Instructions for Prontor Professional Timer ?

[Technorama]

I have a Prontor Professional Timer for timing long exposures. This is the late model black one that provides 2-32 seconds, and is similar in appearance to the accessories for the Prontor Professional shutters. I am a bit confused by the operation of the Timer. Was this only to be used on the Prontor Professional shutters ? The throw of the plunger pin in the cable release portion is too long. When used with, for example, a modern Copal shutter, the release mechanism on the shutter opens fully and reaches full travel before the timer mechanism on the Timer can be activated. The plunger pin in the Timer needs to travel quite a way before the timer portion kicks in. Also, there is a plastic plunger at the bottom of the Timer unit with a marking of T and an arrow pointing downward. Can't figure out what this does or how it is to be used.

Appreciate any guidance or if anyone has an instruction sheet for this unit. Should be simple, so frustrated by my confusion.

Thanks.

Mike

[Jim Noel]

The release on mine has length adjustable where it screws onto the timer body. ALso, I am able to change the release cable.

[Bob Salomon]

The lever has three positions.
1 aperture open to wide opening for focus/composition.
2 aperture set to taking aperture to check dof.
3 ready to fire.
The remote had 2 cable releases. One that went to the shutter and the other to a socket on those cameras with a socket on the back.

[Technorama]

The lever has three positions.
1 aperture open to wide opening for focus/composition.
2 aperture set to taking aperture to check dof.
3 ready to fire.
The remote had 2 cable releases. One that went to the shutter and the other to a socket on those cameras with a socket on the back.

Bob,

I am not talking about the control unit for the Prontor Professional shutters which you described. What I have is the TIMER, which allows for long time exposures of 2-32 seconds. It looks similar, but is a completely different function. There is no selector lever, just a clockwork setting of the desired time exposure.

Mike

[Bob Salomon]

Bob,

I am not talking about the control unit for the Prontor Professional shutters which you described. What I have is the TIMER, which allows for long time exposures of 2-32 seconds. It looks similar, but is a completely different function. There is no selector lever, just a clockwork setting of the desired time exposure.

Mike

Then it does exactly what it says. 2 to 32 second exposures + T for longer exposures.

[Technorama]

Then it does exactly what it says. 2 to 32 second exposures + T for longer exposures.

Yes, Bob, I get that. My initial question was about the very long throw of the cable release plunger. It needs to travel a long way to activate the timer mechanism. This makes it seemingly unusable on regular shutters such as a modern Copal. When used with a Copal, the shutter opens and the shutter release lever reaches its maximum travel BEFORE the timer plunger activates the timer mechanism. Hence, my other question of whether this timer was intended for use ONLY with the Prontor Professional shutters.

[Bob Salomon]

Yes, Bob, I get that. My initial question was about the very long throw of the cable release plunger. It needs to travel a long way to activate the timer mechanism. This makes it seemingly unusable on regular shutters such as a modern Copal. When used with a Copal, the shutter opens and the shutter release lever reaches its maximum travel BEFORE the timer plunger activates the timer mechanism. Hence, my other question of whether this timer was intended for use ONLY with the Prontor Professional shutters.

No, it wasn’t.

[Technorama]

After doing some figgerin' and finaglin' I realized that by turning the thumb end of the plunger on the timer you can adjust the throw of the end of the plunger that screws into the cable release socket on the shutter. Some trial and error and now it is usable on my Copal shuttered lenses. I know these are not common accessories, but offer that solution here in case others experience the same question/problem I had. It is not readily obvious. Several searches turned up no instruction manuals or other written documentation on this device.

[Cor]

Good that you found the solution ! At least in the future your post can be found by others perhaps facing the same issue.

good luck,

Cor

[Technorama]

Good that you found the solution ! At least in the future your post can be found by others perhaps facing the same issue.

good luck,

Cor

Yep, that's the whole purpose of this board...people helping people.