Servicing the No.2 Supermatic Shutter on the Kodak Medalist

Disassembly and Reassembly of the No.2 Supermatic Shutter as found on the Kodak Medalist camera.

[mdanie]

Always helpful to see what's inside different shutters. Just a note for anyone using Hunter's video to service their Supermatic - at ~55' the reason the shutter doesn't complete its release cycle is because the B lever (at the 11 o'clock position) blocks the main cam with the blades open, not because the pallet lever is out of position. The speed setting disc pushes the B lever out of the way at all settings - apart from B. Some Supermatic shutters have a T lever there too.

[andrewbernard]

Thanks for the video. FWIW, I used this to successfully service a no. 2 Supermatic for large format. The insides are mostly the same once you remove the face plate.

[youbuscemi]

I was having a very hard time to fix by myself a flash supermatic shutter for Wide Field Ektar lens. Your so well detailed video saved my life and gave the legend lens back to its life again (perfectly). I want to thank you for that!

[gregnixon]

A very detailed step by step repair instruction set. It helped me a lot as well as being a valuable resource. Thanks very much.

[ganzonomy]

I very rarely sit through hour plus videos.

Yours I did.

Beautiful job

[huntercompton]

Apologies, as somebody asked my about the tool I am using, but I seem unable to reply to their comment directly. Anyway, it is a jar opening tool I bought from Ace Hardware. I had used a strap wrench prior to this, but found the jar opener to work just as well without having to constantly adjust it.

[paulrudeck]

You did a great job on this video. There is quite a bit to repairing this shutter and you covered everything very carefully. What's nice, is if you get stuck on something, you can just jump to the location in the video where you cover it. Thanks very much!

[caseyj.]

Thanks for a great video. My early style Medalist developed a sticky shutter, with the help of your instructions I successfully disassembled to gain access from the front and then removed the inside lens to get to the backside. I used the CRC QD spray cleaner on both sides of the shutter blades, worked the shutter several times and sprayed again then set the camera aside to let the solvent evaporate, reassembled and it works great.
I pre-wound the timer spring a little too tight however and whatever holds the spring when wound wouldn't quite hold when cocked so had to go back and loosen slightly.
Very pleased with the results but since I'm nearly as old as the camera had a little trouble seeing the tiny screws...rather tedious work but worth it.

[xavierbirkenbach]

Hi, great tutorial. Is the disassembly process the same for the Medallist II (i.e. start with unscrewing lens etc.)

[dennisleavell]

Have you done any repairs on a No 1 Kodamatic shutter? I have an old Pressman Busch camera with a 103mm lens and the shutter just seems to be stuck on the timer mode. Thanks

[grifter]

Awesome job!!! Can you do a video on fixing the film advancing mechanism. When I turn the film advance knob on the original medalist, the shutter will not cock automatically. Also do you know where I can get a repair manual for the original medalist? Thanks

[BSMet]

This video is a godsend! I have a 1940 Kodak Monitor 616 with a 127mm Anastigmat Special and No. 2 Supermatic shutter that seems to only fire at random speeds between about 1/80 and 1/140, regardless of the setting, when actuated normally. When the self-timer is used to actuate the shutter, it *sometimes* fires accurately on the slow (red) speeds only, but sometimes it sticks open and needs help to close, and on fast (black) speeds it reverts to the random speed or just sticks open. Couple of questions on the video... you do mention the tools used, but are there any specific sizes or types of flat blade drivers recommended? I got your comment about Ronsonol and/or 90+% isopropyl for cleaning, but several places you mention putting a drop of oil or "white oil." Can you recommend a brand of oil? I'm not sure what to use here. Also, I take it from your commentary that adding a few drops of oil where you recommend is good enough, and that (although dried grease is part of why we need to disassemble and clean) there is no need to re-grease anything, i.e. the oil is enough.

Anyway, again, I can't thank you enough for this video! I've read through the old military instructions on servicing this shutter, and your superb video gives me the confidence to tackle this job! I'm dying to get out and take some photos with my vintage camera without it being a roll of the dice with respect to exposures. With 616, you only get 8 shots per roll, and preparing roll-your-own film that isn't 50+ years expired is a project in itself, but worth it given the stupid prices people want for expired film these days.

[VWLivin]

How do you completely separate the shutter from the front focusing tube? I understand that this is not necessary in order to repair the shutter but my Medalist I missing several internal parts and so is unusable as a functioning camera. The shutter works great and the lens is perfect so I was going to attempt to take it off and keep it until I can find a new body to put it into down the road. Thanks for any insight you may have.

[davepowerwagon]

Great detail and well shot video! Do you have any info on how to adjust a diaphragm that won't stop open fully to the 3.5 f stop?? I don't see anything on this problem in any literature. Thanks!

[baxterintux]

Could you share how to apply grease to it, and which type of grease to use? I found an old one with the shutter stuck and everything sounds super crinkling

[randyhendrickson]

My medalist seems to be firing at the same speed regardless of where the shutter speed ring is positioned. I'm assuming I should pay particular attention to the 15:50 portion or the video. Correct? Thanks for posting this excellent guide!

[alexanderstavroudis]

Hey Hunter,
So I went ahead and did a full CLA on the shutter including shutter blades. Your video was instrumental in helping me. Everything went back together fine and the shutter fires great until I install the retarding gears. When that mechanism is in play, the shutter seems to fire at one speed, for all speeds selected, at around 125th or more. I’m guessing since I haven’t timed them with my tester. Very occasionally it will actually be using the retard gearing so I know it’s capable of it. I'm at a loss. Any ideas? I can supply pics and video.
Thank you,
Alex

[anthonyle]

Awesome tutorial. I worked on my Medalist I watching your video along fine until 1:26:47; shutter cocked and fired perfectly! How ever, as soon as I put the relay cover plate on, it become so difficult to cock the shutter;and then when tripped the trigger, shutter won’t fire. Do you have any idea why, and any advice. I started with not a stuck shutter, only some speeds did not work properly. The camera and shutter unit is very clean. Thanks

[VWLivin]

Great video. Question, when, I try to remove tge front element on my Medalist I only the putter ring unscrew but not with lens. The lens stays put in the shutter. How can remove the front element? Thanks.

[Peterriggins]

I have two Medalist II cameras with issues. One is firing at the same speed no matter what, except bulb. They don’t seem to have the low speed gearing, so I would assume the get the slow speed from the self timer.
Any thoughts?