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Message |
    
Michaelwongsee
Tinkerer
Username: Michaelwongsee
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 - 03:21 am: | 
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Hi there.
I recently bought myself a Practika LTL 3 from eBay. It worked fine until I tried putting film into it.
Since the film cassette seemed to load in upside down, I decided to test whether the back would close with the film cassette as such. I did not bother pulling the film across the shutter.
Now the back is completely stuck - I don't want to pull on the rewind/release latch any harder.
Also, the mirror is stuck up in the top, as a result of removing the lens, sticking it in B mode and trying to push the back open.
Any ideas on either problem?
Is it sensible to unscrew the top?
What do I need to consider if I do this?
This is my first SLR camera, so I really want this to work!
Thanks in advance,
Michael. |
Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 171
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 - 11:28 am: |
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Well, considering your progress till now I'd say, don't remove any covers, least the top one. You may try to gently peel the leatherette along where the back door hinge is. I'm 90% positive that the hinge was held by screws accessible from outside. Then you can remove the back, remove the wrongly inserted film cassette and assess extent of other damage.
Marek |
John_s
Tinkerer
Username: John_s
Post Number: 28
Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 - 12:18 pm: |
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Some cameras have a feature where you can release the back if you remove the base plate - much easier than removing the top, just three or four little screws and it should come off. Not sure if this applies to the Praktica though. |
Mareklew
Tinkerer
Username: Mareklew
Post Number: 172
Registered: 03-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 - 12:28 pm: |
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John, I'd try the hinge first: I think the latch is jammed by back-pressure on the lid, so even if there's bottom access to the latch, it means forcing things again. I'm afraid this camera may be beyond hope anyway, considering methods involved so far...
Marek |
Michaelwongsee
Tinkerer
Username: Michaelwongsee
Post Number: 2
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 - 05:56 pm: |
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John s, thanks so much!
Just removed the bottom plate, and found the mechanism that releases the back.
As for the mirror, there was a tiny bit of film stuck underneath the shutter, so I removed that, and everything fell back into place.
ANOTHER problem for you guys:
I must of mucked something up, because now when I pull up the rewind lever, the back still won't open.
Any ideas on how to access the button in the picture once the bottom plate is reattached?
[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/wonki1234/DSC02467.jpg[/IMG] |
Prasanna
Tinkerer
Username: Prasanna
Post Number: 58
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 20, 2010 - 08:04 pm: |
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Some previous owner/user may have dropped the camera or bent the back slightly by accident. Please check the alignment on how it closes and opens carefully. You can straighten the mis-alignment easily. Also lubricate the latch that snaps the back door locked. There are two hooks in it that slide up and down. They are spring loaded. They should move freely.
Also, verify if the back door plate is bent. Even a slight curvature can make it out of alignment and cause problems with the latch. The latch is a very simple sliding mechanism that goes up and down. Sometimes there could be rust or other dirt material blocking its tolerance gaps.
I assume that by "button" you meant the latch release lever that is bent L-shaped at the left end of your picture and NOT the rewind release button to the right of the tripod mount. good luck, sp. |
