Re: Potential shutter speed problems

[P3D Greg Erker <erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>> After acquiring a tester, and testing several other cameras with it, I

  If your camera inconsistently over/underexposes shots
then it may be that the shutter is slow or fast the first
time it fires but is okay after that. Thus the first shot
in a session may be way off but later ones okay.

  If someone measures the shutterspeeds for you they may
fire the shutter a few times before measuring or just ignore
the first oddball reading.

  A slidefilm test roll should catch this problem. After a
day or two of rest (your camera, that is) take a photo using
the suspected bad shutter speed using an aperture to get
the correct exposure. Then immediately take another photo
or two at the same settings. If you have multiple suspect
speeds, wait a day then test the next speed. (keep notes).

  If there is any noticable exposure difference then your
shutter is inconsistent.

>  I recall that my Realists were particularly
>accurate.

  My Realist 3.5 (pre-double-exposure prevention)
is super accurate. Most speeds were less then 1/10
stop off. The worst was 1/150 measuring as 1/140.
This is actually convenient since 1/140 is 1/2 stop
faster than 1/100.  So using sunny 16 and 50 speed
film I can shoot at 1/50 and f16, 1/100 and f11,
or 1/140 and midway between f8 and f11. Easy to
figure out.

  I've measured my other cameras (3 Ricohflex's
and 1 Sputnik) and the Realist had the most
accurate shutter by far. And AFAIK Dr. T didn't
send my Realist out for calibration before selling
it to me.

  (I don't own a shutter tester. Just used a
simple phototransistor circuit, 60W light bulb,
and a $25,000 digital storage oscilloscope at
work on my lunch hour.)

Greg E.



------------------------------