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Mredphoto
Tinkerer
Username: Mredphoto
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 09:20 am: | 
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Hello, complete and utter camera Noob here.
I recently purchased a Rank Mamiya 4B 35mm rangefinder (1963 model) for the princely sum of £15 sterling including a leather case and its in really good condition both cosmetically and optically, and the meter reads fine and seems acurate enough when compared to my DSLR. so all is sounding ok except for one slightly fundamental problem....
The shutter doesnt open, no matter what setting i put it on and no matter how many times i trigger it. It refuses to open.
Now the aperture/ISO/focusing rings are all smooth as you like, the shutter ring is a bit sticky though. Each stop has a click but between 4, 8 and 15 sec it sounds like its clock work, or turning something clockwork. When you turn it to the bulb setting it clicks round satisfyingly. But no leaf opening, it obstinately stays in the shut position.
The film advances well etc etc.
I have worked out how to get the bottom off and the top and have cleaned everything i can reach with lighter fluid and a microfibre cleaning cloth and things seem a little smoother, including the shutter speed ring.
Now my question to you is how do i get to the actual shutter mechanism? i guess dribbling lighter fluid in isnt going to help much.
I wanted to try see if i could get it going again before going down the reapir shop route.
Does anyone have any advice or tips that could help me out?
many thanks in advance
Ed
p.s. I have no idea of the provenance of the camera but the general outer condition of it kleads me to believe that its been looked after, but perhaps stored for a lengthy time |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 - 10:36 am: |
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Your stuck shutter problem is pretty common in leaf-shutter rangefinder cameras. When you press the shutter-release button, one spring has to pull the blades open, and then another spring pulls them shut. If there is some dirt or oil or grease on the blades (even on the part of the blades that you can't see, or on the rings that actually drive the blades), then there will be too much friction for the blades to open.
You need to clean the blades and the rings, but you usually don't have to remove them to do this. It is usually enough to remove the lens elements (front and back) and to drip 7-8 drops of lighter fluid into the outer edges of the blades, and then work the shutter. If they still don't open, set the shutter to B, and while holding the button down, and nudge the edge of one of the blades with a toothpick to push it open. There's lots of advice on this site for this problem. |
Mredphoto
Tinkerer
Username: Mredphoto
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 - 11:16 am: |
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Scott,
thanks for your reply,
I have opened the camera up and it appears that one of the springs has snapped within the shutter mechanism. the shutter will close but not open.
Interestingly it appears someone has opened the camera up before, there is evidence of the screws being undone.
Im going to take it to a repair shop and see what they reckon, im also going to look out for a broken one that i may be able to cannabalise
regards
Ed |
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