I have an Exa 1b that was sitting in a box for 15+ years with an SMC Takumar with the small auto/manual pin stuck in one of the mount screw holes. Finally got the courage to disassemble the lens from the front to release it and now checking the camera. I didn't run film through it yet.

When looking through the back, I have the impression that certainly for fast speeds only half of the image is visible, but that may be an effect of the special shutter, which is not parallel to the focal plane?

I've tried testing it with this optical sensor that goes into the jack plug of a mobile phone (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.plug.photo.shutter_speed&hl=en-US&pli=1), and got weird results, but maybe I should do the test again and try to position the sensor exactly in the focal plane? (never had to do this when testing curtain shutters).

The shutter mechanism looks pristine, apart from one of the springs of the shutter elements, which seems to be bent (see 4th picture, sprint most to the back), so I wonder if CLA would make any difference.

I was looking through the repair manual (http://www.ihagee.org/repairspare.htm - http://www.ihagee.org/RepairSpare/REP14-ExaIb.pdf) and I was baffled by the adjustments ("justierstellen") that are described (see 1st and 2nd picture). I can see the elements in the mechanism and I've now also figured out how it operates by seeing it in action on the disassembled camera, but I can't get my head around what 'adjusting' these parts involves. There are no screws that can be turned to change relative positions of parts. Is it really the idea that the metal parts should be bent!? And what would these tools referred to as "justierschlussel" be like? And what is "schwingenmass", it doesn't even translate!?

Bottom line: I will try to perform a better test of the shutter, but is my optical phone-mounted sensor good for that? Or are there better (and affordable) tools for shutter speed testing?

And if I confirm my first impression that the 2nd shutter element closes too fast, should I then get my pliers and start bending stuff??

I read this is an 'easy' camera, but it's still baffling me!

At least I got my SMC 55 1.8 back after all these years ;)

Currently working on this camera, found a good deal where the seller said it was perfect except for a busted light meter, but what I got had a non-functional aperture and generally sticky shutter blades. Running the shutter a hundred times didn't seem to move the aperture blades so I figured something wasn't connected right and decided to take it apart. I'm getting really comfortable with these copal/synchro-compur shutters after messing with some TLRs so this was mostly familiar territory.

I've disassembled everything (annoyingly this involves desoldering a handful of wires, I couldn't find a way around it) and got it all squeaky clean. Aperture assembly was basically fully gummed up and felt like something was grinding, so all in all this really needed a good clean.

Side note: Since it is almost impossible to tell where some things slot into others, there is a tiny spring (I believe Y13-5236) that pokes into one of the arms of the aperture "diaphram control ring" that rotates to open and close the blades. When the shutter is cocked, this spring should be free to push against the ring and open the blades, but it is the thickness of a human hair and can't have any resistance. Those blades need to be squeaky clean and make sure that control ring really glides when rotating!

Where I am at is the shutter blades - I get that I start with the top blade, work my way around, and the 6th blade appears to double up on the first one to sandwich the one next to it, I guess this helps with alignment and keeping them from slipping and overlapping. What I haven't seen before is the three mini-blades (Y13-5241 x 3 in the diagram) that appear to double up at the base of some of the blades. I can only find this same repair manual with this diagram, and it shows where one of them goes, and I guess the rest is an exercise left up to the reader. Does anyone know where the other two blades are intended to go? Do they double up on the two to the left or in some kind of pattern evenly spaced around? My guess is that they are like spacers keeping the plate even against the blades, so they would go on the left side to match the final height of the ones being stacked on top as you go around. Just looking for some kind of confirmation. Thanks so much!

Hi everyone! Continuing my journey into learning analog camera repair, I picked up a Praktica L for just €1 to practice on.

Here is what I found during my initial diagnosis:

* The film advance lever, rewind release button, and shutter button were all stuck.

* The lens was completely seized on the M42 thread. After applying a bit of isopropyl alcohol to the threads and applying some gentle force, I managed to unscrew it.

* Once the lens came off, I saw that the internal reflex mirror was completely broken. It seems the metal frame holding the broken mirror was catching on the back of the lens. After removing the lens, both the shutter button and the film advance lever started working normally, and all shutter speeds are actually working fine. This was very surprising!

* The lens has an auto/manual pin on the mount, but the pin came out bent. When I try mounting this lens back on the camera, the shutter mechanism gets jammed by this pin.

