There is no other impact on performance.

Kumar

[PeterEavis]

Ok, thanks.

[Bob Salomon]

Remove it, Linhof did not use them.

[Kevin Crisp]

This must be the most frequently asked technical question.

[Tin Can]

This must be the most frequently asked technical question.

It's not obvious and we all know loose screws sink ships...

I first saw it, I wondered if it held something inside, that was very necessary, then I saw a lensboard and bingo.

[Leigh]

The anti-rotation screw absolutely SHOULD be used.
Shutter makers didn't put these in just because they had extra screws.

It prevents the shutter from rotating when you cock it, in particular.
Left to its own devices, the shutter mounting ring will come loose if you use the shutter a lot.

If your lensboard doesn't already have a notch for that screw, you can cut one with a small file.
Note that the position of the notch controls the orientation of the shutter, so put it where you want.

- Leigh

[Kevin Crisp]

I was going to suggest the convertible front or back of the shutter question as the most asked but this little screw wins.

I've removed the screw on all my lenses. With the ring tightened with Mr. Grimes' wonderful wrench no cocking of the shutter is going to loosen the ring.

[Keith Pitman]

You don't need the screw if you tighten the retaining ring sufficiently. As a note, some lensboards have a "divot" in the rim for the screw, although it might not be where you want it.