How hard/easy to mount lens in a 'new' Copal shutter

[pchaplo]

If I have a used lens such as a Schneider Symmar-S in a malfunctioning shutter, and I have a working Copal 0 (same size), is it feasible for me to DIY swap the shutter? How complicated (or simple) is it?

[Bob Salomon]

Very simple, unscrew the front and back cells from the old shutter, be sure to keep any shims.
Screw the cells into the new shutter replacing any shims from the old shutter.
If the aperture scales are different on the shutters unscrew the scale from the old shutter and install it on the new one.

[Mark Sampson]

Then send the broken one out for repair- they aren't making any new ones.

[pchaplo]

Thanks Bob. I never thought about the aperture scale and shims. Are the shims circular flat rings?

Very simple, unscrew the front and back cells from the old shutter, be sure to keep any shims.
Screw the cells into the new shutter replacing any shims from the old shutter.
If the aperture scales are different on the shutters unscrew the scale from the old shutter and install it on the new one.

[pchaplo]

Good idea. Who do you use?

Then send the broken one out for repair- they aren't making any new ones.

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks Bob. I never thought about the aperture scale and shims. Are the shims circular flat rings?

Yes

[Bob Salomon]

Good idea. Who do you use?

Any camera repair place can service a leaf shutter. That is camera repair 101! However, parts are no longer made, so if yours needs parts that aren’t available then you would have to find a repair shop that either still has new ones or salvaged ones or can make them.

Tempe Camera in Phoenix and
Precision in Austin are two you can try.

[Leigh]

One critical point is that shims are NOT all the same thickness.

Their purpose is to take up the error in the shutter thickness (manufacturing tolerance). One shim or set of shims from one shutter will NOT work with another shutter, even if the same brand. Nor will they work with the same shutter when mounting a different set of lens elements.

- Leigh

[LabRat]

I'll add to get precision calipers and measure the cells back to front in the old shutter, and try the cells again in the new shutter to see if the measurement matches... If the calipers reach, measure front to back on each of the shutters (without cells) to see if they match...

This is a test...

Steve K

[Pfsor]

One critical point is that shims are NOT all the same thickness.

Their purpose is to take up the error in the shutter thickness (manufacturing tolerance). One shim or set of shims from one shutter will NOT work with another shutter, even if the same brand. Nor will they work with the same shutter when mounting a different set of lens elements.

- Leigh

Because you suppose the shims are made for a specific shutter? I suppose they are rather made for a nominal shutter and for a specific pair of lens cells - much more economical that measuring each shutter individually. Because we don't live (and produce lenses) in an ideal world but in a world of economic constraints.