No 'bulb' mode on my new Compur 3 shutter

[karlmartini]

Firstly, let me admit I'm a complete newbie to LF. My Schneider Symmar-S 240 shutter had arrived from the chap I bought it off on Ebay. The Deardorff 8x10 got stuck in Irish customs because they have no idea what it is. Anyway...I'm fiddling with my new shutter and lens because I've got nothing else to fiddle with and I notice that there is no 'Bulb' mode. I had planned on doing some long exposures but I see this may be an issue. I've even tried holding open the cable release but that doesn't work. The most I can get is the maximum 1 second allowed by the shutter. I'll be honest..when it's cold (as it is allot in this country) I tend to shiver like a shitting dog and I'm fearful of camera shake introduced by my finger if I use the preview lever. I've attached a picture taken by my very small format i-phone. Any suggestions appreciated.

On another note... this is a serious piece of glass and precision engineering and it's a pleasure just to hold the thing. I'm looking forward to entering the world of large format and the esteemed company therein.

Thanks in advance

[Gem Singer]

Use the "T" setting for long exposures.

(in front of the 1/200th sec. setting)

[Vaughn]

The "T" setting -- one click opens the shutter, a second one closes it. (You have to cock the shutter first, though.)

Have fun!

[karlmartini]

I tried that before (and just now again). On the 'T' setting when I use the cable release the shutter opens and stays open but the second click of the cable release does nothing. I've tried all the permutations with cocking the shutter before or after moving to T etc. It's not the end of the world. I'm sure I can get by but i'm fairly sure it's user error as this lens looks very well looked after and it's unlikely to be faulty.

Thanks

[Merg Ross]

Are you using a locking cable release?

[karlmartini]

I'm not using the lock function on the cable release.

[Frank Petronio]

You might need a heavier duty Gepe cable release, those #3 shutters can be stiffer than the little ones.

Are you able to use "T" with the lever that fires the shutter? If that functions correctly then it probably means your cable release needs a hit of Viagra.

[jb7]

Well done, another 8x10 user in Ireland-
just this year, I've counted another 2 or 3-
we'll have to start our own forum soon...

You could test with a paperclip too, I suppose-

[karlmartini]

I've tried the paperclip to no avail. It seems that when in T mode all the shutter release lever of cable does is engage the preview lever. It's a one way thing though. When it's open it stays open. releasing the cable does nothing. In fact, the only way to release the shutter energy thats been built up by cocking the shutter is to take it off 'T' and fire it then. I'm starting to think that the shutter is faulty. I suppose if I have the lens stopped down enough to be doing exposures longer than a second I can go with the old trilby hat over the lens trick from the wet plate days. Either that or manually close the preview lever. Joe, thanks again for showing me your setup. I'm sure you've noticed I decided to go with the full 8x10 and skip the 4x5 in spite of your advice. I was just too in love with the work of Alec Soth, Greg Miller and Richard Renaldi not to go with the 8x10. I just didn't see the lovely DOF in the work of anyone using a smaller format. I'll give you a look at the setup if you like when the customs and excise finally decide to release it.

[Frank Petronio]

You understand that for "T" you pop the shutter once to open the shutter and then you click it (a second time) again to close it?

A fellow like Frank Marshman of Camera Wiz in Harrisonburg, VA, phone 540-434-8133 is quick, good, and reasonable with repairs and adjustments.

Not to scare you off, but a modern 240mm Symmar on an 8x10 will render out-of-focus areas nicely but it's probably one of the last modern lenses you'd choose for its out of focus rendering.