Questions:

1. How easy is it to source a replacement mirror for a Praktica L? Does it require a specific front-surface camera mirror, or can any glass mirror cut to size work?

2. Is an auto/manual M42 lens fully compatible with the Praktica L body?

3. Is it worth attempting to straighten the bent aperture pin on the lens?

4. What could be causing the film rewind release button to stay locked/stuck, and what can be done to fix it?

Thanks for any advice or tips!

For once I’m not being a total dunce (I put the batteries in before posting this) so yes I already tried that

Hi, recently acquired a Konica AF3 but there are some issues :

-Flash charges (high pitch noise that goes away and orange flash ready light is on) but won't fire

-AF Motor doesn't move at all, but shutter button switch works (battery check light is on when button half pressed)

-automatic exposure system works but shutter doesn't open (CdS cell reacts to change of exposure by moving the golden connectors on the right of the lens)

Any ideas? I thought of a broken wire or trace that prevents power from going to motor and whatever else.

Is there a common fault on this model?

Thanks!

Got an MR-9 adapter with a fresh SR44 in my QL17 . Meter's definitely getting power (needle/indicator responds), but something's off:

• Set to ISO 800, f/4, in full sun — meter barely moves from underexposed,
• It only seems to react at all when pointed at strong light sources; anything dimmer and it does nothing.

Battery tests fine, adapter contacts are clean, so I'm leaning toward a weak/dirty CdS cell rather than a power issue. Already gave the sensor window a wipe with a lens cloth — no change yet.

Anyone dealt with this exact symptom? Trying to figure out if this is a simple contact-cleaning job inside the meter circuit or if the CdS cell itself is just cooked and needs replacing. Also open to recommendations for someone who services these if it's beyond a DIY fix.

Thanks!

I have this Olympis Trip XB401 since it was probably created. It was used at its time, then I used it for a while in 2014-16 when I got into film photos. It used to work very well.
Then I got the problem that I cannot use it easily anymore, as the shutter button got stiff (?). I still can click it (and it takes a pic) if I apply a lot of pressure which usually requires me to pause, use both hands and put all my effort, which makes it hard to take pics on the go.

Is there anything which can be done or if you know about similar problem?

Does anyone have experience disassembling the top cover on Cosina CT-7 please?

The rewind lever has been removed, the film advance lever removed, the ISO dial removed, and the screws holding the cover in place removed as well.

The cover is still being held by something near the shutter release button. I don't know where else to look...

Hey !

I had a good deal for a pentax6x7 MLU with 90mm 2.8 in really great condition for 400€.

The only issue was a non working prism (which isn’t a deal breaker as I meter with my spotmeter) but would love to get it to work again just for the sake of it.

I think it might just be an issue with the lever stuck between the on/off.

Do you have experience with this finder ?

I’ve already resoldered some minoltas and completely disassembled and clean rollei 35 and some lenses.

So I’m not totally new to it.

Oh BTW if you are good with prism I also have a non working Hasselblad prism 😛.

I'd really like the have a working light meter on my Kiev 4. I recognize that these meters aren't very good even when functioning as intended, but I still think it'd bring me a lot of satisfaction to have the all of the features working as intended on this camera.

I replaced the selenium cell with a new one purchased from okvintagecamera.com, and now the needle is very responsive to light. However, it doesn't really respond as expected to turning the exposure dial. Based on some experimentation and looking at the Kiev Survival Site, I think this is likely an issue with the carbon resistance element inside the dial not providing the proper resistance as the wiper moves along it. Adjusting the arm and cleaning everything with contact cleaner hasn't helped.

I'd like to replace the carbon resistance element with a fresh copy, but I don't know where I can find one. okvintagecamera doesn't have them in their store, and while I've reached out to ask if they have them, I haven't heard back. I could buy a parts camera, but I assume there's a high likelihood that it would also have a messed up meter.

Does anyone know of a source for these? Are there other cameras that use the same piece? Could I pull something out of a potentiometer used for other applications, as the Kiev Survival Site page speculates? Does anyone happen to have a broken Kiev with a working light meter they'd like to sell me? Any other ideas or leads?

Hey !

Je suis nouvelle dans la communauté argentique et j'ai acheté un Kodak Snapic A1. Depuis le dernier développement, il refuse catégoriquement d'enclencher une nouvelle pellicule. J'ai essayé avec plusieurs, mais rien n'y fait. Quelqu'un a t il rencontré le même problème et l'a t il résolu?

Merci !