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John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 10:45 am: | 
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This is a follow-up to a thread I had started a week or so ago.
The mirror on my Spotmatic stays up when the shutter speed is set to 1/250 or slower. When at 1/500 or 1/1000, it returns as it should. It was suggested by someone that I clean the gears, and/or adjust the tension of the second curtain. I took off the bottom plate of the camera, and I see the gears. How should one clean them? Should I use an oil or some other kind of lubricant, or a solvent of some kind. And how does one adjust the tension?
Thanks.
John Meyers |
Terry Scott
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 04:08 pm: |
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Before you do that, check the foam bumper that borders the underside of the focusing screen.
If it has deteriorated, it may have become sticky and thus, to a degree, hold on to the mirror when it has risen. |
John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 07, 2005 - 04:16 pm: |
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I did check the foam bumper, and it is in good shape, not sticky at all.
John |
John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 06:58 am: |
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I've done some web searching and discovered that oil and other liquids are a no-no. OK. But as far as cleaning is concerned, I don't see how it can be done short of just blowing it out with some canned air. BTW, the gears don't appear very dirty or worn. The camera is in quite good condition. |
Stuart Willis
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 07:00 am: |
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This problem occurs on most SLRs when and if the slow speed escapement is gunked - although primarily the manifestation described by you is usually confined to shutter speeds below 1.30th.
Absolutely do not play with the curtain tensioners. That is not the problem and will only create further difficulties.
Spotmatics are a very good camera but they are now getting old. As well as a gunked escapement, the original grease on the mirror-box mechanism can be expected to be dried out and congealed.
There is no "quick and dirty" method of fixing.
The camera has to be pulled apart. It isn't rocket science but you need to know that you are about.
Have you tested the camnera with a brand new battery? The model uses a 1.35v mercury cell which is no longer procurable - but it will work OK on a 1.5v Silver Oxide of the same physical format packaging. Exactly what battery series are you using?
Hope this helps
Stuart Willis |
Tim
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2005 - 11:27 pm: |
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Sounds to me like it is a curtain tension problem.
the second curtain is not tight enough to hit the brake, and release the mirror. To confirm this, fire the camera and when the mirror does not return,
pull the curtain a bit more to the left, and the mirror should drop. The problem with adjusting the curtains is that you need a decent tester to set the run time. |
John
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 08:27 pm: |
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I tried pulling the curtain over as you suggest, Tim, but it had no effect on the locked up mirror.
The meter works with the Panasonic H-B battery that was in it when I got it at a sale. I also bought a new #392 battery from Radio Shack and put an O-ring around it to make it the right size. The meter works the same with that one. I compared the reading with that of another camera, and the meters were in agreement. So the meter is good. Of course, this will have no effect on the mirror problem, but it's good to know it works. |
