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  #1  
Old 8th July 2016, 09:59 AM
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Stephane Stephane is offline
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Question Large Format Lens Repair?

Hi there,
Can you please recommend a reliable place to have a large format lens repaired (Schneider Super-Angulon 90mm). Shutter slower than 1/8s gets stuck. I live in Hampshire so something close would be preferred but sending the lens is fine as well.
Thanks for your help.
Stephane
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Old 8th July 2016, 10:08 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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Black on White in Bristol do my repairs, reasonabl prices and fast.

Ian
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Old 8th July 2016, 11:16 AM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Hi Stephane

I have used Linhof and Studio - http://www.linhofstudio.com/

They were quick and efficient - but I don't know how prices would compare to Black on White

Regards

Martin
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Old 8th July 2016, 03:17 PM
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Maybe not the answer you weer after but have you tried exercising the shutter? I've had a reasonable amount of success with sticky shutters just by cocking and firing them repeatedly.
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Old 8th July 2016, 03:23 PM
DaveP DaveP is offline
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I've managed to free up a dodgy shutter with judicious use of lighter fluid on just the right specific gears in the shutter. No substitute for a proper service, but sometimes makes sense if time or cash is tight.
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Old 8th July 2016, 04:04 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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Lighter fuel is rather aggressive and tends to remove all lubrication, I use IPA (iso propyl alcohol) to clean shutters, remove the lens cells then a few drops on the shutter blades and then fire the shutter a few times is usually enough to free up a sticky shutter.

Ian
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Old 8th July 2016, 07:48 PM
Svend Svend is offline
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+1 to all the above recommendations. Some good advice there.

A few more comments:

Some shutters were meant to run dry, with no lube at all except for a very thin film of light grease on the interface between the speed adjusting plate and outer housing. It would be worth checking out if yours is one of those, and if so, then you should be able to flush liberally or even soak the shutters overnight in alcohol or lighter fluid without damage. I have successfully resurrected two old Prontor shutters on my folders, and two Seikos on my Mamiya TLR lenses, using either a methyl hydrate soak (Prontor) or lighter fluid soak (Seiko). One of the latter ones had grease over all parts of it, indicating that someone had tried to service it and thought they were doing well by lubing everything. All are firing quite accurately now after cleaning them out. FYI, I did not have to completely disassemble the mechs for this service -- I went only as far as taking off the speed adjusting plates to expose the innards, and then went to work, leaving the guts intact. I don't have the courage nor the dexterity to start taking apart the gears and levers and blades, lest I end up with a mess like in Norm's link here: http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.or...116#post109116

Another thing you could try is automotive air system cleaner, which is basically methanol in an aerosol form. Works brilliantly to blast out the 50 years of junk in the works. And if you're lucky, none of the fine gears and pins will fly out when you do this . Precede and follow that with a soak in a methanol bath, let dry and reassemble. It can't hurt to work the mech and the diaphragm while still wet with solvent to loosen things up.

The fact that your shutter sticks only on certain speeds makes me think it's not the blades that are the main culprit, but something in the mech. The blades may still be sticky, and are just adding to the drag on the system, but the root cause is somewhere inside the works.

Hope this helps, and best of luck.

Svend

PS -- I think it should be obvious, but worth repeating Ian's advice: be sure to remove all lens elements from the shutter assembly before attacking it with solvents.

Last edited by Svend; 8th July 2016 at 08:02 PM.
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Old 8th July 2016, 10:50 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is online now
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If this is a valued lens, I would definitely have it professionally repaired. Even simple disassembly can cause damage, unless you have the correct tools and technique. Going to a repairer who has been recommended is better than trying your luck with the nearest, or most convenient place. I had one Compur shutter repaired locally, and although it was 'fixed', it looks messy. I sent a Prontor Professional to Cameratiks/CameraBase in Edinburgh, and it came back looking and working like new. You may be lucky and have a good service nearby, but wherever you choose, it's best to deal with someone who comes with good references.
Alex.
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Old 9th July 2016, 03:48 AM
Svend Svend is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alexmuir View Post
If this is a valued lens, I would definitely have it professionally repaired. Even simple disassembly can cause damage, unless you have the correct tools and technique....
Alex.
True. I would never attempt such a repair with one of my Rolleis. My patients (victims?) - the folders and Mamiya lenses - are each worth less than a week's worth of gasoline, and are simple to work on. Anything more complex or valuable and it would be off to a proper tech with it.

But if you do want to work on yours, I recommend a lens spanner wrench (~$25 here on Amazon), fine needlenose pliers and jewelers screwdrivers. A quiet workshop with good ventilation is nice, so you don't intoxicate yourself sniffing solvent vapours .

It's quite satisfying when all goes well, but there are lots of ways it can go south on you. You can mess up a good lens if a tiny little spring goes "sproing" and flies out the window. That said, the simpler shutters are easy to work on, and you're not actually disassembling them at all, just taking the face plate (speed setting plate) off to expose the workings so you can flush it out.

Hope you get it fixed one way or another.

Cheers,
Svend
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Old 9th July 2016, 08:37 AM
Collas Collas is offline
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I've used Brian Mickleboro, Ed Trzoska and Malcolm Taylor in the past for repairs and all are very good. Malcolm was able to clean and lubricate a large format shutter for me. None of them are keen on electronics, so as it's a simple shutter mechanism they may be able to help.
Ffordes use CamServe for their warrantee work.

Nick
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