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Tom Simpson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 01:22 pm: | 
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Hi:
I am starting to play with photography and 35mm cameras again after a long hiatus. I have elected to take a "systems" approach to this and standardize on one closely related "family" of cameras, and try to master them inside and out.
I decided to go with the Pentax M-series cameras. They have a good reputation for taking fine photos, are as common as dirt, and seem to be quite fixable when they fail. So, I have procured a number of them off of eBay in different states of disrepair. A few of them came out of the box working (one despite the seller being sure that it would not) several that were clearly DOA.
One that was DOA was a very nice ME Super that is now scattered ito its major subassemblies in a ziplock bag. Well, that was informative. Just how many of these sorts of projects end up that way? :-) In a previous life, I was a licenced gunsmith, so troubleshooting mechanical systems is something I am used to, though cameras are certainly more fiddly and involved than the average rifle.
Just today, I got in an MG that seems in excelent shape except for the shutter vanes on the back shutter being badly warped. Not sure how it happened, but it may be heat-induced.
Anyway, here is the main question...I have the whole shutter assembly from the ME Super out, cleaned and lubed...is there any reason that I could not just put that whole assembly in the MG?
And does anybody have any brilliant ideas on how to best manage desoldering and resoldering the wires, or how to avoid it? I cant find my little soldering iron and would rather not buy one right now if I can avoid it.
TIA
-Tom |
Roman Dubravsky
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 02:58 am: |
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Hello Tom,
It is interesting experiment. But I'm not sure if it will be working well. ME Super shutter is a bit different. Firstly, ME Super shutter curtains are moving faster than with MG. So shutter times may not be correct when you will connect MG metering and timing with MES shutter mechanics.
Soldering is not problem, there are only three wires. Only you can do it carefully. Wires and soldering points are small. |
Stuart Willis
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 07:53 am: |
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Tom ..
The metal-bladed shutter assembly is modular and removeable. The blades as procureable from a junker model can be replaced. It is not particularly difficult. The difficult bit (read damned near impossible) is the pulling of the mirror-box on either the ME Super or the MG "WITHOUT" the facility of a decent temperature-controlled soldering station. Lots of wires to desolder and huge risk of heat-sinking to cook a microprocessor. With respect - a number one priority investiment if you are serious about your pursuits. On the ME Super there is one red wire from the shutter release solenoid to the film rewind-knob side of the prism flex pcb. Do not try to desolder it. Instead, cut it midway, then joint and sleeve it upon reassembly.
Hope this helps
Stuart Willis |
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