new shutters for process lenses

[Rob Vinnedge]

Now that ULF photographers are using large process lenses more than ever, has anyone looked into the idea of newly manufactured shutters for such lenses? I know that S.K. Grimes and Packard Shutter Company are excellent resources at this time, but it would be handy, and I would think profitable, for someone like Copal, Melles Griot, or others to actually manufacture large shutters to fit these large lenses we're picking up. I did send an inquiry to Melles Griot but got no response. Has anyone else looked into this?

[Bob Salomon]

Want to guess what a shutter larger then a 3 from Copal would cost new if it were to be made new today for such a small market?

[Bob Fowler]

Melles Griot still makes #4 ans #5 electronic shutters and controllers. Picey, yes, but available new.

[Robert McClure]

Rob,

With a rudimentary undertanding of business and supply/demand my guess would be that there isn't the market for such a shutter, though your idea is certainly an interesting one. As Bob Salomon seems to imply the shutter might be prohibitively pricey. Additionally, my suspicion is that as time passes, this market will shrink further. You may have to content yourself with a Packard. Just my thoughts - hope I'm wrong, too!

Good Success!

[GPS]

Profitable? Absolutly not! Too many parts, too much human labour on it, very small market.

[Bob Salomon]

You might be better off trying to adapt an old Sinar Copal shutter to your camera.

[Rob Vinnedge]

Just how small is the market? I've got seven process lenses in need of shutters. What about all the Lotus, Canham, Wisner Ebony, Tachihara, Gandolfi, Deardorff, and custom built camera owners who have such lenses? It would be interesting to know what the market demand actually is. The new Schneider lenses are expensive, the new Kodak and Ilford sheet film offerings are expensive, everything associated with ULF is expensive, but there seems to be enough demand to justify manufacture of those items. Why not shutters?

[Bob Salomon]

"Just how small is the market"

Think there are 100 shooters?, 500?, 1000?

It is a very small market for a company like Copal and it is not growing over the long term. But Photokina is this year. Why not go and explain to manufacturers just what they are missing?

[Oren Grad]

Rob, the size of the market - demand for the product - depends on the price. So to make this more concrete, how much would you be willing to pay per shutter?

[Merg Ross]

As Bob suggests, consider adapting a Sinar Copal shutter for use with your process lenses. I have adapted one for the 8x10 and mounted all of my barrel lenses on homemade wooden boards. Also, an old Luc shutter is an option. The Packard works well if 1/25th of a second is acceptable as the top speed. I suspect that for the price of a shutter, one could acquire a good selection of lenses in the current market.