Best place in NYC (maybe) to repair Copal Shutter

My copal #3 shutter seems to have a problem. The 1/4 second speed is clearly not

accurate, it sounds much faster than the 1/8 speed, and this is confirmed by the fact that

pictures taken at 1/4 are vastly underexposed.

 

So I'm assuming I need to send the lens in for repair. It is not old, I purchased it on a new

APO-Symmar 360mm. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'd be willing to send it

out for a really good repair, but I live in NYC so that would be most convenient.

 

Thanks.

The US distributor for Copal recommends

C.R.I.S.

250 North 54 Street

Chandler, AZ 85226

 

ph: (480) 940-1103

Thank you WILLIAM! What a useful response! Noah could never have looked that up on his

own.<p>Noah, A new or nearly new Copal #3 shutter shouldn't have the problem you've

described.<p>The diagnosis would depend on whether any of the higher shutter speeds are

off as well, but it's most likely a BAD PREVIOUS REPAIR.<p>If you'd like to give another Noah

a try, you can send me the shutter here in Rhode Island and I'll have it back to you in no time,

unless it's something really horrible. I've fixed many Copal shutters, 0, 1, 3 and Sinar.<p> I

actually have photo of a 360 Apo Symmar on my photo page.

There are several excellent shutter repair houses in the US. Perhaps the most widely

recognized is SK Grimes (www.skgrimes.com) in Woonsocket, RI. You cna also try Paul

Ebel in the Midwest who does a lot of the shutter repair work for some of the leading LF

dealers (don't have his website handy) and there is also Fluto's on the West Cost. You

won't go wrong with any of them.

 

Finally, if you purchased the lens new within the past year or two with a Schneider USA

warrenty you might give Schneider USA a call and see what they have to say.

If it works similarly to the old Compur shutters, I suspect that the slow speed escapement gears are improperly positioned. Shoddy repair (or factory assembly) work indeed.

Correct, Mr. Kovacs.<p>The escapement gears could also be just plain loose inside the

shutter.<p>One ecapement works all the speeds, high, medium and slow. It shifts like an

automobile transmission.<p>So the problem is

that an improperly positioned or just plain loose escapement

would affect more than one shutter speed. <p> But with a bad previous repair. it could be

anything. A mis-filed shutter speed cam, for example, or a combination of factors.

<p>Nippon Photo Clinic is a decent repair shop in NYC. I'm sure they'll work on a

Copal shutter.

<p>Info:

<br>Nippon Photo Clinic Service

<br>920 Broadway, 7th floor

<br>New York, NY 10010

<br>212-982-3177

 

<p>-<a href="http://www.michaelmeyerphoto.com" target="blank">m</a>

<em>"...there is also Fluto's ..."</em>

 

<p>Hear. Hear. Carol Flutot (<a href="http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/">www.flutotscamerarepair.com</a>)

does a <em>great</em> job. And her prices are simply unbelievable! (IIRC, less than half of S.K.

Grimes's prices.) She learned shutter repair from her father and has the same kind of work

ethic, honesty, and integrity that his generation took for granted. She's fast, too. And a

great communicatorshe let's you know what's going on with your shutter every step of

the way.<p>

Can't say enough good things about Flutot's.

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. The lens was purchased new a few years ago. I

can't find the warranty info, but I assume it has run out. But this rules out a previous bad

repair...

Noah,

 

Schneider lenses are sold with a "limited lifetime warrenty" how this applies to the shutter is

not specified. Before you spend money contact Schneider USA and see what they have to say.

If it was purchased with a US warrenty they may fix or replace the shutter at no cost. They

can tell when the lens was made (so can you) from the serial number.

<p>Well, in fact the Schneider Optics (USA) warranty

(<a href="http://www.schneideroptics.com/photography/warranty/">http://www.schneideroptics.com/photography/warranty/</a>)

has specific provisions re shutters: <i>"If at the time of original purchase a shutter is an integral part of the lens, then Schneider will further warranty that the shutter be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from date of purchase"</i>. Since the shutter is the most likely part of an LF lens to fail, this is a major limitation of the Schneider "lifetime" warranty. Since Noah purchased his Schneider lens/shutter a few years ago, the shutter portion of the warranty has run out.</p>

If this is a new, hardly used Copal #3 shutter and it has a problem like this, I would HIGHLY

recommend sending it to Grimes or http://lensn2shutter.com/, spending the $2, and having

a completely new shutter

installed, it will save

you tons of grief in the end.<p>If they give you the original defective shutter back, have it

mounted on a gold chain and send it to Copal so someone can wear it around their neck.

Noah wants a shop here in New York. I second the reference for Nippon Photo Clinic

(920

Broadway, 7th Floor). I've

used them several times and have always been impressed by their honesty and good

will and excellent craftsmanship. I was referred to Nippon by a couple of commercial

photogs here in the city, and they raved about the shop as well. I would trust my

cameras and lenses with no one else locally.

 

Sanders McNew

 

www.mcnew.net

I made reference to C.H.R.I.S because I was told to send my shutters there when in warranty by the distributor. I have also recommended SKG many times and the response by PN members was complaints about the cost but I am very satisfied with their work as I feel it is worth it , I am sure there are many qualified repairmen who can do a great job but I can only recommend that which I have personal experience with.

 

As I am vehemently opposed to these forums being used for the purpose of solicitation by merchants or manufacturers I feel I should be the one to take the first step as

Mr. Schwartz has also admitted that he has said many derogatory things with the intention to instigate litigation and forced me to respond but after 2 years and realize that I have wasted a lot of time , I also feel these attacks against me admittedly aimed at instigating litigation inconvenienced other PN members for which I sincerely apologize.

 

At this time I feel it is best to relinquish my membership to this website and hope that will spare its members from further abusive and or corrosive remarks by certain individuals , I feel PN provides a valuable service to the community, its photo of the week page and informative forums are useful to many.

 

I take this opportunity to thank those who I have had a chance to discuss maters which do not relate to business but feel I will not be able to do so In the future without concern for this type of responses which I believe everyone can do without.

Thank you .all the best W

William... whoa! What's goin' on?

 

Attacks? Instigating litigation? Uh... apparently I've missed something. What's goin' on?

William, don't leave.

 

I am not able to write something better using english language, so take it as it is:

don't leave, please.

I have a responsibility to my clients which I appreciate and at this time I must concentrate my efforts towards them.

 

I have been diverted and disrupted from doing so since Sept of 03 by what Mr. Schwartz admitted and summarized last month as " I was trying to get him to sue me" and that I was " a bad person for photography and that they were trying to stop me or at least keep me busy" well you know what? I have had it..

 

Then I was told last month that I have received a lot of free publicity as a result of being subjected to these attacks but after careful consideration most agree It amounts mostly to defamation and It was stupid for me to respond.

 

I have tried to contribute in threads which do not relate to my product but in the end the same people end up promoting themselves at my expense.

 

I seriously doubt there is a patent on shutter repair and I don't see SKG, C.R.I.S or any of the good and talented people who get constant recommendations breathing down everyone's neck for business here.

Why?

 

They don't need to. neither do I.

 

I am not going anywhere but I believe these threads work best when the participants are the users of the products .

 

I do feel appreciated and welcome by many here but I believe it is healthier for all that this website be free from the influence of businesses. I have no control over what others do but I can do something myself, that is all .

 

 

 

All the best W

I agree with the above posters for Nippon Photo Clinic. I have used them for a couple of repairs and they were always quick and courteous. I had one repair that was estimated for a week, but they finished in two days! I found them honest and very helpful with advice even if they don't work on a particular type of equipment.