Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    469

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    I spent a little time on Saturday tracing down a suspected challenge with one of my new lenses. I had picked up a barrel optic and screwed it into a #0 Seiko shutter. My first images left me to thinking there might be something wrong.

    The Seiko (for those not familiar with it) throws its cocking lever rather hard when the shutter is tripped. I was concerned that this might be a source of my perceived resolution challenges.

    I tried the optics in both the Seiko and Copal shutters and took a close look at the resolution on-negative. There is no difference between. So I'm comfortable now with the Seiko and it's "flying arm". :-)

    And the lens? Its sharp. I don't know what I was worked into a lather about...

  2. #2

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    so what was this lens?

  3. #3
    Scott Davis
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Washington DC
    Posts
    1,875

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    It could well be that the lens elements (if the lens you mounted has separate front and rear elements) are no longer in alignment. If the entire lens is either front or rear mounted on the shutter, then it is possible that this is a vibration related issue with the shutter, but since you had the problem across two different shutters, I find this less likely.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    469

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    The lens was a new 150mm Germinar-W f/9. Its a very nice optic. Images are as nice as ones from my 150mm Fujinon NSW f/5.6, which is a beautifully sharp/contrasty lens.

    What I was comparing against was an even better 300mm APO Germinar f/9. I'll have to haul out the USAF test chart to see what this resolves. From the looks of things, its a brilliant optic, if not a little short on coverage.

    I can see a very slight difference between the Germinars, but only in highly magnified comparisons (where I can clearly see the grain in TMax100/D76 negs). On-print there are no visible differences.

    Like I said, I don't know what I was all worked up about.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Tonopah, Nevada, USA
    Posts
    6,334

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    Tsk. A German lens in a Japanese shutter? You need to go find a Compur for that. Some of your old C59 Tektronix CRT cams have a spiffy little Prontor that would be perfect. :~')

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    469

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    Ah... Jim. You are a gem. Of course! Why didn't I realize this earlier? Nothing like a few 'ol Prontors laying around, ready to be sent to the scrap heap to make a grown man cry.

  7. #7

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    Back to the topic of seiko shutters, I allways thought that they were a copy of compur shutters, and I dont remember the vibration from my SA in a Seiko to be any more than that of a compur. I will check it out when I het home.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    469

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    The Compurs that I've seen run smoothly and quietly. I don't recall the cocking lever swinging the way the Seiko shutter arm does.

  9. #9

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    While the Seiko shutters may have the same thread sizes and nominal cell spacing as the Compurs, they aren't exactly copies. The Seikos have to be cocked to open the shutter blades for composing/focusing. Compurs don't (of course, not all Compurs have a press focus setting - some have to be placed on B or T for focusing/composing).

    The Compurs went through many iterations over their long life. Some (No. 2 rim set Compurs, for example), did have a "flying arm" like the Seikos that result in a loud "thunk" upon the closing of the shutter blades. Like the Seiko, any induced vibration occurs AFTER the blades are closed. So, while it may be a bit unnerving, there should be no impact on sharpness.

    Kerry

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Posts
    711

    Seiko shutters - and that "flying" arm...

    Copals are Japanese, right? So if multicultraliasm results in blonds with those eyes is that a bad thing?

Similar Threads

  1. Seiko Shutter Operation?
    By Mike Kovacs in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 18-Nov-2006, 11:15
  2. Flying with 8x10 within the U.S.
    By Eric Leppanen in forum Gear
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 6-Jul-2006, 14:17
  3. Flying US to Italy
    By Saulius in forum Location & Travel
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 17-May-2006, 13:09
  4. Seiko shutters
    By John Dorio in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 28-Mar-2000, 02:01
  5. seiko shutter performance
    By Kevin Kemner in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 18-Nov-1999, 19:34

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •