I have several compur shutters with various makes of mounted optics which all share the same thing in common: the self-timer fails to operate. It's obviously not life-threatening, but you know, if it's there, you want it to work. Has anyone had the same experience, and if so, what does the repair usually go for?

-- Charles Hansen (charleshansen@aol.com), August 14, 2001

Answers

The selftimer gets sticky because you don't use them every time. Normaly there is nothing broken inside, it just need cleaning and lubricating and this should be done on regular service. Or you try to clean it yourself. And if it's working, always let it run a few times per month as you should do with the longer times when you don't use your lenses.

-- Thomas Vaehrmann (TVaehrmann@web.de), August 14, 2001.

I suppose it depends on your personal point of view.

The Compur repair manual states that no lubricant should be used.

However, sometimes the timer has superficial corrosion to the extrent that simply cleaning is not enough. In that case a very light weight oil, with the excess very well wiped-off is the only reasonable solution.

Jaye Waas

-- Jaye Waas (jaye@sasaudio.com), September 14, 2001.