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sean morony
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 - 01:14 pm: | 
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I'm trying to restore an early Kodak Retina 1,type 119.The shutter cocking lever is stuck in the cocked position and won't fire.Please help. |
cstobbs
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 - 02:00 pm: |
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On my Retina I (which I traded in many years ago) it was not possible to work the shutter release if the sprocket hadn't been turned (by film movement or by my thumb). The sprocket is not turned by the film winder. I think this was a much superior system to my later cameras which allow you to crank off frame after frame only to find out that the film never advanced out of the cartridge when you went to remove the cassette after what you thought was the end of the roll. I currently own an Agfa Solinette which operates the same as the Retina I. Hope this solves your problem |
Peter Wallage
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 - 06:43 pm: |
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The Retina type 119 doesn't have a body release so there's no interlock, and you should be able to cock and fire the Compur shutter as many times as you want without winding on. Looking at the front of the camera, the cocking lever is at about 2 o'clock just below the cable release socket, and the release lever is at about 11 o'clock. As standard, mosty early Retinas came with a very stubby non-flexible release button that screwed into the cable release socket.
If you can't get the shutter to fire by using the release lever try the cable release socket. You don't necessarily have to use a cable release, you can just poke a small rod down inside the socket. The release lever should also move as you do this. If everything feels jammed it's just possible that the release lever has been bent and is jamming. I had this trouble on a couple of Compurs on older folding cameras.
If this doesn't work the only recourse is to look inside the shutter to find out what's stopping it firing. It's possible that someone has jammed the cocking lever by forcing it down with the speed set at either B or T. On these Compurs you don't have to cock the shutter on either B or T setting. There are several sites with details of how to get inside a Compur, it isn't very difficult, and if nothing's bent flushing with naptha (Ronsonol or similar lighter fluid) often frees up stuck things. With the speed selector plate removed the shutter should work as if it were in B position, but it isn't advisable to cock and fire it without the plate in place as the cocking ring can jump up out of position. When you find out what's jamming it, put a finger on the cocking ring when you release it to stop it jumping up. If it does, you can put it back easily enough, but it's fiddling.
On a bright note, on the Retina you have the advantage when you've reassembled the shutter that when you screw the lens front element back in you just screw it in tight, unlike a lens with front cell focusing where you have to reset it at infinity.
Hope this is of some help,
Peter |
sean morony
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 09:54 am: |
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Peter - thanks for your reply.I think I'll have to take the front off the shutter.I removed the Kodak nameplate,but I can't see what to do next - no obvious screws.It looks like the cocking lever is actually stuck in the UNcocked postion
Sean. |
Peter Wallage
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 11:49 am: |
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OK Sean,
You started in the right place by removing the curved Kodak name plate (don't lose the tiny screws!). Now unscrew the front lens component.
Under where the Kodak plate was you'll find a locking screw with two holes in it. There's a flat on one side of the head. Use a pair of tweezers or pair of dividers to turn the screw anticlock until the flat part points to the lens housing. This allows the nameplate to turn.
Next, turn the nameplate about 10 degrees or so anticlock (it may be quite stiff with old grease, but it will turn) and you'll see three small brass tags appear which will line up with three cutouts in the lens housing. This leaves the black plate free to lift off, but quite often it's stuck with old grease. It helps if you put a small screwdriver in the cutout where the locking screw fitted and lever gently.
With the black plate off you can see parts of the shutter mechanism through slots in the speed selector plate. Lift the speed selector plate off and the works are there in all their glory.
Start by giving it a few gentle squirts of lighter fluid, commonly called lighter petrol, and see if things start to free off. If things start moving the chances are that more fluid and more working will eventually free it off completely. If so, you're almost home and dry. Clean the speed selector plate, and when you put it back on, put it in approximately the correct position with, say, 1/10 sec pointing to 3 o'clock and give it a gentle turn anticlock. This often helps the small pins which engage in the slots to seat properly. Remember, it's not the best idea to cock the shutter with the speed selector plate off.
If all speeds are now working (remember you can't cock the shutter in the B or T position), lift the speed plate off again and put just the lightest smear of a high melting point grease (the white sort used for automotive brakes) on the back of the plate where it rubs on the casing, and the tiniest smear on the front where it rubs on the black nameplate. Almost put it on and wipe it off again. This makes setting the speeds much easier. Make sure all the pins are engaged and the plate is free to turn to all the speeds before you put the nameplate back on and lock it.
If cleaning with fluid has no effect, look at the mechanism and try to work out what's jammed. It looks terribly complicated, but it isn't really all that bad.
If you have any problems, post another message with what you find and I, or someone else, may be able to help.
Good luck!
Peter |
sean morony
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 12:56 pm: |
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Peter - many thanks.I've managed to free the shutter cocking lever,but it's not staying in the cocked position,it just springs back.Also,there's a spring,or curved piece of metal,just below left of the plunger,which I'm not sure about - one end is unattched to anything (if that makes sense!)I did get the cocking lever to stay in the cocked position earlier on,but the speeds didn't seem right.Anyway,I'll keep cleaning it and trying again - I don't like to give up!
Sean |
Murray
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 10:23 pm: |
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New question - same topic....
I have (misplaced in house) a Retina Reflex S with an extremely slow shutter.
Frightened off by quotes approaching $200, I made a pinhole conversion and used it that way.
Since that time, I have gotten more confident with cleaning shutters, etc on less complex cameras like folders.
Is it possible to reach the shutter on this camera to flush it out? I am a little more nervous about it being inside the camera body.
Thanks |
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