'Wista' copal shutter for fujinon lens

[jennym]

Can anyone please shed any light on what a 'Wista' copal 0 shutter is, and whether Fujinon lenses were ever mounted in a 'Wista' shutter? I have just bought a Fujinon 125mm lens from a forum member and this is the shutter it is mounted in. It stops down when the shutter is pressed, and appears to move smoothly when looking through the lens holding the shutter open using the 'B' setting, but it doesn't stop down when you adjust the aperture ring. Is this a defective shutter, or simply a feature of the design of this shutter? Without being able to stop down lens while looking at the GG it will be difficult to assess the depth of field, and hard to place ND grads accurately.

This lens is an EBC multicoated 125mm f5.6 fujinon W with a 55mm front thread serial number 591XXX. Does anyone know if this lens ever came mounted in this shutter? Can anyone shed light on the possible age of the shutter which has shutter speeds from B (no T)to 125th sec and is black with a silver trim. There is no lever to cock the shutter, but it appears to be self-cocking when closed.

Many thanks for any information. Much appreciated. Apologies in advance if this is just my ignorance.

Cheers,

Jenny

[Bob Salomon]

It is a Copal Press shutter. It was used with Wistar lenses and some Nikkor lenses. It was also available as a spare shutter. It's available in 0 and 1 sizes and in Leica thread. Currently we have a demo of the 1 size in stock. Wista makes no mention of Fuji lenses.

[Bob Salomon]

There are 2 cable release sockets on the shutter. One is to stop the lens down. The other fires the shutter. You need very long throw cable releases with this shutter.

[jennym]

Thanks Bob. I can see the two cable release sockets. The one socket successfully fires the shutter, but the other one seems to have no effect on stopping the lens down. Is there a technique to this?

Many thanks,

Jenny

[Peter K]

Thanks Bob. I can see the two cable release sockets. The one socket successfully fires the shutter, but the other one seems to have no effect on stopping the lens down. Is there a technique to this?

Jenny, as you can see here the second cable release opens the shutter for focusing. If released the shutter closes and the diaphragm closes to the selected value.

Peter

[jennym]

Thanks Peter,
My problem is that the diaphragm is not closing at all when I move the aperture scale unless the shutter is closed. It stays wide open. I can see the shutter opening when I press the second cable release, but there is no position in which I can see through the diaphragm to the selected value with the shutter open. Would it fit that the blades are sticking with the shutter open, but can move when the shutter is closed?

Many thanks for your help.

Jenny

[Dan Fromm]

Jenny, I have a Copal Press #0 shutter with a preview lever. This is a variation on your shutter's cable release that opens the shutter for viewing. My little shutter's preview lever also opens the diaphragm; when I move the lever to close the shutter, the diaphragm returns to the aperture set.

So try this experiment. Set the aperture to, say, f/22. Look into the rear of the lens; this because, IIRC, the diaphragm is behind the shutter. Is the diaphragm well closed? If so, use the cable release to open the shutter. Is the diaphragm now wide open? If so, so far, so good. Now let the shutter close. Is the diaphragm now well stopped down, as before? If so, all's well. If not, there's a problem.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan

[Peter K]

I can see the shutter opening when I press the second cable release, but there is no position in which I can see through the diaphragm to the selected value with the shutter open.

This is the drawback of press shutters, one cannot close the diaphragm if the shutter is opend by the preview lever. But you can select "B" and use a lockable cable release mounted in the cable release socket for the "normal" shutter release.

Have fun

Peter

[Dan Fromm]

Peter, the funny thing is that although my little #0 Copal Press behaves as you described, my #00, #0, and #1 Prontor Press shutters don't. Mine are, um, Prontor Prontors, not Polaroid Prontors as made for, e.g., the Polaroid MP-3 and none has a preview lever, all have just one cable release socket. I have a couple of ex-Polaroid CU-5 #1 Copal Press shutters that also behave normally; again, 1 cable release socket, no preview lever.

Cheers,

Dan

[Peter K]

Dan, press shutters are at first self cocking shutters. The other ones are "set and release" shutters. But with e. g. sliding backs, identification cameras etc. a preview lever in a press shutter makes things easier.

Compur and Prontor shutters where made in many many variations, every camera factory has orderd special shutters.

Cheers,

Peter